Advanced Farm Management Systems

Course Number:
AG 202
Transcript Title:
Advanced Farm Management Systems
Created:
Oct 31, 2026
Updated:
Oct 31, 2026
Total Credits:
3
Lecture Hours:
22
Lecture / Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
33
Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:
No
Satisfies General Education requirement:
No
Grading Options
A-F, P/NP, Audit
Default Grading Options
A-F
Repeats available for credit:
0

Course Description

Examines the increasing use of technology in agriculture management systems. Explores the use of precision irrigation, automation, sensors and drones. Addresses contemporary issues in North West agriculture, and covers basic business practices such as management, marketing and employees. Audit available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Apply a business mindset to agricultural operations.
  2. Identify key issues in local agricultural production systems.
  3. Identify and evaluate a wide array of new technology available for use in modern agriculture.
  4. Apply advanced farm management systems to the development of an agricultural business plan.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

The determination of assessment strategies is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: writings (journals, self-reflections, pre writing exercises, essays), quizzes, tests, midterm and final exams, group projects, presentations (in person, videos, etc), self-assessments, experimentations, lab reports, peer critiques, responses (to texts, podcasts, videos, films, etc), student generated questions, Escape Room, interviews, and/or portfolios.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Department requirements:
Meet with Extension agents, Field Representatives, Ag sales professionals and local farmers to learn about the wide-ranging products and practices.

Course Content

Outcome #1: Apply a business mindset to agricultural operations.

  • Employee management

    • safety, hiring, retention, training

  • Business operations

    • Marketing plans, budgets, timeframes, consumer awareness

  • Long term management concerns

    • Machinery and equipment costs, land acquisition, infrastructure redevelopment costs and timelines, changing tech

Outcome #2: Identify key issues in local agricultural production systems.

  • Current issues and concerns

    • Fruit Crop: local and regional (list?)

      • competition

      • water management

      • increasing disease vector

      • seasonal temperature range changes

      • decrease in access to bees as pollinators

      • consumers changing preference

    • Dryland Wheat: local and regional (list?)

      • competition

      • aging farmer population

      • decreasing number of wheat consumers

  • Potential arising future issues and concerns

    • Changing environmental conditions: shifting seasons, significant weather events, water availability

    • Changing governmental restrictions/regulations: import/export taxes, subsidies

Outcome #3: Identify and evaluate a wide array of new technology available for use in modern agriculture.

  • Irrigation technology

    • Precision

    • Sensors

    • water stress detection

  • Drones and autonomous vehicles

    • data collectors

    • delivery tools

    • samplers

    • problem finders

  • Weather data

    • online and direct source data

  • Photographic sorting machines

Outcome #4: Apply advanced farm management systems to the development of an agricultural business plan.

  • Develop business plans that can be applied to modern agricultural enterprises.

  • Building off of existing business plans

    • Identify and evaluate successful practices

    • Determine range of scale and future potential

  • Develop new business plans

    • address emerging issues/concerns

    • evaluate the inclusion of traditional people’s strategies and management

    • evaluate the inclusion of new technologies

    • explore new agricultural models: niche marketing, agrovoltaics, etc.

    • Sustainability and risk management

    • Personnel and safety

Suggested Texts and Materials

Use of listed Texts/Materials is not required unless so noted.