Agricultural consultant and farm manager
"Modern day farmers must combine traditional skills in the care of soils, pasture and animals with knowledge of scientific developments, information technology, consumer preferences and business management. For those with the ability to meet these demanding requirements the rewards are very high."
Day-to-day activities include:
- Overseeing animal husbandry (feeding, milking, drenching, welfare etc)
- Soil and pasture management
- Feed budgeting and preparing winter feed supplies
- Overseeing farm maintenance
- Management of farm workers
- Acquiring and evaluating new information relevant to farm and market
- Sale and purchasing decisions/contracts
- Financial management and planning
- Evaluation of farm performance and planning future strategies
- Facilitating farmer discussion and education groups
- Providing technical and financial analyses (eg soil tests, investment criteria etc)
Careers include:
- Farmer - applies knowledge and skills to optimise productivity and profitability within the constraints of the farm.
- Farm Adviser - advises farmers on farming methods and keeps farmers informed about advances in farming techniques and changes in markets.
- Consultant - develops or modifies agricultural systems in consultation with the client to improve efficiency and productivity.
- Employment with producer boards, feed companies, organisations involved in the development and marketing of agricultural products and services, real estate companies, and stock and station agencies
- Overseas development
Training to be an agricultural consultant and farm manager
Massey University offers a Bachelor of Applied Science degree (BApplSc) to meet the needs of a modern agricultural consultant or manager of a rural enterprise. The BApplSc degree is the present day equivalent of the degrees in agriculture which have been offered at the Massey campus in Palmerston North since the establishment of the Massey College of Agriculture in 1927. It continues the tradition of educating young people to meet the challenges of the primary industries that underpin New Zealand's economy. The degree can be studied from home if fixed commitments prevent internal study. Of all the majors offered in the BApplSc, "Agriculture" is the major of particular relevance to agricultural consultants and farm managers. It provides the knowledge base and the analytical and management skills to improve the efficiency and productivity of agricultural systems. It provides a sound foundation in agriculture and is sufficiently flexible to allow students to specialise and tailor their degree to suit their own requirements.
Massey University also offers a Diploma in Agriculture. The Diploma is NZ's longest established (since 1927) and most respected entry-level agricultural qualification. It is a one-year programme that can be studied from home if fixed commitments prevent internal study. The most important goal of the Diploma is to prepare students with the appropriate knowledge, skill and attitude to manage farms in a changing social, economic and technological environment.
