Nathan McKinney

Q: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and where you're located.

A: I am a third year student at the University of Georgia. I double major in Agribusiness and Agricultural & Applied Economics. As a student at UGA, I serve as a CAES Ambassador and have the opportunity to recruit and help advocate for the college of ag. I was born and raised here in Athens, Ga!

Q: How did you decide on your career path, and what training or education was required?

A: My initial career path had me going into agricultural policy. However, as I have gotten involved with Chick-fil-A, I have found a new career path. My current goal for my career is to manage one of our Athens Chick-fil-A's before I either turn to an Operator role, or move to the Support Center in Atlanta. My current education will yield positive results in my career choice through business and management practices. There is in fact training required to move up at Chick-fil-A. Regardless if I decide to Own/Operate my own store, or work at the corporate office, I need years of experience and knowledge in this food/hospitality industry. 

Q: Who is someone who has been a mentor or had an influence on your life? 

A: One mentor in my life would have to be Andy Paul. From looking up to him when I first got into the FFA, to working for him, to now seeing him as a close friend, Mr. Paul has always been there for guidance. He is both a Godly man, and a strong leader. He provides me with real world applications, biblical knowledge and advice on many areas of my life. I am grateful for his leadership/friendship in my life. 

Q: I'd love to hear more about your journey in agriculture! How did you get started, and what aspect are you involved in within the agricultural industry?

A: I got started in the agriculture industry first as a student, but then as an FFA member. Learning about important agricultural curriculum and the necessity of rural life drove me to eventually raise my own sheep flock. As an FFA member I competed in several CDE/LDE's that provided me with a lot of necessary experience, but I truly understood this industry when I was helping contribute to its economy. Raising sheep as a small farmer was such a meaningful and humbling experience for me. Today I am not able to raise sheep as a student in college away from home. Though my role consists of advocacy and recruiting for the college of ag, I plan to eventually farm again one day!

Q: To you, what is the importance of agriculture, and how do you see it progressing in the future?

A: Simply, agriculture is not a way of life, but it is our life. Without agriculture, we could assume that our general infrastructure as a nation/world would not be secure. Agriculture is the food and fiber that gives our daily needs. I see our agriculture industry especially progressing towards a more conservative future. Conservative in how we plant/raise our food, but also conservative towards the excess waste of food. Agriculture continues to grow under challenging circumstances, but we can always progress in our land, food and labor conservation.

Q: How have you seen agriculture change through your years in the industry?

A: One way I have seen agriculture change through my time is the policies and labor of our industry. While foreign nations, and other government functions receive relief, I feel that agriculture has lately taken a backseat to all the noise of the world. Our industry suffers with extreme climate and labor restrictions, and I feel as though we do not receive the federal support that we used to receive. Obviously technological advancements have played a big role to our success as a growing industry, but even in success we need federal aid in times of relief.

Q: Could you please share one common misconception that people tend to have in your field of the agricultural industry and what your take on it is?

A: A common misconception I have noticed through the FFA and even in college is that people believe we need to grow exponentially more food for this growing population. Yes, the world population is growing in the billions, but American farmers already grow plenty of food. We grow enough crops and raise enough livestock to feed everyone in the world and then more. The real issue is our overindulging habits, and disbursement of goods. We should still focus on increasing yields, but I believe we should focus more on how we distribute our food, and create a large emphasis on decreasing food waste. 

Q: What fields in agriculture do you see growing in the future, and what are their job outlooks?

A: One field that the agriculture industry could use to gain from, is the social media realm. Oftentimes when there is a dispute about our practices our outcomes, alternative media or organizations against ag, will attack first. Rather than continuing to defend ourselves, I would love to see more farmers bringing Tik-Tok, Instagram, and Youtube content to their operations. Much of the public is genuinely interested in the lives of farmers, and it would be so cool to see more "agricultural influencers" spreading awareness and positive/engaging content about our industry.

Q: Is there an area of agriculture that needs to be tackled and revived by the younger generations?

A: Besides increasing our social media presence, I believe the area we need to tackle more as a younger generation is simple. The average age of our farmers is entirely too high. I respect the passion of these men and women to farm for so long, but this profession is grueling. We need more young farmers to step up, we need more people to inherit the family land/business, and we need more awareness for this rural life. The reason people do not want to farm as much as they used to, is because it is not a massive profit. Rather than making it seem like a profession we have to do, I would love to see more support and financial return for farmers so that others would be motivated to follow in this profession. 

Q: How do you plan to contribute and ensure the sustainability of agriculture?

A: As of now, I plan to contribute from a marketing perspective. Working in the restaurant/hospitality industry has allowed me to spread knowledge of agriculture and educate workers/consumers on the process of food production. Right now I am working with my managers to eliminate food waste in our store and create an awareness amongst employees as to the role they play in agriculture. However, I would love to one day farm again. My goal is to raise cattle and maybe even a few row crops when I become established and have a reliable income.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to younger generations that are interested in pursuing agriculture, what would it be?

A: Many young adults and students in our time are hungry to find their place more than ever. We all see someone else's success story on social media, and this has created a desperation to find individual passions. If your passion is to serve others, work with your hands, and provide a meaningful good to the life of others, then agriculture is your home. My advice is to take a chance on yourself. Learn about the everyday goods/services you consume that more often than not originate from our agriculture industry. To be a farmer, advocate, lobbyist, distributor or researcher is to create growth. There is nothing more fulfilling than to play a part in the growth of a good that will be consumed for the benefit of others. Agriculture has no limits to knowledge, careers or growth. Pursue agriculture, and know that your involvement could mean the livelihood of millions around the world.

Q: To wrap things up, I'd like to hear your thoughts on how to keep the agriculture industry thriving for years to come. How do we Keep Ag Alive?

A: I am not worried about agriculture becoming non-existent, but instead of just surviving, our industry should thrive. We deserve to thrive because of our previous work, but we have to continue with technological advancements in vehicles, chip implants, tools and machinery. Another way to thrive is for increased policies that promote labor increases for farmers, policies that provide ample financial aid in times of need, and social media campaigns to push for consumer knowledge and involvement in the food network. Agriculture must be a combined effort. Not just the effort of farmers, but the effort from all people is what is required to thrive. An educated consumer means a shared respect for the good/service provided. With more people in the know about this industry, the more involvement, advancements and care will be in place for agriculture to thrive in the face of any challenge.