About The Agriculturist

 

For more than four decades, The Agriculturist has served as the flagship student publication of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications at Texas Tech University. Produced as part of the agricultural communications capstone experience, the magazine gives students the opportunity to apply the skills they've developed throughout their degree program while creating a professional-quality publication from concept to print. 
The Agriculturist is a fully functioning publication published once a year with distribution in June. Students assume professional editorial roles and collaborate as a publishing team to:

• Develop an editorial theme
• Research and write feature stories
• Conduct interviews
• Take photos
• Create social media content
• Design magazine layouts
• Sell advertising
• Coordinate production and printing

This immersive experience allows students to graduate with an extensive professional portfolio and practical experience in publication management, strategic communications, client relations, and visual storytelling.

Our Mission

Our mission is to tell authentic stories that highlight the people, research, innovation, and traditions shaping agriculture while providing students with meaningful experiential learning that prepares them for successful careers in communications.

Our Readers

Each annual issue reaches thousands of readers across Texas and beyond, including:

• Current and prospective Texas Tech students
• Davis College alumni
• Faculty and staff
• Agricultural industry professionals
• Donors and supporters
• Texas agricultural education programs

The magazine serves as both a showcase of student talent and a publication that celebrates the impact of agriculture on our communities and economy.

Student-Led. Industry Supported.

Because The Agriculturist is funded entirely through advertising and sponsorships, the support of industry partners makes this publication possible. Every advertisement helps students gain hands-on experience while ensuring the magazine remains a high-quality, nonprofit publication available to readers each year.

Advertising in The Agriculturist

Award-Winning Excellence

The quality of The Agriculturist has earned national recognition through student publication competitions, reflecting the creativity, professionalism, and dedication of the students who produce each issue. These honors demonstrate the publication's commitment to excellence in agricultural journalism, design, photography, and storytelling.

Recent awards:

• National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow
  • Publication of the Year - 2025, 2019
  • Excellence in Writing Award - 2017, 2023, 2024
  • 1st Place Long Feature Story - 2017, 2018, 2021, 2025
  • 1st Place Short Personality Story - 2021
  • 1st Place Online Publication - 2019
• National Agricultural Alumni Development Association Student Publication
  • 1st place, 2017, 2022
  • 2nd place, 2020, 2019, 2024, 2025