Farm Management
Improve your capacity to more effectively manage a farm or agricultural enterprise which services farms. Farming is just as much about management as it is about animal or crop production. Unfortunately in today's world, the ability to produce a good animal or crop is no guarantee for success.
Through this course you will learn to analyse, diagnose and make decisions related to management of a farm business. The course relates to managing all resources, including; production, staff, physical resources, and natural resources. You will learn strategic planning, whole farm planning, and how to prepare a business plan.
The aims of this course are:
- 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.
- 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:
- 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, covering topics
Career Prospects
- Make your farm more sustainable, both economically and environmentally.
- Discover new ways to improve your farm management.
- Improve your career prospects in the agriculture industry; as a farmer, farm worker, consultant, teacher or working in a farm supply or service business.
- Operations Manager
- Production Manager
- Farm Manager
Course Delivery
This course is delivered 100% online. Upon enrolment students are issued with a login and password, providing access to OCA's e-learning centre. For a full demo of the OCA student experience from enrolment to graduation click here.
Recognition and Accreditation
Upon successful completion of this course you will receive an OCA Certificate of Achievement in Farm Management. There are no pre-requisites to this course.
Units of Study
This course has 8 units of study.
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1. Strategic Planning
- Planning procedures.
- Policy formulation approach.
- Strategic management approach.
- Initial strategy approach.
- Farm business structures.
- Management plans.
- Financial terminolgy and the money market.
- Finding finance; rural finance sources.
- Financial terminology and record keeping.
- Contract law.
- Elements of a simple contract.
- Offers - acceptance and 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 of budget.
- Sensitivity analysis.
5. Management Strategies
- Organising the workplace.
- Scheduling; production systems.
- System 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 building.
- Managing physical resources.
- Engineering efficiency.
- Animal structures.
8. Natural Resources
- Regulations and legislation.
- Land care programmes.
- 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.
How Long Does The Course Take?
This short course should take approximately 100 hours.
Each unit should take approximately 10-12 hours. Maximum six months access to this online course.
Course Costs
Purchase this course online and complete it at your own pace in your own time.
Pay Now
To purchase this course, simply click on add to cart.
Save at least 15% if paid in full
Pay Now Cost$499
Payment Plan
You may pay for this course via a flexible payment plan. To do so simply select this option and click on add to cart.
$50 Deposit
$50/Week for 12 Weeks
Total Payment Plan Cost $650
