Teaching Education Commentary

Re-engaging Traditional Students and Attracting New Talent to Agricultural and Applied Economics Curricula and Agribusiness Careers

English Ratliff(a), Sierra Howry(b), Kenrett Jefferson Moore(c), Jerrod Penn(d), Mohammed Ibrahim(e), and Kristin Kiesel(f)
(a)University of Mount Olive, (b)University of Wisconsin-River Falls, (c)North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, (d)Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge, (e)Fort Valley State University, (f)University of California-Davis

JEL Codes: A11, A22, D83
Keywords: agribusiness, agriculture, economics, higher education, inclusive teaching, recruitment, student success

First Published Online: February 10, 2026

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Abstract

Higher education enrollment has been declining, with particularly pronounced decreases among students from rural communities. Broader demographic shifts, declining public funding for higher education, structural inequities, and growing skepticism about the value-added of a college degree have exacerbated decreases in overall enrollment and pose unique challenges for agricultural economics and agribusiness programs. Yet growth opportunities exist, and programs that effectively engage traditional student populations while attracting new talent can play a pivotal role in meeting the tremendous demand for graduates with agricultural degrees in both private industries and the public sector. This commentary summarizes and discusses specific challenges and key recruitment strategies shared during semistructured interviews with representatives of these programs offered across various institutional settings (e.g., privately and publicly funded regional schools, HBCUs, and R1 land-grant universities). Targeted recruitment initiatives, personalized outreach, and digital or social media campaigns featuring students from diverse backgrounds and highlighting well-paid career paths were most frequently described as effective recruitment strategies, regardless of the institutional setting. Programs that maintained or increased their enrollment numbers further report leveraging industry partnerships, creating professional networks, and promoting inclusive and experiential learning opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.

About the Authors: English Ratliff is an Assistant Professor of Agribusiness, Agricultural Sciences, University of Mount Olive-Mt Olive, NC. Sierra Howry is a Professor, Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, WI. Kenrett Jefferson Moore is a Professor, Department Chair and Director of the HBCU Agriculture Business Innovation Center, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University-Greensboro, NC. Jerrod Penn is an Associate Professor and Martin D. Woodin Endowed Professor, Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge, LA. Mohammed Ibrahim is an Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology, Fort Valley State University-Fort Valley, GA. Kristin Kiesel (corresponding author; kiesel@ucdavis.edu) is an Associate Professor of Teaching and co-director of DIRECT, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California-Davis, CA.

Acknowledgments: We would like to thank our interviewees (list below) for their willingness to participate, time commitment, and shared insights which made this commentary possible. Cesar L. Escalante and other members of the AAEA\ERS Steering Committee on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within AAEA and our discipline further informed this commentary. We also thank three anonymous reviewers, the editors, and guest editors of the AETR special issue for their feedback and comments on an earlier draft. Finally, we would like to thank our students, whose shared experiences, challenges and successes motivate and inspire us every single day. All errors made when representing and addressing what all of them have shared are our own. Na Zuo, University of Arizona–Tucson, AZ Frannie Miller, New Mexico State University–Las Cruces, NM Misti Sharp, University of Florida–Gainesville, FL Laura Welch, University of Wisconsin–River Falls, WI Michael Vassalos, Clemson University, SC Joey Mehlhorn, University of Tennessee–Martin, TN Jeffrey Williams, University of California–Davis, CA Lynn Hamilton, California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo, CA Julianne Treme, North Carolina State–Raleigh, NC Zoë Plakias, Western Washington University–Bellingham, WA Greg Colson, University of Georgia–Athens, GA Mark Jenner, Greenville University, IL Dusty Menzies, Texas A&M University–College Station, TX Danielle Kaminski, University of Nebraska–Kearney, KS Stephen Edwards, University of Mount Olive, NC Jim Carpenter, Abilene Christian University, TX Cheryl DeVuyst, Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, OK Bridget Guerrero, West Texas A&M–Canyon, TX Trina Biswas, Louisiana State University, LA

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