Sales Agronomist
Sales agronomists are responsible for providing expert advice and strategic agronomic insights to customers. They sell crop input products (e.g., fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, seeds, etc.) as well as basic and specialized agronomy services. Sales agronomists maintain relationships with their customers so that those customers will continue using their companies for business.
Future Job Market
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Fair
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Good
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Excellent
Typical Employers:
Sales agronomists are typically employed by seed companies, crop protection companies and cooperatives.
Suggested Professional Organizations and Associations:
- National Agri-Marketing Association
- Soil Science Society of America
- National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants
- American Society of Agronomy
- Committee for Sustainable Agriculture
- Crop Science Society of America
- Weed Science Society of America
Salary:
$82,000?
SAE Connections:
FFA Connections:
What Responsibilities Will I Have?
- Market and sell seeds, fertilizers and crop protection products
- Communicate new product offerings and pricing information to clients
- Visit farms to visit new and existing customers
- Manage and track inventory, bookings, completing claims and invoices
- Arrange for product and service delivery dates
- Gather marketing data and information on products, competitors and customers
- Build and maintain customer relationships with emphasis on customer service
- Follow industry news and stay informed about new products and research
- Plan and develop customer crop plans, including fertility, crop protection and seed portfolios
- Negotiate and partner with producers to finalize contracts and achieve annual crop production goals
- Analyze crop conditions and report on customer delivery based on these conditions
- Scout fields and collect soil samples
Recommended High School Courses:
- agricultural education
- statistics
- business
- mathematics
- focus on science such as earth science, biology, botany, chemistry, plant science and biology
Education/Training Required:
A bachelor’s degree in agronomy, plant science, agricultural business, soil science, weed science, agricultural engineering or a related field is needed. Some employers may require an additional certification as a Certified Crop Adviser.
