FARM MANAGEMENT BAG104

If you work in agriculture you absolutely need management skills!

The industry is desperate for suitably skilled and confident people who can operate at management level.

If you want to know how to safely manage farm operations and increase revenue what are you waiting for?

The course will teach you how to analyse, diagnose and make decisions related to management of a farm business. The course relates to the management of all resources including, viable production, staffing, physical resources, and natural resources. You will also learn about:

Study Farm Management to improve Farm Productivity and Profitability, Manage People and Resources

 

This course is ideal if: 

  • you are too busy to attend a campus to study 
  • you are in a remote or regional area and study options mean to you need to travel 
  • you need flexibility to fit study around other seasonal activities associated with your busy work life
  • you have been in the industry for a while but want increased confidence at management level
  • you want to carry out some of internal business work yourself and reduce costs spent on outsourcing
  • you are applying for a new job or role in the industry and want to demonstrate commitment to professional development 
  • you have a staff team or a particular person you want to upskill to take on more operational responsibilities 

 

Your reasons for studying Farm Management are not for us to guess. We are here to provide you with a quality online course and as much or as little support you need going through this specialised content. 

On completion of all assignments, you will receive a Letter of Completion, or if you decide to formalise your study, you simply sit the exam and you will achieve a well-deserved Statement of Attainment in Farm Management.  


COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS

There are 8 lessons as follows:

 

1. Strategic Planning - planning procedures; the policy formulation approach, strategic management approach, initial strategy approach; Farm business structures; Management plans; Financial terminology and the money market; Finding finance; Rural finance sources; Financial terminology and record keeping; Contract law; Elements of a simple contract; Offers; Acceptance; Consideration; Strategic plans; Trusts
 
2. Business Plans - Farm Planning; Quality management systems; Whole farm planning; Preparing a business plan; Integrated production plans
 
3. Business Assessment - Business goals; factors involved in business assessment;Considering factors affecting your business; Drawing conclusions
 
4. Viability Analysis - Assessing profit; Risk analysis and managing risk; Standards; Cost efficiency; Cost of production; Quality and quantity standards; Financial records; The bookkeeping process; End of period accounting; Cash flow; Example budget; Sensitivity analysis.
 
5. Management Strategies - Organising the workplace; Scheduling; Production systems; Sytem variables; Animal production systems; Lot feeding; Cropping systems; Polyculture; Office systems; Computers;Business diversification; Value adding.
 
6. Human Resources - Supervision; Oganisational structures; Leadership; Workplace changes; Interviewing, recruitment and staff induction; Giving instructions; Managing human resources; Work scheduling; Occupational Health and safety; Duty of care; Protective equipment; Dealing with chemicals; Handling tools and equipment; Safety auditing.
 

7. Physical Resources - Managing equipment, machinery and buildings; Managing physical resources;Engineering efficiency; Animal structures. 

8. Natural Resources - Regulations and legislation; Land Care programs; Rehabilitation; Trees; Erosion control; Soil degradation; Salinity; Soil acidification: Compaction; Chemical Residues; Water management; Water quality; Irrigation and watering systems.

 

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading. 

We know you will find the lessons engaging, challenging and rewarding.

 

Duration: 100 Hours plus exam 

Qualification: Statement of Attainment

AIMS

  • Develop strategic planning methods for an agricultural business.
  • Learn how to prepare a Farm Business Plan.
  • Develop methods for assessing the operations of a Farm Business.
  • Analyse the viability of different production enterprises: assessing profits, risk analysis, cost efficiency, quality standards, financial records
  • Develop strategies for managing different farm production enterprises, covering workplace organisation and crop scheduling.
  • Plan the management of human resources in a farm business covering: supervision, types of leadership/managers, orders & instruction, motivating employees, recruitment
  • Develop methods for managing the physical resources of a farm business including managing equipment, machinery and buildings.
  • Develop methods for managing the natural resources of a farm business

 

INTERESTED IN FARMING ..? Read more

Farmers Need to Keep a Clear Focus on Aims

The basic objective of any farmer is to maximise economic profit.

Farmers and other business managers manage production processes with profit as a primary goal. Production is the use of inputs to produce a good or service. Agricultural crops require inputs such as land, land management, labour, seed, fertiliser, machinery, and (in some cases) irrigation. Animal Production systems generally require inputs such as land, management, water, fencing, supplementary feeding, pasture, pest treatments, shelter and care.

What is meant by the term economic profit? 

Economic profit is not the difference between costs and returns or expenses and receipts. This difference is often referred to as accounting profits, because this is what your accountant would report. The issue with this type of reporting is that is excludes some intangible costs, for example, some members of the family who may work on the farm without being paid. The value of their work (opportunity cost) isn’t taken into account by accounting models.

Economic profit refers to the difference between returns and the value of all the inputs used in producing the good or service sold. It is the total returns minus the cash payments for purchased inputs and the opportunity costs of the company-owned inputs.

When undertaking the farm planning process the underlying theory of production should be taken into consideration. 

The farm plan must look at ways to combine inputs and outputs in ways that will generate economic profit in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Managing a farm effectively requires careful planning. In most instances, you should plan for years, if not decades in advance. You should plan both the physical development of the farm property, as well as the development of the farm business. 

Some of the things which may need to be planned for include:

  • Upgrading facilities (e.g. Introducing new technology, new procedures, replacing or improving worn out or damaged facilities)
  • Use of environmentally sustainable production practices
  • Expansion of operations
  • Changing direction (e.g. moving from one type of livestock to another, or diversification)
  • Major maintenance (of property, buildings or equipment)
  • Training staff 
  • Holidays
  • Contingencies in case of anything going wrong (e.g. economic downturn, drought, illness). 


YOU CAN START TODAY - MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR LIFE AND WORK


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If you have any questions, or want to know more, you can get in touch with us now:

Phone (UK) 01384 442752, (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752, or

Email  [email protected]