Agriculture Technology
Students seeking practical training in livestock production can earn a Livestock Production certificate. Graduates of this program will be qualified to seek employment on dairy farms, as government technicians, in other supply and livestock sectors, and in the agri-service sectors. Some graduates start their own enterprises.
The one-year Livestock Production certificate program transfers completely to the two-year Agriculture Technology diploma, Livestock Production option. Graduates may also be able to transfer their Livestock Production certificate to other Agriculture diploma programs.
Applicants with allergies to dust, pollen, or animal dander should be wary of entering this program. Students should have a strong desire for hands-on work with plants or animals, and be willing to work outside, often in inclement weather. Reasonable physical condition is recommended as students will be asked to participate in tasks that involve standing, lifting, bending, and turning.
Students are expected to be computer literate. This means knowing how to run programs from a Windows environment, and having basic internet, word processing, and spreadsheet skills. Those who do not have these skills are advised to take an introductory computer course before they begin their studies in agriculture.
Students who do not have the required entrance courses may obtain information from UFV on the availability of preparatory courses. Mature students lacking recent preparation are advised to consult with the Agriculture Technology department about refresher courses in math, biology, and reading and study skills, etc., well in advance of the program start date.
Students must have their own transportation and appropriate clothing, including steel-toed workboots, and are required to participate in on-the-job training at host farm/business sites without remuneration. To qualify for on-the-job training (practicum), students must be enrolled in the program full-time, with a minimum grade of pass in all the current semester's course work.
Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall and Winter semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.
To begin taking courses at 51³Ô¹Ïapp while waiting for a space to become available in this program, students may submit a separate application to take courses as a student in Qualifying Studies.
Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.
See the Fees and Other Costs section. In addition to tuition fees, students should budget approximately $1,500 annually for textbooks, field trips, and supplies.
An additional charge is assessed to cover the cost of materials and examination fees for students writing the Provincial Pesticide Applicator's or Dispenser's examination.
Those students intending to complete a two-year diploma in the minimum time (two years) should start in September. Students may start courses in January; however, because of sequencing requirements, students starting in January may have to pick up some of the courses as a part-time student during an extra two semesters. Students should consult with the Agriculture Technology department for more details. Students not enrolled in the regular full-time sequence are especially urged to consult with the Agriculture Technology department before registering each semester.
In the Fall semester, courses all run at the Canada Education Park (CEP) campus for 15 weeks. The Winter semester courses run at the CEP campus for 12 weeks, then qualified students complete a three-week practicum course (AGRI 192) at selected host farms/businesses throughout the Fraser Valley. Students must have reliable transportation for the practicum work placement. All practica are done without remuneration.
Course | Title | Credits |
AGRI 142 | Agribusiness Principles | 3 |
or BUS 100 | Introduction to Business | |
AGRI 163 | Pest Biology and Identification | 3 |
AGRI 183 | On-Farm Occupational Health and Safety | 3 |
AGRI 192 | Practicum I | 3 |
AGRI 204 | Introduction to Soils and Soil Fertility | 3 |
AGRI 237 | Introduction to the Health of Farm Animals | 3 |
AGRI 238 | Equine Production and Management | 3 |
AGRI 239 | Management and Production of Beef, Sheep, and Goats (see Note 1) | 3 |
or AGRI 256 | Management and Production of Poultry and Swine (see Note 1) | |
AGRI 254 | Ruminant Animal Health | 3 | AGRI 328 | Forage Crop Production: Science and Practice | 3 |
or AGRI 331 | Dairy Herd Management: Science and Practice | |
CMNS 125 | Communicating Professionally to Academic and Workplace Audiences | 3 |
or ENGL 105 | Academic Writing |
Note 1: AGRI 239 and AGRI 256 are not offered every year. See department website for scheduling information.
Note 2: Courses in artificial insemination and agricultural welding are recommended but not required. Information on outside agencies offering these courses can be obtained from the Agriculture Technology department. Approximate cost for these external courses is $800.
Contact the Agriculture Technology department for information about transfer possibilities.
Each semester, students take a set of core courses to provide them with background knowledge applicable for all agricultural disciplines along with specialty livestock courses.
All programs require some mandatory work, where students must spend time on campus outside of regular class hours on practical work projects associated with course work. Students may also be required to participate, occasionally, in setting up and staffing educational displays on agriculture for the general public. Students may be required to attend some local industry short courses at their own expense. Class field trips are mandatory, unless students are otherwise advised. These may be held outside of regularly scheduled classes, including Saturdays, and some expenses may be incurred by students.
For all programs, a GPA of 2.00, or the permission of the department, is required for students who wish to register in a subsequent semester. An overall GPA of 2.00 with a minimum grade of pass in all courses is required for graduation.
Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or higher) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at 51³Ô¹Ïapp. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at 51³Ô¹Ïapp. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV’s .
Students who decide to audit a course in the Agriculture Technology department must follow UFV's . Auditing students may be required to complete course assignments. Auditing a course will not, however, satisfy graduation requirements.
To be eligible to graduate, students must have completed the Livestock Production certificate program with a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all courses.
For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.