Significant challenges exist in training students to enter employment in the animal industry. Farm numbers continue to shrink while farm size and complexity has increased. Excellent opportunities exist for graduates with proficiency in communication and problem solving and are able to integrate sophisticated technical knowledge to practical problems on the farm. The challenges are many. Reductions in faculty, particularly in extension and more applied research and teaching positions, are common in our universities. Students are increasingly from urban and suburban backgrounds with little previous agriculture experience but considerable interest in food production. Declining state and federal support for undergraduate education and more applied graduate research are additional challenges. However, many new opportunities are available to provide needed training experiences. Summer internships are common for students at dairy farms and in industry positions in sales, market research and technical support. The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge Contest and Academy has been successful in fostering better communication of students with dairy industry partners. Over 4,500 students have participated since its inception in 2002. Employment on campus dairy farms provides opportunities for non-traditional students to obtain farm experience. On farm research at the university and on commercial dairies expands student perspectives. Training graduate students presents similar challenges. In the past, formula funding permitted research to address timely research needs of our animal industries. However, these funds have been replaced with competitive grants directed toward specific narrow problems. Students begin their graduate studies with less input into research project design and have less time for exposure to our farms. Industry sponsored management research enables students to conduct on farm research on commercial farms. Farm sponsored check off programs such as the Virginia Set-aside program direct funds toward more applied research.