Sustainable Foods Career Outlook

America’s food industry is one of the most productive in the world. Racking in over 2.6 trillion dollars annually, it serves as a significant driver of our economy, which makes employment in this sector possible to all. Millions of people are already working to grow, pack, ship, vend and compost or dispose of food¹; but what opportunities exist for EcoLeaders considering ways to improve their natural environment by working in sustainable food careers?

The U.S. food industry can be grouped into five major sectors: Production ($300 billion in sales), Processing (589.5 billion in sales), Distribution (819.4 billion in sales), Retail (918 billion in sales), and Waste (sales not applicable). In all these sectors combined, over 15.6 million people are currently employed in the food industry.² While the food system in the United States is extremely lucrative, the production of food along the supply chain has implications related to climate change, public health, and environmental justice – to name a few. However, more recently the growth of the local food movement and the success of organic foods have created a way to address critical environmental issues while allowing for a more sustainable food system. 
 

Sizing Sustainable Food Jobs:

Job growth in sustainable food systems is promising. Farming is at the apex of the sustainable food industry with 2.2 million farms in the United States. This industry is ready for new leadership; with the average age of a farmer is 58.3 years old³. There are nationwide organizations like the National Young Farmers Coalition and The Greenhorns working to attract young conservation leaders to farming in the modern food industry. 
 
A wide range of jobs in sustainable food exist. Here are some additional options to consider:

Salaries for Sustainable Food Jobs:

The median salary for farmers is $66,360⁴ and $70,110⁵ annually for organic farmers. For most entry level positions in organic/sustainable farming, the median pay is $16-$23/hourly ($33,000-$48,000 annually). Senior-level positions in organic farming can earn $119,530 annually⁶. Positions for Food Scientists earn a median income of $63,950 and top-off around $117,000⁷.

Required Education and Certifications:

Most entry level positions (maintenance workers, growers, site laborers, servers, farm laborers) will likely require a high school diploma and basic training but the best-paid jobs require an associate, bachelor or other professional degree. For example, animal husbandry workers, who raise and breed livestock, mostly have an associates degree in animal science or veterinary technology. 

Aspiring food scientists can enter the field with a bachelor's degree in agricultural or food science. To coordinate, manage, market or direct in this field a bachelor’s degree or business degree in marketing, finance, human resources, business management and healthcare management are all a plus. Basic professional skills in communication, research, leadership, and project management can be developed and cultivated right here within the EcoLeaders community!

Examples of Certification Programs in Food Sustainability:

• Institute of Culinary Education (NYC) | Career Training Programs
• Mesa Community College | Sustainable Food Systems
• Owens Community College | Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
• Just Food: Justice from the Ground Up | Urban Agriculture
• University of Georgia and the USDA | Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program 

Examples of Academic Programs in Food Sustainability:

• Clemson University | Soils and Sustainable Crop Systems (B.S.)
• Colorado State University | Master of Agriculture in Integrated Resource Management (M.Ag.)
• Purdue University | Nutrition (M.S.)
• Iowa State University | Sustainable Agriculture (M.Sc. Ph.D.)
• North Carolina State University | Plant & Soil Sciences with an Agroecology Concentration (B.S.)
• Kansas State University | Horticulture – Urban Food Systems (M.Sc. emphasis)
• Michigan State University | Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (B.S. & B.A. specialization)
• Montana State University | Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems (B.S.)
• Ohio State University | Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability (B.S.), Sustainable Agriculture (Minor), Sustainable Agriculture (A.A.S.)
• Yale University | Environmental Studies with a Sustainable Agriculture Concentration (B.S.)
• University of Florida | Food Sciences and Technologies (B.S.) 

Lists generated by the Sustainable Agriculture Education Association with some schools added. 

In addition to applying for one of these academic programs, also check out The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)—the world’s leading food college. They’ve launched The Food Business School which enables and empowers entrepreneurial leaders to design, deliver and lead transformative innovations that address the world’s most pressing food challenges. While the options are vast, a good place to start might be with some free online courses: Sustainable Agriculture Courses, Agricultural Courses, or Organic Transition Course. 
 

Sustainable Food Project Examples from the NWF Sustainability Database:

Sustainable Food EcoTopic Page - Start here to find lots of resources for you to start and share your own Campus or Community Food EcoProject in the EcoLeaders community! Or find inspiration from the following projects that other EcoLeaders have done:

• Arizona University students create a zero-waste service that enhances the environment and local community.
• Augustana College Farm2Fork Initiative teaches students and others about issues related to food production and consumption.
• Bethune-Cookman University works with a local charter school, the Chiles Academy, to provide its students an opportunity to learn about the value of fresh, organic food and how to grow it.
• Clemson University students steered clear of the dumpsters and instead donated 11,500 pounds of food, clothing, wood and household items to local charities, bringing “recycling” to a whole new level.
• Ithaca College permaculture garden is to develop a prominent space that bridges the gap between food production and landscaping. This 50-square-foot garden serves as an educational model for exploring ways to meet human needs with ecological design to demonstrate a new landscape paradigm.
   

RESOURCES:

1. Green for All. Green Jobs in a Sustainable Food System. Retrieved on March 3, 2015 
2. Green for All. Green Jobs in a Sustainable Food System.
3. EcoCentric. Get to Work! Jobs in Food Sustainability. Retrieved on March 5, 2015
4. “Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 16, 2017..
5. “How much does an Organic Farmer make in the United States?” Sokanu. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
6. Ibid.
7. “Food Scientist and Technology.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 16, 2017.  

By: Crystal Grant Jennings, NWF Coordinator, and Christina Lopez, NWF EcoLeaders Labor Analyst Fellow 2017