On a sunny, hot Monday in August 2022, my life changed in a moment. Toward the end of a long day cleaning soybeans out of a grain bin in Atlanta, Ill., I slipped and my right foot fell into a paddle drag.

The result of this split‑second accident was a below‑the‑knee amputation of my right foot and much of my leg, many months of recovery, fitting for a prosthetic limb, more months of physical therapy, and the seemingly impossible task of figuring out what comes next.

Myself (in purple) and Copernicus Warren, also known as Cap (in blue), listening diligently during the Farm Credit of Illinois visit (Photo – Illinois Soybean Association)

My name is Oliver Kragelund. Out of high school, I joined the United States Marine Corps, where I worked on F‑18s. After the Marines, I decided to go into agriculture like my father and grandfather before me. I initially worked in Nebraska for five years at a small‑town butcher shop and eventually at a grain elevator. I moved to Illinois in the spring of 2021 to run a grain elevator in Atlanta, Ill., where I later had my accident. Despite, or partially because of, my accident, I am now pursuing an associate degree in ag business from Heartland Community College and am thankful to have learned about the Illinois Soybean Association running a program that, for the first time, was available to Heartland students: the Exploring Careers in Agriculture program.

While I feel this program is mostly directed at what I would call “traditional,” straight‑out‑of‑high‑school students who are exploring potential career paths, it is exactly the kind of program I needed as I navigate a career change with physical limitations I never expected to have. It allowed me to meet with a wide variety of companies and business leaders in ag and ag‑related fields that I had never considered as potential career paths. Through visits with companies such as PACE Laboratories, Farm Credit of Illinois, Precision Planting and others, I gained valuable insights into careers I didn’t know existed and began building connections that will be vital as I take the next steps toward rejoining the workforce.

On‑site look at a completed soil conservation project near Peoria, Ill., with the Natural Resources Conservation Service

This program, and the interactions I had throughout it with my fellow students from varied backgrounds and with the professionals who took time from their schedules to meet with us, are a shining example of why I am still dedicated to working in agriculture. It reflects people coming together to achieve things none of us could accomplish alone. The willingness to work toward better and brighter futures while helping those around us every day is what sets the agriculture industry apart to me and why I can’t imagine going into any other field.

The advisors from the participating colleges, who deserve every bit of recognition for their diligent support of students and their success. L‑R: Elizabeth Conrady, Lincoln Land Community College; Miranda Buss, Heartland Community College; Pete Fandel, Illinois Central College; and Charlie Mitsdarfer, Parkland College.

While I don’t think anybody would blame me for wanting to avoid agriculture altogether after my accident, even I initially didn’t think I would be physically capable of working in agriculture again. It is the people, the interactions and the unique culture of the industry that brought me back. My goal is to move into a safety officer position and work with farmers, elevator workers, sprayer operators and as many others as I can to do my part to prevent accidents like mine from happening to anyone else. I want to help ensure everyone in our incredible field gets to go home safely at the end of the day.

Colleen Callahan, founder and owner of Colleen Callahan Consultancy, who worked with ISA. The woman who organized this program and is deeply dedicated to the success of others in agriculture. Thank you from everyone involved for your time and dedication to us.