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Attracting non-aggies to the industry

Michigan’s Director of Agriculture says more needs to be done to attract workers to careers in agriculture.

Jamie Clover Adams tells Brownfield the industry needs to do a better job educating and attracting people that might not have considered agriculture as a career option.  “Up until now, we in brought people into the sector that are in essence from it so they understand what’s involved and where they can go.”  She says, “I think we need to do a better job being transparent and letting people know what those opportunities are.”

Clover Adams says reaching out to middle and high school students and educating about high tech careers is becoming even more critical.  “There’s a lot more technology in agriculture today than there has ever been before.”  She says, “I think people have a misperception that it’s the agriculture of my father’s time, and it’s definitely not.”

Clover Adams tells Brownfield a new pork processing plant and a wood processing plant broke ground in 2015 and will provide even more agricultural career opportunities for Michigan.

AUDIO: Interview with Director Jamie Clover Adams