Business - Sustainable Agriculture

Agricultural Machinery & Farm Safety

This course provides students with a general overview of farm machinery and technology employed by Canadian producers of agricultural commodities. Students will become familiar with the uses of tractors, harvesters, tillage, planting and spraying equipment. Precision Farming principles and components will be introduced. As with all heavy equipment, safe operation and site awareness is of utmost importance. Students will describe and demonstrate safe farm workplace practices as directed by Canadian safety laws and regulations.

Introduction to Canadian Field Crop

This course takes a systems approach to Canadian agricultural crop production and offers students a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices involved in managing field crops in Canada with a focus on environmental sustainability. Curriculum topics include identification of major Canadian crops, promoting sustainable farming practices that minimizes environmental degradation, product end use, land preparation, conserve soil heath, crop selection, crop establishment, and harvesting will be discussed. In addition, basic soil characteristics and plant morphology are studied.

Introduction to Canadian Livestock Operations

Livestock agriculture is a large and diverse industry within Canada that includes many different species, as well as many different production methods. Students taking this course will learn Standard Operating Procedures for Ontario producers, efficient and low stress handling, the basics of mechanical and technical systems that help with animal agriculture, nutrient management, and the role of livestock within a regenerative agricultural system This class will feature a combination of in-class presentations, labs, and field trips in order to show students modern production methods.

Human Resources Management

Effective Human Resources Management (HRM) is critical to the success of organizations today. This course will provide an overview of the key concepts of HR management and will include some history and theory of the HR function and important terminology. It will introduce students to the core competencies of effective HR practitioners and allow for self-assessment against these competencies. We will be discussing core HR practice areas such as Strategic Planning, HR Planning, HR Administration, Talent Management, Training Learning and Development, Performance Assessment, Total Rewards (including Compensation and Benefits) Employee and Labour Relations and Health and Safety in the workplace. In addition, the course looks at the legal environment for effective HR management, and the role of HRM in mergers and acquisitions and organizational change management.

Communications for Business

This course provides students with the skills required for professional, written, and oral communications essential to business success and subsequent courses. Students will develop database and internet research skills; prepare professional written business communication; and create, practice and deliver professional oral presentations. Students will research and document borrowed information in a business report and will demonstrate critical reading and thinking skills.

Introduction to Managerial Accounting

The managerial accounting course provides students with skills to become highly effective in environments where quick decisions are required. Students learn to use financial information to make quick strategic decisions including how to use data to evaluate the effectiveness of current operations. Learning to maximize the profitability of operations, students interpret financial statements and supporting financial data that drive decision making. Topics covered in this course include cost management, analysis of financial performance, application of pricing strategies, and budgetary planning and control for a business enterprise.

General Education Elective

Work Term (Full-Time - optional)

Co-operative education provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning to the workplace, undertake career sampling and gain valuable work experience that may assist students in leveraging employment after graduation.

Canadian Greenhouse Production

Students in this course study a variety of greenhouse production including an overview of the Canadian greenhouse industry, production economics, chemical and biological pest control, and the production of bedding plants, potted plants, flowering plants and vegetables, as well as an introduction to cannabis crops. In addition, students learn about the actual internal greenhouse environment necessary to understand and work within a greenhouse. Students learn the necessary skills to enhance their background for employment in the greenhouse crop production industry.

Farm Biosecurity in Canada

Biosecurity is the protection of livestock, poultry and crops from any type of disease or pest whether viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic. People, animals and equipment can bring diseases and pests with them from off-farm and spread them around the farm from one facility to another. Students will learn about good biosecurity practices and how to apply them on-farm. This course will cover three primary on-farm control areas: farm access management (people and vehicles); animal and plant health management; and operational management (sanitation of equipment and facilities; wildlife and pests; and, training and documentation).

Introductory Pest & Weed Control Management

Students will study the principles of pest management in agricultural cropping systems. They will learn the basic concepts of integrated pest management and principles guiding the safe use of pesticides. Students also study identification of selected weeds, diseases and insects of field crops in Canada.

Canadian Vegetable & Fruit Production Management

Curriculum focuses on the role of the Canadian climate in large-scale fruit and vegetable production; cold hardiness; flowering and fruit development; fruit growth, thinning and maturity indices; harvesting techniques; and marketing and food safety are discussed. In addition, planting, pruning, and frost protection are also addressed. Soil, climate, and equipment, utilized for a wide variety of crops, from vegetable crops to vines is discussed. Students learn the necessary skills to enhance their background for employment in the fruit and vegetable crop industry.

Selling

This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to professional selling and the skills required to find success in relationship building and sales. Students are introduced to the many career alternatives available as well as the day-to-day expectations of a successful salesperson. The focus is to assist students develop their personal brand and strengthen their presentation, communication, and negotiation skills through role-playing, simulations, and applied learning exercises. Both traditional and digital prospecting methods are explored, along with the application of effective discovery, proposal creation, and problem resolution strategies, all in support of creating a customer relationship built on trust. Topics include goal setting, planning, time management, sales analytics, key performance indicator analysis, and customer relationship building. Students apply their learning in a simulated, professional business-to-business sales environment.

Macroeconomics

This course provides an understanding of the role of economics in business decision-making through the study of the methodology of economics, the components of the Canadian economy, cycles in the economy, macroeconomic goals, the measuring of economic performance, and government intervention in the economy as government attempts to manage the economy.

General Education Elective

Introduction to Canadian Agriculture Law

In this course, students are introduced to elements of Canadian Law that play a significant role in agri-business and Canadian farming practices. Specific topics include organizational structures of farm operations, jurisdictions of various levels of government insofar as it relates to regulating agricultural matters, select regulatory requirements for farming in Canada, select dispute resolution processes, plus related federal and provincial legislation.

Sustainable Agriculture

This course is an introduction to the field of sustainable food production. With the rise in advanced agricultural practices that use fewer materials and energy, generate less waste and cause less negative environmental impact, sustainable agriculture creates increased efficiency, food security and reduced operational costs. Students study a systems approach for agricultural food production that considers the cultural and environmental factors required to manage soils, plant diseases, insect problems and crop quality. Application to organic commercial food production as well as urban food production are also discussed.

Canadian Agricultural Supply Management

In this course, students are introduced to Canada's agricultural supply management system that helps provide stability to the perishable foods sector. Students study agricultural logistic as to the movement of goods from field to fork along the value chain. Other topics studied include reciprocity agreements, agricultural policies and supply chain trends and challenges.

Precision Agriculture & Technology

Students study current technological changes and trends in agriculture. A large part of the curriculum focuses on how precision agriculture has impacted many aspects of agricultural management and production, and thus, students gain hands on experience with GPS technologies in agriculture. The applications for advanced data collection sensors supported by GPS and complementary systems will also be explored. Precision Farming principles, electronic monitors and controllers used on tractors, seeders, sprayers and combines are studied. Students will also become more familiar with equipment and software used in Precision Farming practices.

Microeconomics

This course provides an understanding of how society chooses what goods and services to produce through an examination of the laws of supply and demand as well as how and for whom they are produced by examining the behaviour of firms, market structures and the distribution of income.

Business Agriculture Capstone

As a culminating course, students engage in high-level inquiry and/or project-based activity that draws upon the areas of interest to the student and focus from the program while demonstrating the knowledge and skills acquired during the program of study.

General Education Elective