Agribusiness (AGBU)

An introduction to agribusiness management focused around the four functions of management: planning, organizing, controlling and directing. Applications of budgeting and elementary economic analysis.

An introduction to agricultural economics including consumer and producer theory, marginal analysis, the definition of supply and demand, their movements and role in price determination and market characteristics.

Industrial organization and historical development of the grocery business. Examination of the food chain, perishable product storage and distribution and centralized purchasing functions. Management of the retail profit function with consideration of customer psychology and behavior. Retail food safety with Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

A multi-disciplinary introduction to agriculture, agribusiness, and environmental science with emphasis on a systems approach to natural resource problem solving.

A dynamic approach to understand different systems of interest with emphasis given to decision support systems (DSS) and how different types of models are used to aid in management decision making. Prerequisites: AGBU 3320.

Management principles relevant to agribusiness firms, including integration of marketing, human resource management, managerial and leadership concepts, organizational structure, and the financial considerations managers face.

Estimating prospective demands for farm products in relation to supplies, improving the accuracy of the system that reflects consumers' demands to producers and reducing costs and increasing efficiency of marketing. Prerequisite: junior standing.

Description of major markets and competition. Effects of U.S. agricultural trade policies and exchange rates on agriculture and firm rationalization. Topics include strategic alliance formation, market entry strategy, business ethics and corruption, pricing and terms of sale, payment methods, trade finance, cultural analysis, Foreign Trade Zones and Foreign Sales Corporations. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing.

Laws affecting the organization and decision of agricultural enterprises.

Agricultural and food policies studied from domestic and international perspectives with emphasis on the economic framework used to assess policies that improve the competitive structure, operation, and performance of U.S. food and agriculture. Prerequisite: AGBU 2317.

This course focuses on practical applications of skills needs to develop your own agri-business, agri-consulting or agri-sales business. This courses focuses on financing your agribusiness, marking your services, writing winning proposals, meeting legal requirements, setting fees, keeping the books, and much more.

Types of farming, size of farms, capital requirements, methods of renting, farm equipment, cropping and marketing system, credit system and farm accounts. Prerequisite: junior standing.

Overview of water resources policy and management issue with specific focus to agricultural water use and the policy and management considerations for farming, ranching, industry, and conservation problems. Prerequisite: AGBU 2317.

The human-environment relationship studied relative to economic issues of property rights, externalities and resource scarcity as they relate to markets, economies and sustainable development. Prerequisite: junior standing.

Selected topics not currently available in existing courses. May be repeated once under different topic. Prerequisite: junior standing.

Supervised and planned work experience under college guidelines in an agriculture enterprise or agency setting. Practical application of knowledge and skills of major subject area without classroom consultation, but with formal evaluation.  May be repeated for a maximum of six semester hours toward degree. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: Permission from department chair.

Economics, management and planning of the ranching industry, range livestock and natural resources. Prerequisite: 3 semester hours of agribusiness.

Integration of agribusiness marketing and practices to solve contemporary problems faced by agribusiness marketers. Analyses of agribusiness marketing problems through the application of case studies and strategic planning projects. Prerequisites: AGBU 2301, AGBU 2317 and AGBU 3340.

Monetary affairs of farming and ranching emphasizing the Farm Credit Administration, credit policies, facilities, procurement, statement analysis, cost of capital, firm growth and management of financial resources.

Investigation of market operations which determine prices in the agricultural industry. Types of markets that affect price, cycles and trends; relative government policy and techniques of price analysis. Prerequisite: AGBU 3350.

The systematic analysis of agribusiness strategic decision-making and management strategies with emphasis on the use of case studies to illustrate different strategic management concepts and the various issues and opportunities faced by today's agribusiness firms. Prerequisites: AGBU 2317 and AGBU 3310.

Literature review, laboratory field problem. May be repeated for a total of 6 semester hours, only 3 hours may count toward a minor. Prerequisite: approval of supervising professor and permission per advisor and department chair.