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!
Animals have a way of speaking to our hearts whether they have four legs or two. Growing up, Nicole Martinez-Avila raised chickens with her family and immediately fell in love with them. From simply helping her family to focusing on agriculture for her future career, Nicole has always been surrounded by agriculture and can’t wait to leave her mark on the industry!
As a young girl, Nicole was educated on agriculture by both of her parents as well as her grandparents. “My grandfather was heavily involved in the agriculture industry for most of his life, working mostly with turkeys and chickens,” she said. “Both of my parents also worked in agriculture for many years, both on livestock and produce operations.” In addition to learning from her parents and helping raise chickens at home, Nicole also had a farm directly across from her house, where she would often watch the workers harvest tobacco, sweet potatoes and other keystone crops in our state. “Agriculture has always been a part of my life, and I think it’s something that people need to understand and appreciate more,” she said. “I always had an appreciation for the people in this industry, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized I wanted my career to be anchored in agriculture.”
During the second semester of her freshman year at Spring Creek High School in Seven Springs, Nicole took her first agriculture class and met her future FFA advisor. “I didn’t even know that FFA existed before that day,” she said, “but my teacher reached out and encouraged me to join, which changed my life.” From her sophomore year to her senior year, Nicole was heavily involved in the FFA and participated in many events and competitions through the chapter, including livestock judging, poultry judging, prepared public speaking and business sales. “FFA teaches you a lot of life skills and helps you build connections across the industry,” Nicole said. “I not only grew as a person and figured out what I want to do for my career during my time in FFA, but I also met a lot of incredible people across this industry and learned more about N.C. Agriculture.” Nicole graduated from Spring Creek High School in May of 2022 and decided to continue her agricultural journey at N.C. State University.
As a current junior at N.C. State, Nicole is studying Poultry Science. Although she has loved every single one of her classes so far, her favorite part has been the hands-on lab work that she has been able to participate in. “Recently, I was tasked with the dissection of a hen,” she said, “and I truly enjoyed it because I learned so much that I didn’t know about the anatomy of a hen.” Nicole is also a member of the Poultry Science Club where she continues to build her network of professionals across the industry and expand her knowledge of emerging technology. In the future, Nicole plans to obtain her master’s degree in Poultry Science before entering the industry full time.
Along with her passion for livestock, Nicole brings a plethora of skills to the industry that will help her be successful throughout her career, including determination, strong communication skills, leadership abilities and responsibility. Although she is open to just about any opportunity in the poultry industry, Nicole’s dream job would be a poultry veterinarian. “No matter what I do, I want to make a difference in the poultry industry,” she said. “I also want to serve as an educator for people, so that I can help bridge the gap between the farmer and the consumer.”
Nicole’s favorite part of being in agriculture is learning something new every day. “I never want to stop learning,” she said. “Not only do I love being able to further my own knowledge of the agriculture industry, but also take that knowledge and share it with others so that they further understand and appreciate the work of our farmers and agriculture industry professionals.”
For anyone seeking a career in the agriculture industry, Nicole encourages you to find what part of the industry speaks to you and learn all that you can. “There are so many opportunities available in the agriculture industry. Find where your passion lies and then educate yourself on every aspect of the profession,” she said. “Don’t be afraid. Take the leap and explore your passion. The more you learn, the more successful you will be.” We are so proud of Nicole for all that she is doing to pursue a career in agriculture. We can’t wait to see where the future takes you and how you will make a difference for our state’s number one industry!
