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Grain Merchants

Education and Training Requirements

High School

You should take classes in business, accounting, history, and economics to get a sense of world markets and trading. English and composition courses will help you develop communication skills needed for working with farmers, managers, and other agribusiness professionals. Mathematics classes will help you prepare for the accounting, calculating, and analysis involved in this work. If your high school offers courses in agriculture, take those that will teach you about crop production. Other classes that will give you an understanding of plant growth and the environment include earth science, biology, and chemistry.

Postsecondary Training

Though you may be able to get some assistant positions with only a high school diploma, many grain merchants have undergraduate or graduate degrees in agriculture, economics, or business management from a college or university. However, two-year programs can also be beneficial. In either case, the prospective grain merchant should take courses in agricultural economics, accounting, purchasing, finance, and business law. As finances in the agricultural sector tighten and some farmers go out of business, future grain merchants will probably deal with fewer, more specialized farms.

In addition to formal education, buyers and purchasing agents typically complete at least one year of on-the-job training during which they learn how to negotiate with suppliers and perform other basic tasks.

Other Education or Training

The Grain Elevator and Processing Society offers continuing education (CE) opportunities at its annual conference and other meetings, as well as online courses. The American Purchasing Society, Institute for Supply Management, and NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement also provide CE classes and seminars. Contact these organizations to learn more.