Education · 1 of 5

The path

A degree in crops or soil, then a few seasons proving you can read a field.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Biology, chemistry and math. A summer job on a farm or at a grain elevator matters as much as the marks.

2. 2

   Agriculture degree

   4 years

   Crop science, plant science, soil science or general agriculture. Guelph, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Dalhousie and Laval all run them.

3. 3

   Co-op or summer field work

   Every summer

   Crop scouting, plot trials, soil sampling. This is where you learn to identify weeds, pests and deficiencies on sight.

4. 4

   First agronomy job

   Year 1

   Usually at a farm retailer, a co-operative, a seed company or a research station.

5. 5

   Certify

   2 to 4 years of work

   Earn the Certified Crop Adviser designation and register with your provincial institute of agrologists.