A career that allows, and in fact requires, you to be outside is appealing to many. If that sounds good to you, Darrin Malone can relate.
He is a Certified Crop Advisor and Certified Professional Agronomist, and works as a Field Development Technical Consultant for Corteva agriscience. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy with an emphasis in soil science and his master’s degree in agronomy with an emphasis in weed science from U of A’s Bumpers College.
Malone, the Outstanding M.S. Alumnus of our Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences last year, grew up in Helena-West Helena, a small town in the Arkansas Delta, and he liked being outside. His family wasn’t involved in farming, so production agriculture drew his interest.
“My ninth-grade science teacher mentioned agronomy and it seemed like a good fit. The rest is history.”
Agronomy is the science of soil management and crop production. It’s now covered with more specific majors like crop science, and environmental, soil and water science. If you like science, biology and/or chemistry, and being outside, this is a good fit.
Malone, who enjoys running, playing golf and fishing, gets to be outside and monitors crop growth through harvest.
“Just knowing I had a part in that is really fun. Being involved with the American farmer is really one of the highlights of the job since they are tech-savvy, innovative and always searching for that next idea or agronomic practice to make that extra bushel or pound of crop.”
In his position, he helps farmers produce an abundant, safe supply of food, from the crop protection and seed side of the business. “There is so much technology in agriculture that kids never consider. It’s not just planting and harvesting.”
Malone has worked in the Midwest, Southeast and Midsouth in sales and crop science fields, he has worked as a portfolio manager for insecticides and as project manager on specialty crop protection needs. His career has also sent him to Rome and Hawaii.
Employers from environmental, soil, and water science; crop science and many of our other majors will be on campus Oct. 3 for the Career Fair of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
Graduates can expect salaries in the $60-80,000 range, depending on degree credentials, and career options include sales, technical and marketing.
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