Introduction
My name is Arthur Exley Edwards, I am from Brazil and the son of farmers. My family is in the 4th generation of cattle raising and agricultural production, and having been raised in this environment, I became passionate about this career. At the age of 8, I was already helping my grandparents and parents on the farms by herding cattle, vaccinating, weaning calves, feeding and many other tasks in the day-to-day of a farm. As everything changes in our lives, assets pass from generation to generation, different people with different thoughts, I chose to pursue my professional career and build my independent life. I chose to be an Agricultural Engineer, a career with a very wide range of possibilities in Brazil and that helps to feed the world. At the age of 19, I entered college, where I studied a wide range of courses for 5 years. In my last year, I participated in an exchange program in the United States, where I worked with grain and cereal production at Bina Seed Farm in North Dakota. These are unique experiences in our lives that broaden our horizons, expand our worldview, different cultures, different methodologies, soils, pests, diseases, etc. Everything is new.
In 2003, I completed my studies and entered the job market looking for an opportunity, In December of that same year, I had my first job interview and was hired to take over the management of a family farm business in Brazil. I, a recent graduate with an incredible opportunity in my hands, was very scared of such responsibility, but everything we do with passion, dedication and focus has a great chance of being successful. I worked for this group for almost 13 years, with cattle ranches in Brazil and Paraguay. I took over the farms with a committed cash flow, made many changes, and in 2015, when I left the group it was a solid company. One of the farms we had converted 100% to agriculture, leaving only the ones in Paraguay with cattle. During these 13 years, I learned a lot and taught a lot, as all the farms were 100% focused on cattle and with the plan to change to agriculture, I trained and qualified the team in all kinds of tillage work, planting, management and harvesting all different crops. From the basics to precision agriculture practices. In 2013, we won a national championship for highest Yield of soybeans, harvesting 127 bags per hectare in non-irrigated field practice, the result of well-conducted teamwork.
In 2016, I took on a new challenge by going to work for an American group. They own a farm in the state of Minas Gerais, near Brasília, right in the middle of the Cerrado, a region of arid soil, low fertility and drought. With 28,000 hectares, they raised cattle, planted soybeans, corn and edible beans. In 2017, we stopped with the cattle operation and focused on producing soybeans, corn, edible beans, cereals such as wheat, oats, buckwheat, millet and cotton. With a lot of training, investment in fertility and irrigation, we turned the game around. The farm became a reference in the region, where soybean and corn seed production companies began to form partnerships for production due to the high quality of the products that the farm produced and delivered. In 2022, the COO of AgReserves left his position in the US to work for a new group, Black Gold Farms, a family-owned company with farms spread across the US whose main activity is the production of potato chips, but also with the production of other crops such as soybeans, corn, peanuts, wheat, and sweet potatoes. That same year, he brought me to work with him in this group where I took over the management of 3 farms, two in Missouri and one in Louisiana where we produce sweet potatoes.
Agricultural Engineering Fellow
career options
Agricultural Engineering Fellow
skills
What are the main hard skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
It is essential to understand financial management, which every farmer seeks to be profitable and stay in business even in difficult and competitive years. This course provides good knowledge in financial management, budgeting, analysis, planning, supply chain, marketing and trade.
Understanding the production environment is essential for the sustainability of agriculture. Different soils respond differently even with different levels of fertility, they are interconnected. Understanding these characteristics and the level of response of each will ensure high yields, quality and sustainable farming practices.
A branch of plant science that focuses on the functions and processes occurring within plants. It seeks to understand how plants grow, develop, and respond to their environment. The physiological processes in plants are essential for their survival, reproduction, and overall yield, and they form the basis for improving crop yields, managing diseases, and enhancing sustainability in agriculture.
Artificial application of water to soil or land to assist in the growing of crops, ensuring adequate moisture for plant growth when rainfall is insufficient or irregular. It is a critical aspect of agriculture, particularly in regions with inadequate or unreliable rainfall. Effective irrigation practices can increase crop yields, improve food security, and enable agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions.
Digital tools, applications, and systems to optimize agricultural practices, improve productivity, and address challenges in farming and food production. The integration of software in agriculture is often called Agricultural Technology and encompasses a wide range of applications across various aspects of farming, from crop management to supply chain optimization.
What are the main soft skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
Leadership is an ongoing process that involves developing a series of skills, attitudes and behaviors that inspire and guide others. I have always tried to reflect before making decisions, give feedback to the team, listen to everyone in the company regardless of their position, put myself in people's shoes and understand their perspective, lead by setting good examples, empower teams so that when I delegate something they are able to carry out the work effectively and without frustration, recognize the work of each person, make difficult decisions, evaluate situations from different angles and seek creative solutions, have self-control and have a good understanding of the goals and objectives we want to achieve.
Being able to recognize and understand emotions is fundamental for any professional. We need to understand our emotions and their impact on our behavior as well as those of our coworkers. This is important to build a strong relationship and facilitate conflict management and foster a positive work environment.
The ability to communicate may seem simple, but communicating clearly and effectively is not always so simple. Human beings are unique and each one has their own way of absorbing information, so clear and effective communication is essential for the success of any professional. Always present your ideas clearly and at the intellectual level of your target audience, it is very common for us to not take this into consideration, which can lead to frustration. Communicate frequently and always keep an open line of dialogue with your colleagues. Verbal, written, etc.
In most jobs, we will always be working as a team. I have always encouraged this among teams, often involving different sectors of the company, so that everyone can understand the individual challenges of each sector. In the end, the goal is the same: the success of the company in the search for good results. Teamwork encourages the sharing of knowledge, ideas, resources, helps the team to mature and explores more resources available within the company itself.
The current work environment and global economy require us to have the ability to adapt. Strategies change, management changes, goals, objectives, etc. I have always sought to adapt quickly to changes and continue to seek opportunities regardless of the difficulties and obstacles to be overcome. Accept new ideas, learn new skills quickly and adjust.
Arthur
’s personal path
Tell us about your personal journey in
Agricultural Engineering Fellow
:
I have always tried to focus on my goals. Agricultural engineering offers a wide range of opportunities that we can pursue in our professional careers. The job market offers many opportunities and we need to be prepared for when they appear. I chose to follow my path in the management of agricultural companies, following my father and grandfather's example. Regardless of the field we choose to follow, we will always face obstacles. Some will knock us down, but we must always get up and move forward. I took on my first job right after finishing college. I had just graduated, had a lot of theoretical knowledge but little experience, and had to lead people much older than me. I can say that it was not easy at all. With a lot of dedication, persistence, and new studies in specific areas, I gradually conquered my space, gained the trust of the team, and showed the new direction we were taking. Good professionals have a good balance between hard and soft skills, and depending on the work environment we are in, soft skills often demand much more from us to lead teams than hard skills. I am currently in my third job, always focused on management and problem-solving, people management, resources, and the use of assets and people. In all my jobs, the first thing I did was interview all team members and get to know them as much as possible. I have always had a lot of empathy for the people I worked with. Regardless of the position we occupy, we are equal but with different responsibilities. It took me 13 years to go from general manager to director, and another 6 years to go from director to operations director, where I went from managing 1 farm to 3. Getting here taught me that being resilient is essential, having patience, continuing to improve yourself and always being open to new opportunities.
What would you tell your younger you regarding building your current career?
Keep learning, technology and knowledge are constantly evolving, being open to learn and adapt is crucial.
Cultivate curiosity and be proactive, collaborate and build relationships, this opens doors to new opportunities. Don't be afraid to fail, it is inevitable but they are always invaluable learning experiences, use it as an opportunity to refine. Try to consider the big picture, how your work is contributing to a greater cause or improving others lives.
Be patient, success doesn't happen overnight, consistency and perseverance often make more of a difference than instant success.
Take care of yourself, balance is key, prioritize your well-being, manage stress and take time to build a healthy mind and body, this will be a foundation of sustainable success.
I wish I had dedicated myself more to learning programming, everything we are going to do depends on data, even if it is basic programming it will be very useful.
And probably most importantly for me, I have always been very shy, and I still am, and this creates barriers. Shyness is something natural and I have gradually set some goals to improve, such as greeting someone new or starting a conversation, participating more in family conversations, group work and participating in social events. It is very common to be embarrassed about asking questions or even answering questions, but there is no wrong question or answer, we are all learning something new every day.
Don't be afraid to take risks and try new things.
Final thoughts & tips
As an agricultural engineer, we play a key role in food production, helping to ensure that people have access to healthy and sufficient food. This is a huge responsibility and a great opportunity to make a difference in the world. Agronomy encompasses many areas, such as agriculture, livestock, environmental sustainability, natural resource management, agricultural technology, and supply chain management. This allows agricultural engineers to choose from a variety of career options, adapting to different interests and market trends.
Technologies such as precision agriculture, drones, monitoring systems, biotechnology, and even Artificial Intelligence are revolutionizing the field. This makes the job dynamic and interesting, with constant opportunities to learn and apply new knowledge.
With the growth of the world's population and the need for more sustainable agricultural practices, the demand for qualified agricultural engineers is increasing. This provides good job security, as well as many opportunities for professional growth and development.
Resources to dig in more
National Agricultural Library
One of the world's largest collections dedicated to agriculture and related sciences, offering extensive resources for research.
Plant Physiology
A leading journal publishing original research articles on plant physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology.
Soil and Fertility
Penn State Extension offers extensive resources on soil fertility, covering topics like nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus levels, crop rotation, and no-till practices.
Microsoft Learn
This is Microsoft's own learning platform, offering free, interactive learning modules and paths for all Microsoft products, including Azure, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams. It has structured learning paths and is ideal for both beginners and advanced users.
