A review of business programs having entrepreneurial studies found that institutions of higher education could play a limited, yet important, role in developing student entrepreneurship spirit. We surveyed University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources undergraduates to ascertain their interest and level of knowledge about entrepreneurship. Student survey respondents indicated a strong interest in entrepreneurship, a lack of business knowledge in key areas, a desire for out-of-the-classroom training, and a mixed desire to return to a rural setting.
We define an agri-entrepreneur as one who organizes, manages and assumes the risks of an agribusiness or agri-enterprise. According to a 2000 Kauffman Foundation report on global entrepreneurship, 9.8% of the U.S. adult population is attempting to start a new business at any one time (Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, 2000). An assessment of entrepreneurial activities indicates 80% of business start-ups fail (Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, 2000). However, research analyzing higher education entrepreneurship curricula indicates that graduates of these programs are more likely to start new businesses and be self-employed. They tend to have higher annual incomes, greater levels of assets and greater job
Charney and Libecap (2003) found over 1,500 colleges and universities offered some form of entrepreneurship training in 2000 compared to 400 in 1995; today nearly 50 schools offer an entrepreneurship degree (Solomon et al. 2002). However, these programs are primarily concentrated in traditional business programs that do not focus on the unique challenges of the agri-food sector and the rural economy. An unanswered question is whether this lack of agri-entrepreneurship curricula is a supply-side or a demand-side phenomenon.

The agricultural industry and the rural community is undergoing significant changes as agri-food system consolidation occurs, and rural communities search for their niche. Much of the economic activity in rural communities has been historically based on agriculture. As rural communities undergo economic, sociological, and geo-political changes, and the agricultural industry becomes more technologically and business-focused, agri-entrepreneurship may play a key role in reshaping and revitalizing rural America. Entrepreneurship has been cited as a critical component for economic development in rural communities (Sexton and Kasarda, 1992). Macke and Kayne (2001) believe rural-based entrepreneurs face challenges beyond those of traditional entrepreneurs. These challenges include an older, poorer, conservative population; greater distance from substantial markets; depopulation; increased subsidies to maintain resources; and less dynamic economies. Yet, Smilor (1997) stated, "It does confer identity, a sense of belonging, a measure of security" (p. 11) in referring to not only entrepreneurs, but also the impact they can have on community.

Adequately preparing students for entrepreneurial careers in this environment may require changes in curricula. Can agricultural colleges implement an agri-entrepreneurship curriculum to improve the success rate of new agricultural business start-ups? Before colleges begin investing in new curriculum development, it is important to determine the level and nature of student interest in this type of curriculum. We present the results of a survey, focused on entrepreneurship, administered to undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at the University of Missouri-Columbia. We found student interest in owning their own businesses to not be significantly different among students with farming, rural, or urban backgrounds, nor across academic disciplines. The primary factor in predicting an entrepreneurial interest is personal knowledge of an entrepreneur. We also found students, even seniors, feel ill-prepared for starting their own business and believe hands-on learning opportunities, whether on the job or through internships, would increase their preparedness. Finally, we find specific areas of study and related opportunities that students identify as shortcomings in their entrepreneurial knowledge base.

Literature Review

In a Winter 2001 assessment of the state of entrepreneurship training in higher education, the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurship Leadership (hereafter, the Kauffman Report) reports on the innovative programs in the areas of student learning, faculty development, administrative support and entrepreneurial involvement. For student learning, it points to experiential learning, such as internships and business plan competitions, as the element that differentiates entrepreneurial programs. Developing student leadership through entrepreneurial clubs and/or associations is also shown to have tremendous impact on clustering entrepreneurs. Prior to the slowdown in the economy, many schools provided assistance for students launching start-up businesses.