Destination Agriculture
National Framework. Regional Implementation.
Destination Agriculture connects agricultural employers, educators, workforce organizations, and industry partners to develop adaptable career pathways and apprenticeship frameworks.
Organized around Grow → Make → Sell, the program supports regionally relevant workforce solutions throughout the United States, with initial implementation efforts focused in California.
What Is Destination Agriculture?
Destination Agriculture is a national workforce development program designed to help agricultural industries build skilled workers through registered apprenticeship, career and technical education, and work-based learning.
Rather than imposing a single training model on every region, Destination Agriculture provides a coordinated framework that can be adapted to local agricultural industries, production systems, and employer needs.
National Framework
Destination Agriculture supports the development of common occupational standards, career pathways, and training resources that can be shared across agricultural regions. This approach encourages collaboration, reduces duplication, and helps workforce partners build on existing industry and educational infrastructure.
Regional Implementation
Agricultural regions differ in their crops, technologies, environmental conditions, and workforce needs. Destination Agriculture works through regional employers, workforce boards, educational institutions, and apprenticeship sponsors to adapt training and implementation to local opportunities.
Regionicity provides the sector intermediary expertise, program development, and coordination services that help participating organizations turn these opportunities into practical workforce solutions for producers.
Grow → Make → Sell
Connecting Agricultural Career Pathways Across the Value Chain
Destination Agriculture connects workforce development across the agricultural value chain, using agroecological principles to guide how agricultural products are grown, processed, and brought to market.
By integrating ecological stewardship with technical skills, applied science, and business practices, the framework helps agricultural employers develop a workforce capable of improving environmental outcomes while strengthening regional agricultural economies.
GROW
Agroecology
Developing workforce skills in agricultural production rooted in ecological principles, including soil health, biodiversity, water management, regenerative practices, and responsible land stewardship. Training emphasizes working with natural systems to improve agricultural productivity, resilience, and long-term environmental health.
MAKE
Circular Manufacturing & Bioeconomy
Preparing workers for value-added agricultural processing, food and beverage manufacturing, bio-based product development, quality assurance, and resource-efficient production. Training emphasizes circular manufacturing practices that reduce waste, transform agricultural byproducts into valuable resources, and expand opportunities within the bioeconomy.
SELL
Products With a Sense of Place
Developing skills in agricultural marketing, sales, distribution, agritourism, and business development that connect products to the places and communities from which they originate. Training emphasizes regional identity, product provenance, storytelling, and differentiated markets that help agricultural businesses capture and retain more economic value locally.
One Agricultural Economy. Multiple Career Pathways.
Destination Agriculture connects agroecology, circular manufacturing, and sense-of-place marketing through technical education, registered apprenticeship, and work-based learning.
The framework supports occupational pathways adapted to regional industries and employer needs, preparing workers to contribute to environmentally responsible production, innovative manufacturing, and economically viable agricultural enterprises.
How Regional Partnerships Work
National Coordination. Regional Implementation.
Destination Agriculture connects existing employers, workforce boards, educators, and apprenticeship sponsors to implement agricultural workforce programs adapted to each region.
Regionicity's Role
Agricultural subject matter expertise
Sector partnership coordination
Regional workforce opportunity identification
Occupational and program development
Technical assistance and implementation support
Regional Partners' Roles
Workforce Boards: Workforce priorities and resources
Employers: Occupational needs and supervised training
Educational Institutions: Technical instruction
Apprenticeship Sponsors: Registration, oversight, and administration
Industry Organizations: Employer networks and industry engagement
Nationally Connected. Regionally Driven.
Shared resources and specialized support, adapted to regional agricultural priorities.
What Agricultural Employers Gain
Developing Skilled Workers. Strengthening Agricultural Businesses.
Employer-informed training and apprenticeship development help agricultural businesses strengthen workforce capabilities, improve operations, and prepare for emerging industry opportunities.
Develop & Retain Skilled Workers
Build occupational competencies, support advancement, and create structured career pathways.
Access Workforce & Education Resources
Connect with training providers, workforce organizations, and apprenticeship sponsors.
Improve Operations & Innovation
Strengthen technical capabilities across agroecology, circular manufacturing, and differentiated agricultural products.
Strengthen Recruitment & Career Pathways
Develop opportunities for supervised learning, occupational training, and employee advancement.
Training Designed Around Your Business
Workforce development adapted to each employer's operations, occupational requirements, and regional industry conditions.
Putting Destination Agriculture Into Practice
The Agroecology Operations Technician (AOT) apprenticeship framework demonstrates how Destination Agriculture translates industry workforce needs into structured occupational training.
Developed through a national coalition of agricultural, workforce, and educational partners, AOT provides an adaptable approach to building technical skills across diverse agricultural operations.
Help Shape the Future of Agricultural Workforce Development
Destination Agriculture welcomes agricultural employers, workforce boards, educational institutions, apprenticeship sponsors, and industry organizations interested in developing practical agricultural career pathways.
Beginning in California and expanding through partnerships nationwide, we're building connections that can help agricultural industries develop the workforce they need.