Next Gen Ag is a year long series that will run on our In The Field blog, Facebook page, Instagram page and Twitter account. Each Wednesday, we will highlight a young person pursuing a career in the agriculture industry. Individuals can be in high school, college, or recent graduates who are working to establish a career in agriculture. Stay tuned each week to meet some of our industry’s future leaders!
Honeybees are an incredibly important part of the agriculture industry because they pollinate all the foods and plants that we love. At a young age, Jessie Fouts was introduced to the agriculture industry through honeybees and learned to not only appreciate them, but also love working with and raising them.
Growing up in Cleveland, Jessie learned about gardening and beekeeping at the hands of her father and grandfather. “My pawpaw has had honeybee hives since I was a little girl, and my parents always had a garden, so I learned about agriculture at a very young age,” she said. “However, it wasn’t until I took my very first Animal Science class my freshman year of high school that I truly fell in love with all that agriculture has to offer.” After her first day of Animal Science class, Jessie joined the FFA at West Rowan High School and her journey towards a life in agriculture began.
Between helping her grandfather and father manage over 20 apiaries and participating in many activities and competitions with the FFA, Jessie’s freshman year of high school proved the perfect launching pad for her agricultural career. “During the fall semester, I decided that I wanted my own apiaries, so I worked with my dad and pawpaw to save up the money and buy two Italian honeybee nucs and hives,” she said. “After the first honey harvest, I decided to turn the apiary into a business and start offering local honey to the community.” In 2018, Cline’s Hives was born and has been steadily growing ever since. In fact, Jessie’s grandfather recently hit the highest number of hives he has ever managed, which was over thirty! “We take pride in adopting proper beekeeping practices, producing high quality honey, and educating the community about the value of beekeeping,” she said. “We harvest our raw honey several times throughout the season, bottle it, and sell it to interested customers.” In addition to helping with the company throughout high school, Jessie competed in many FFA competitions, including public speaking, and built partnerships across the industry that helped prepare her for a future career. Following her high school graduation, Jessie obtained her associates degree and transferred to N.C. State University as a first-generation college student!
In May of 2023, Jessie graduated from NCSU with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management with minors in entomology, entrepreneurship and economics. “I loved both the atmosphere and the education that I experienced at N.C. State University. It truly helped prepare me for a career in agriculture,” she said. “I also had the opportunity to intern with AgSouth Farm Credit while I was in college, which gave me lots of hands-on experiences to coincide with my education.” Jessie not only brings that knowledge and professional experience with her to the industry, but also a passion for agriculture, strong networking and leadership skills, and a willingness to listen.
Although Jessie loves her honeybees and position at Cline’s Hives, life has taken her in another direction for this season. In 2023, Jessie married the love of her life, Sam, who is actively serving our country. They are currently living in Richlands where Jessie is working as a Program Technician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Lenoir County. “Even though I love my bees and I miss them dearly, I am truly enjoying the experience of working for the USDA and all the aspects of agriculture that this job is teaching me,” she said. “Not only is the job fast paced and fun, but it is also helping me learn things about agriculture and the structure of the industry that will help me when I get back to Cline’s Hives one day.” In the future, Jessie does plan to return to the nursery and take it over from her father, who is currently running the operation. “I would love to expand the farm one day and raise more bees,” she said. “In addition, I would love to have a farm store on-site where people could purchase honey from the nursery and offer tours where they can learn about our process.”
Jessie has a passion for many aspects of the agriculture industry, but her favorite part is working with the people found within it. “The stories of hard-working people who spend their lives in this industry are both astounding and amazing,” she said. “I not only love to hear those stories, but also spend time networking with those individuals and building relationships with them. People in this industry are so supportive, welcoming and unique. They will give you advice and you never know how far that advice will take you. It’s a blessing to witness as well as be a part of.”
For anyone seeking a career in the agriculture industry, Jessie encourages you to build connections and develop relationships across the state. “If you haven’t started networking with industry professionals, then get started today,” she said. “This industry is all about connections. Build relationships with people not just for what they could do for you one day, but also for what you could do for them.” We are so proud of the hard work that Jessie continues to put into the agriculture industry from beekeeping to working with the USDA. We can’t wait to see where the future will take her!
