Any student that wants to get into agriculture just needs to know that it's just not out working long hours in the fields, it's knowing technology; it's knowing machinery; it's knowing how to irrigate properly in order to keep costs down and production high. It becomes a very technical field. So you have to have this knowledge to provide the service to employers that are really valuable. My name is Rod Taylor, and I'm the Dean for Math, Science and Engineering at Columbia Basin College.

We started a new Associate of Applied Science Degree in Agricultural Production. That includes three certificates that are embedded in it. One for Crop and Soil, one for Hydroponics and Greenhouse Management, and one for Precision Agriculture. One of the certificates is the Crop and Soil certificate, and within that, students learn about crop production and agricultural safety. They'll learn about agricultural machinery and mechanics, weed science, irrigation principles, crop pests and diseases. It will be their introduction into precision agriculture. With the Precision Agriculture certificate, they'll learn more about crops within the field, more ag safety. The safety is always of paramount importance when students are going through this program. They will learn about GPS and GIS applications, and there will be an intro to computers and information technology, and then what we call Crop Production II class, so further their knowledge in the crop varieties that they'll be associated with within the Columbia Basin area. The third certificate offered in the program is a Hydroponics and Greenhouse Management certificate. And within that is growing within a greenhouse and cultivated plants with a lab, the crop growth development with lab, hydroponic technology, and greenhouse production and management with a lab. Basically, they're learning kind of another side of agriculture that is within more of a greenhouse setting.

Some of the biggest things that are really attractive in this program is the technology aspect to it. So you can learn how to fly drones and map fields and working with software on computers. Many students don't know that you can get a bachelor's degree at Columbia Basin College. Our Bachelors of Applied Science and Agricultural Business is the seamless transition from our associate degree into higher level management positions that will pay better, and, again, they'll have the background to really provide employers with a knowledge base of everything from production up through the business concepts.

My name is Chris Lamb and I'm a graduate of CBC's Agriculture program. I chose to come to CBC because of the opportunities that I saw when I first joined the program: scholarships, internships, and the classes in general.

The thing that makes our program standout is students really become well rounded in a number of areas.

Ag is not just working in the fields. You can be in marketing and be involved with Ag. You can be in the medical field and can be involved with Ag.

They can become agricultural technicians, field personnel, agronomists, farm and ranch managers, cell representatives, precision ag technicians, GPS and GIS technicians, sales specialists, hydroponic consultants, commercial hydroponic growers, greenhouse managers, manufacturers, supplier of hydroponic equipment and nutrients.

Pay wise, the industry is great. There's opportunities, and due to those opportunities and the availability of jobs, especially here in tri cities.

You're looking at salaries ranging from $35,000 to $55,000 a year. This program will start in the fall of 2020. The first year of the program is where they'll earn their Crop and Soil certificate, and then the second year is when they earn the other two certificates.

So why would students choose CBC? The benefits of this program include affordability, certifications, the future needs of the industry the local support that we have, the hands on learning, the dynamic curriculum, and the local professional opportunities. The job prospects makes the program very attractive to any student that wants to pursue an agricultural career.

It's not just learning through a book. It's actually able to go outside, get your hands on the soil, get your hands on the crops. It's great.