Hunter Nickell

As a child, I always dreamed of being a veterinarian when I grew up. I had the opportunity to shadow our family veterinarian at a young age, and that experience shaped my interest in the animal industry. I even worked at a veterinary clinic at one point.

In addition to my love for animals, I have always had a strong desire to help people, which is exactly what I do in my current role as a livestock production agent for K-State Research and Extension. My main responsibility is serving as a livestock consultant where I connect area producers with research-based information on livestock production. This information includes everything from ration building and fertilizer recommendations to forage testing and production. I also conduct farm visits and manage the Allen and Woodson County Fairs in the summer.

One of the best parts of my job is the variability that comes with it. No two days are the same. I love visiting producers and seeing firsthand the success I was a part of bringing to fruition. It makes me feel like I am making a difference in the communities we serve.

Despite my experience with K-State Research and Extension now, I didn’t know much about it other than what I heard when I participated in 4-H growing up. After I graduated from Kansas State University, I took a full-time position at the Biosecurity Research Institute on campus to further my skills to become a veterinarian. During that time, an extension agent position became available in my county. My interest sparked after researching and talking with other agents about the role, and the rest is history!

For education, I took many agriculture and animal science classes during high school that helped prepare me for this job. Even some of my non-agriculture classes like composition and speech have proven useful. Today, most of the training for my position is given to us by extension operations on campus in Manhattan. I also pursue research on my own and participate in professional development events when they are available.

My best advice for the younger generation interested in this industry is to reach out to your local extension office and inquire about day-to-day operations. It is eye-opening to see what I do in a day versus what I pictured or imagined I would be doing. With the occasional evening or weekend commitment, it’s important to maintain a healthy work-life balance in this role. I love what I do and enjoy coming to work every day where I can connect with colleagues, producers, 4-H members and anyone else who walks through the door that day!