ASAS-FASS Student Intern, 2002,
and
University of Missouri
College of Veterinary Medicine
Columbia, MO
The speed and specificity of change in the ever-evolving agricultural world
is often an overwhelming challenge to our future leaders in agriculture. The
agricultural community is burdened with the realization that we not only have
to be an expert in our related professions, but we also need to possess a working
knowledge of the many different multidisciplinary sectors globally. This role
is a continual learning process that can be fostered in many different settings.
As a student in an agriculturally based curriculum, it is easy to become focused
solely on a particular discipline of interest. Today’s generation has
been raised to take the fastest route to a specific destination. This is sound
advice. But there should be numerous side trips along the way to help broaden
the horizon of a young, developing mind. This can be pursued throughout one’s
education by becoming familiar with other disciplines, such as bioethics, communications,
computer science, political science, sociology, and writing-intensive courses.
Also, students should be encouraged to seek multidisciplinary internships that
may or may not be available within the borders of our great nation, The United
States of America.
The forefront of agriculture lies both within and beyond the borders of the
United States. There are many issues of focus for people in agriculture at
this time. We face the constant threat for the potential introduction of foreign
animal diseases into our livestock and the ever-rising possibility of agroterroristic
activity within food-producing sites. The current ban on the import of genetically
modified foods into the European Union and their affiliates is detrimental
to our agricultural economy, as well as to foreign aid to countries in need
of humanitarian assistance. On the home front, the agricultural community is
continually bombarded with the false accusations and errant political propaganda
of extremist animal rights groups. Also, the safety of our food supply and
the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals are subjects of debate found
in constant turmoil.
As you can see, individuals can do nothing to support agriculture if their
focus is only on agricultural economics, agronomy, animal health, bioengineering,
nutrition, reproduction, etc. The interconnectivity of the multiple disciplines
of the agricultural community is evident in our daily lives. People in agriculture
need to continue to seek fellowship among member organizations. In turn, the
member organizations must develop strong ties and affiliations with different
agricultural coalitions, community groups, government agencies, policy makers,
and the public in general. The strong agricultural heritage on which our country
was founded depends this networking structure.
We each have a voice that can be used to promote public awareness of agricultural
issues, foster consumer confidence in our food supply, and sustain the benefits
for further application of biotechnology use in agriculture worldwide. This
voice needs to be one that is firm, yet kind, and dually educated in the subject
matter and etiquette principles for interacting with the news media. Agriculturalists
should have a sense of urgency to seek the skills of a well-rounded scientist
in order to sustain the continuation of the agricultural heritage of our great
nation and the world over.
