TN Pathways

The Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) career cluster prepares learners for careers in the planning, implementation, production, management, processing, and/or marketing of agricultural commodities and services. This includes food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products. It also includes related professional, technical, and educational services.

Employment opportunities are expanding in this career cluster area with an average growth of nine to 21 percent annually in Tennessee between the different programs of study. Over 60,000 high-skilled agricultural job openings are expected annually in the United States, with only 35,400 graduates with AFNR experience to fill these jobs. This demand will increase for those who provide and market an expanding array of food, forest, and veterinary medical consumer products to a growing world population. Continued globalization of the food, agricultural, and natural resources system will increase opportunities for graduates who understand the socio-economic factors that define international markets. Graduates who know how to satisfy the diverse consumer needs and preferences in different cultures, and who have the language skills to communicate effectively, will have the best opportunities to be employed by the growing number of multinational businesses.

Through the AFNR career cluster, students are provided opportunities for leadership development, personal growth, and career success. Instruction is delivered through three major components:

• Classroom/Laboratory instruction

• Supervised Agricultural Experience programs

• Student Leadership (FFA)