Hiring a Veteran into Agriculture: Why You Should

In honor of Veterans’ Day, and Remembrance Day, AgCareers.com is pleased to share the results of the “Veterans & Military Professionals in the Agricultural Workplace” survey conducted this past summer. AgCareers.com has been a longtime advocate for the employment of military veterans in agriculture, taking on the Ag Warriors program from the International Agri-Center in 2012 and partnering with more than 20 employers who have made a commitment to actively hire military veterans.

Veterans are very receptive to working in agriculture. Our survey found that 57% of military respondents said that veterans are widely accepted and welcomed into the agricultural industry. The top five agricultural industry sectors preferred most by veterans are:

1. Crop Production

2. Animal Production

3. Plant and Soil Sciences, Seed, and Biotechnology

4. Education and Extension

5. Animal Health / Equipment, Manufacturing and Technical (tied for a fifth place ranking)

Additionally, 47% of veterans felt that agriculture was a more viable career path for military professionals returning to the workplace as opposed to other industries. The top two reasons cited for this were outdoor/field work and work that correlates with the military experience.

While this is all good news for agricultural employers interested in hiring a veteran, there is still some work to be done to make the industry a more welcoming place for them. More than half of military respondents said that they felt that their coworkers and/or supervisors had a difficult time relating to their military experience. Furthermore, 70% of military respondents wished agricultural employers better understood a veteran’s capabilities when hiring and working with them.

The “Veterans & Military Professionals in the Agricultural Workplace” survey also sought insight from agricultural employers who had hired and worked with military veterans in the past. Their side of the issue also sheds light on hiring veterans into agriculture:

• Nearly 90% of employers said that they would encourage other agricultural employers to hire military professionals and veterans.
• 66% of employers experienced no challenges while employing veterans.
• According to employers, the top three qualities military professionals and veterans bring to the agricultural workplace include discipline, reliability, and leadership.
• 73% of employers agreed that military veterans are best suited for middle management and/or salaried roles.

Consider hiring a veteran into your organization. AgCareers.com can help you get started with our Ag Warriors program. When you create an account and post a job on AgCareers.com, you gain access to the Resume Database where you can seek out resumes labeled “Ag Warrior.”

To view the full survey, click here. For a visual snapshot of the survey results, click here.