David Yost

Degree:    Bachelor of Science
Major:      Agriculture & Food Business Management

Years in the Field:   2
Current Job Title:    Grain Merchandiser
Organization:           AGP Grain Ltd.

How did you find this job?
Networking with contacts in the grain industry and utilizing the resources in the career services office.

Please describe your job:
I originate commodities from North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin and export them through our Duluth, MN terminal into markets in Europe and North Africa. Daily tasks include making several phones calls to customers on both the origination and destination sides in attempts to create more business. In addition, I work on rail and ocean logistics to ensure that sales are delivered according to contract specifications.

What from your undergraduate educational experience was most helpful in preparing you for this career?
I found that my course work taught me the basic fundamentals of merchandising/business,  providing me with a great foundation to build my career on.   

What is the biggest misconception about this occupation or field?
The biggest misconception about this field is that there are many opportunities to do export business in the grain industry and that the margins are wide. In reality, the grain business is dominated by a few companies, barriers to entry are high, and as a result, margins are thin.   

What advice do you have for current students?
I strongly encourage students to take advantage of any internship opportunities that they may have. I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in three internships during my collegiate career and found them to be very beneficial in helping me determine which direction I wanted go with my career.