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!
Football and agriculture have a lot in common, especially for Caden Noonkester. As the punter of the N.C. State Football team, Caden brings a unique presence to the agriculture industry. Although he didn’t grow up on the farm, he has always wanted to make a difference. It wasn’t until his freshman year at N.C. State that Caden found his chance in the agriculture industry.
Growing up in Charlotte, Caden had little involvement with the agriculture industry. “My grandmother had a garden, but that’s really the extent of what I knew about agriculture,” he said. Although he realized that farming was important, because it’s where our food comes from, it wasn’t until his freshman year at N.C. State University that he fully started to understand its significance.
After graduating from Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw, Caden transferred to N.C. State with his sights set on an Environmental Engineering degree. Even though he was a preferred walk-on, he never believed he would see any playing time during college. To his surprise, both agriculture and college football landed right in his lap! “I’ve always wanted to make a difference and help people,” he said. “Although I enjoyed my original major, I felt that I had a higher calling or purpose, which led me to Agronomy. I never thought that I would end up in agriculture, but now I know it’s exactly where I am meant to be.” This year, Caden graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Crop & Soil Science with a concentration in Agronomy. He is currently working on his master’s degree in Arts & Liberal Studies with a concentration in Ag Sales, Consulting and Innovation.
Just like agriculture found Caden, college football did as well. As stated above, Caden walked onto the NC State football team his freshman year, but not as a starter. It wasn’t until the end of his sophomore year that Caden was given the chance to play. “In the last five games of the season, our starting kicker got hurt, so I was called in to play. Ever since that moment, I’ve been given the chance of a lifetime as the starting punter for the Wolfpack,” he said. “I never thought that I would see playing time on this field. I remember the first-time coach put me in, I went to warm up on the sideline and road that bike so hard I could’ve powered all the lights in the entire stadium. I am so thankful for this opportunity that has changed my life and given me a platform to stand on in the future.” Caden has one more year remaining in his college football career, so be sure to cheer him on during N.C. State football games!
Although football and agriculture may seem like two separate entities, Caden has found many parallels between the two that he believes will benefit him in his future agronomy career. “I’ve learned a lot about myself through playing football, including time management and attention to detail,” he said. “Football has taught me many things that not only benefit me as an individual but will also benefit me as an industry professional.” (1) Detail Orientation and Management. Football is a very detailed game, from the positions and rules to the plays and point system. In much the same way, Agronomy is a very detailed profession. “When studying soil, there are a lot of factors and details that you have to pay attention to,” Caden said. “Through football, I’ve learned to pay attention to the little details and have patience with each one of them until the perfect solution is determined. I believe learning this will help me do the same thing in the professional world as I work with farmers and their soil to determine the best outcomes for their crops.” (2) Working under pressure and delivering a solution. “As a punter, I get called onto the field when there is a problem, like when we didn’t have a successful drive on offense and need to flip the field for our defense,” Caden said. “Similarly, agronomists are often called by farmers when there is a problem with the soil, or the crops aren’t growing as they should. I’ve learned through football how to manage stress in pressured situations and deliver a solution despite that pressure.” Although Caden’s college football career is nearing its end, he is fully open to any opportunity that comes his way, tremendously excited to finish his degree, and ready to start his life in NC Agriculture.
During his remaining time at N.C. State, Caden is taking many classes, internships and other opportunities to gain both classroom education and hands-on experience in the industry. Since his sophomore year, Caden has held many internships that have given him hands on experience in many areas, including agronomy and sales at Southern States Co-Op in Tarboro, and Genetic Editing on Tobacco for an FDA funded research project through NC State. “One of the things that I love about the agriculture industry is that no day is the same, not even the morning and the afternoon,” he said. “Through my internships, I’ve seen this firsthand and gained experience in many avenues that will help broaden my knowledge of the industry and increase my skills for future years.” While working for Southern States Co-Op, Caden learned how life on the farm looks day-to-day and how to sell products to growers. From there, Caden was able to further expand that knowledge by working at an NC State University test field in Clayton planting tobacco varieties and variations and watching them grow. “I was able to work in the lab and use enzymes to open DNA, delete the gene of nicotine, and, hopefully, create a variety of tobacco that will eliminate that characteristic from the plant entirely,” he said. “It involved a lot of research and study, but also gave me the opportunity to get experience in both the lab and the field, as well as learn how to sell new varieties of crops to farmers and see those crops grow to fruition.” In the future, Caden plans to work as a full-time agronomist, helping growers determine the best soil solutions for optimizing their crops. He also hopes to operate his own homestead where he can farm produce and possibly livestock for his family and other members of the community. “I would love to produce my own food for my family, and educate the community on why that is important,” he said. “I also believe that being a farmer myself will make me more credible and reliable as an agronomist.”
In addition to his attention to detail and stress management skills, Caden brings many talents to the table as an upcoming industry leader. “I believe that coming into the industry later in life gives me a unique perspective and edge because I have no biases,” he said. “I didn’t grow up in this industry, but I’ve learned a lot about it through my education and internships. I believe this will give me a fresh set of eyes in agriculture.” Caden also has strong communication and public speaking skills, a desire to learn and grow, a positive attitude, and a passion for thinking, building ideas and innovating.
Although he loves many things about the agriculture industry, Caden’s favorite part is the people found within it. “Even though I didn’t grow up in agriculture, ever since I declared it as my major, I’ve had so many people in this industry reach out to help me, offer advice and give me opportunities,” he said. “This industry is like a big family, and I am excited to be a part of a community that always seeks to help one another.”
For anyone seeking a career in the agriculture industry, Caden reminds you to be open minded and accept any opportunity that comes your way. “One of the great things about agriculture is that the industry is open to nearly anything,” he said. “No matter what you have a passion for, there is a place for you in agriculture. Find what speaks to you and accept knowledge from anyone in the industry. Don’t be intimidated. Talk to growers, build relationships and dive headfirst into your area of interest.” We are so proud of Caden and all that he has planned for a future in agriculture. We look forward to seeing where the future takes you Caden!