A farm advisor educates and gives advice on those involved in the business of agriculture. This job is also typically combined with expertise and advising on home management. Most advisors have an advanced degree in agriculture or a related field. Those who go on to become advisors earn a modest but manageable salary in most cases.
Those with a passion for teaching that would prefer to teach adults instead of children should consider becoming a farm and home management advisor. Many colleges and universities hire farm advisors, and state and local governments hire advisors to educate the public. In your state, you may have heard of an extension agent. This is another name for a farm and home management advisor.
While some assistants to farm advisors are employed without a college degree, it is unlikely that you can become an actual advisor without at least a bachelor’s degree. For example, Virginia requires at least a bachelor’s degree for a faculty position and even requires a master’s degree by the 6th year of employment.
The type of college degree you need is going to depend on the exact farm-advisor job you are seeking. However, examples of degrees you can earn are agricultural economics or a more general course in agriculture technology or agricultural engineering. You may actually qualify for other jobs while qualifying as a farm advisor. Consider a variety of career options in addition to farm and home management advising to expand your career options after graduation.
These qualifications are general guidelines. Always check with your own state to see if there are specific requirements for local farm advisors.
Once qualified, you can get jobs with local governments and some state and federal jobs, as well. Colleges and universities and even business management schools hire farm and home management advisors for their teaching abilities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 10,670 farm and home management advisors in May of 2010. They were earning a median hourly salary of almost $22 and a median annual salary of about $45,000.
Resources:
Virginia Career Guide for Farm and Home Management Advisor
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Jobs and Salary for Farm and Home Management Advisors