One thing that is assured to an agricultural science graduate is the diversity of opportunities available when they leave college. Speaking with former ag graduates from courses across Ireland over the years, the range of roles they find themselves in is a testament to this.

Fearghal McCabe is an agricultural science graduate who has made the most of this opportunity. The Meath native today works as a risk manager with INTL FCStone, a financial trading company that provides risk-management services in certain agricultural commodities such as grains and dairy products.

Having begun as an intern in the financial trading company in 2016, Fearghal is now one of three risk managers dealing with dairy commodities in the business. Next month, Fearghal – the son of a tillage farmer and UCD lecturer – will be two years working full-time in the business.

But how did he go from agricultural science in UCD to a commodity trader?

The path to UCD and beyond

“I was driven by my background. I worked on our tillage farm growing up but I was always interested in the business side of farming rather than the practical side. I had looked into commerce courses but I wanted the link to agriculture. I didn’t want to lose that. I had always worked in the agricultural industry growing up so that was important to me.”

Fearghal began his studies in UCD in 2013, deciding on food and agri-business management, the business branch of the agricultural science course in the college. However, it wasn’t until Fearghal’s semester abroad in Michigan State University in the first semester of third year that his interest in trading was established.

“When I went to Michigan State I took a class in commodity trading. I knew after that very first class that this is what I wanted to do. I always had an underlying interest in trading and in the stock exchange but I found it somewhat intimidating as a career to pursue. It was eye-opening to find something that linked the financial trading industry to the agri-sector.”

It was one thing being interested in the financial industry, but how did Fearghal find himself thrust into the middle of it?

“When I returned home from America, INTL FCStone, a financial trading company, had reached out to UCD for an intern. When UCD informed us, I applied and got the job. I owe the college a great debt for that. Only for them, I may not have gotten this opportunity,” he explained.

Fearghal began his internship in the company in January 2016. His first seven months were spent on the grains and oilseed desk of the company, learning about risk management for those trading grain products across Europe.

His final two months of his placement were spent on the dairy side of the business. The area of the business he remains in today.

From intern to full time

Those conscious of college-/work-life balance look away now. After completing his nine-month internship in INTL FC Stone for his mandatory college placement, Fearghal continued to work on the dairy desk of the company for two and a half days per week during his final college year – all the while playing hurling and football for his local clubs, Kiltale and Moynalvey respectively. The pressure was on, but it is not something he has come to regret.

“I wanted to pursue a career with INTL FCStone. This was my way of holding onto the opportunity I was given. Looking back, it certainly had an impact on my academic but I don’t regret it. Luckily for me, it paid off and I got offered a full-time position after I finished college.

“For me, I was just eager to begin, I was actually in the office after my last exam and started full time the Monday after my exams were over,” Fearghal chuckles.

Full-time work

Fearghal currently works on the dairy desk as one of three commodity risk managers based in Dublin. While the workload varies, the typical nine-to-five remains relatively the same.

“Our job is to help European dairy producers, processors, end users and traders to manage their price risk exposure to dairy markets and the main products we trade are butter, skimmed milk powder and whey powder. We would also work with a number of prominent Irish and European co-op’s, helping create some of the most well-known fixed milk price schemes.

“A typical day for me would be spent predominantly on the phones to customers. It is still a very traditional brokering desk in terms of the time we spend speaking with clients. The aim for us is to try to help those companies minimize their risk to volatility in the dairy markets. That requires us to be constantly speaking with our clients over the phone.”

“I may work nine to five but this varies. The market we trade is open from eight to five every day so my day is scheduled around that. There are times when I work long hours but I am willing to do that. There is flexibility in this job and it all balances out.

“At the end of the day, I love what I do and it doesn’t feel like work. There is satisfaction in getting a deal across the line for your customer. That is what I love about my job; the challenge and the satisfaction of putting a trade together. That makes it fulfilling.”

Travel

“Recently there has been the opportunity to travel. I have spent time in Singapore this year, where we have a dairy team working in the office that trade in the New Zealand market. That is always a great opportunity. I have also travelled across Europe and to our head office in Chicago,” McCabe explains.

“There is no doubt there are challenges to the job. It is very technical and understanding these technicalities and explaining them to the clients can be challenging.

It is ironic, a lot of my fellow classmates think that my job isn’t that ag-related, when really I have to actively stay in touch with what is going on with farmers on the ground

"It requires a lot of self-education. I had to read over a lot of college material and newspaper articles to learn and keep up to date with trends. It is vital to keep in touch with what is happening with farmers on the ground.”

“It is ironic, a lot of my fellow classmates think that my job isn’t that ag-related, when really I have to actively stay in touch with what is going on with farmers on the ground to do my job properly,” he comments.

Fearghal’s vision of working in a company that supports both his passions, trading and agriculture, has played out perfectly for him. If anything, his role in a financial company highlights the diverse range of opportunities available in the agri-food sector in a general sense.