AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
What is AOM? An Agricultural Operations Manager combines an understanding of the agricultural, biological, and physical sciences with managerial, business and technical skills. This enables AOM graduates to efficiently and effectively oversee the operation of a variety of commercial businesses.
Students focus on the application of technology used in agriculture and the integration of business management concepts in the commercial, agriculture and food industries. The AOM graduate is able to identify system problems, formulate possible solutions, evaluate the impact of alternatives (including social and economic dimensions), and then implement the best solution.
Coursework AOM integrates a liberal arts and sciences education with expertise in the agricultural sciences, applied technology, and business management. The program emphasizes hands-on participation through classes and internships. Students must meet requirements in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The AOM Academic Learning Compact identifies the skills students should acquire if they follow the course of study. Four specializations are available:
- PRODUCTION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT - Agricultural Production is the production of anything required of humans to clothe or feed themselves. This specialization prepares the graduate for managerial positions in agricultural enterprises such as vegetable, citrus, nursery, or livestock production. Managers direct the input of chemicals, growing schedules, plant selection, and cultivation techniques. They are in charge of personnel and the production of the final products.
- CONSTRUCTION AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT - Preparing food, fiber and agricultural resources for purchase by consumers and businesses requires specialized structures and processes and the operations manager is involved in "getting out the product" on a day-to-day basis. Courses focus on management skills and decision-making to increase production efficiency while also reducing environmental impact. Students will learn how to maximize the efficiency of a variety of buildings and systems while minimizing the use of our natural resources.
- ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT - Environmental Systems Managers advise farmers and other agriculturists how to best carry out their functions in an environmentally sound manner. They must be able to deal in an informed manner with an array of regulations and permitting requirements established by various agencies and jurisdictions. Coursework focuses on the application of technology and principles of management toward improving agricultural production, processing, manufacturing, product support, product education and environmental regulations.
- TECHNICAL SALES MANAGEMENT - This specialization focuses on the marketing of agricultural commodities such as agricultural produce, farm commodities, or chemicals. This includes sales management, product planning, technical support, and parts and inventory control. Technical people are needed to manage divisions or subsidiaries of large corporations because technical managers have the knowledge necessary to match agribusiness needs with industry deliverables.
Depending on the specialization chosen, courses are relevant to production, construction management, agriculture, natural resources, and environmental businesses and agencies.The curriculum balances a hands-on knowledge of technology with instruction in agricultural sciences and business principles.
Careers For graduates in Agricultural Operations Management there is an abundance of job opportunities. The program provides a solid foundation in the area of technical management. Graduates become an integral part of the profitable operation of many types of businesses such as building materials, environmental structures, citrus processing and commercial nurseries. A burgeoning of new technologies are being applied to agriculture and experts are needed to make these new technologies productive. Starting salaries average over $40,000/year.
Graduates from the AOM program work for a wide spectrum of companies including Purina, Terra Asgrow, Cargill, U.S. Sugar, Exxon, State and Federal regulatory agencies and many others. The information explosion and rapid dissemination of new technology has made it necessary for the agricultural industry to have a sales and management force which is educated in basic business practices, environmental regulation, business law, public safety, and science. The added benefit of the AOM degree is the ability to specialize in the natural resources sector as well as acquiring a background in business and management through a curriculum that includes marketing, accounting, human resources, and information technology.
Additional career information can be found at agforlife.com