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Agriculture in the 21st century doesn't bear much resemblance to the idyllic farm life of days gone by. Faced with business, scientific and technical booms, today's farmer must acquire significant credentials to remain competitive. This section offers an extensive listing of specializations and continuing education opportunities - from soil science to farm management - along with the best ways to achieve those educational goals.
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Agriculture Licensing/Certification Agricultural Industry Licensing and Certification
Licensing and Certification Opportunities in Agriculture With more than two million farms operating nationwide, one might think the term "farmers" aptly describes the group of individuals that own and run these operations. The truth is, though, a single word can't possibly capture the range of occupations and certifications that fall into the agriculture category. From agronomy to management, today's farm professionals can cultivate fields far broader than their home territory - and a bevy of training and certification opportunities make such career development an eminently doable process. Licensing and Certification Opportunities in Agriculture [top] Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) Individuals earning this designation have attained the pinnacle of industry education and training, according to standards established by the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Upon completing a meticulous ASMRA qualification program, an AFM will possess the expertise to:
As detailed in ASMRA literature, mastery of the above administrative tasks allows the AFM to manage the following functions - a feat the untrained farmer might well find formidable:
Certified Agricultural Consultant (CAC) A designation of the American Society of Agricultural Consultants, a Certified Agriculture Consultant is qualified to provide expert services to all manner of businesses - from small and mid-size farms to conservation agencies. Deemed by some pundits to be the fastest growing profession in the industry, a CAC performs the following functions:
Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg) The American Society of Agronomy, which offers formal certification, defines an agronomist as a plant and soil scientist who strives to improve crop and farm productivity in conjunction with efficient pest and weed management. While a number of these individuals are self-employed, many work for federal, state and local government agencies, as well as for private industry and agricultural colleges. A CPAg's professional responsibilities may include:
Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Formal credentialing as a Certified Crop Advisor comes by way of the American Agronomy Society's intense certification program. Because this title covers a wide range of services and disciplines, pinning down just a few job functions can be tricky. For instance, some consultants may work in solo operations specializing in single crops, while others are staffers in bigger companies and deal with a broad array of fruits, vegetables and grains. What's more, pundits suggest that with today's rapidly evolving agricultural technologies, the role of the consultant is becoming increasingly important to farm businesses of all sizes. The following list describes some of the many functions a Certified Crop Consultant may expect to perform:
Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), Certified Professional Soil Classifier (CPSC) Soil surveying involves an in-depth understanding of physical, chemical, mineral and biological characteristics applying to pedology (i.e. the science of soil origin, character and utilization). Agricultural professionals who wish to pursue this career direction can earn CPSS/CPSC designations through the Soil Science Society of America, which provides a thorough, systematic certification process. Once credentialed, these individuals perform a broad array of tasks:
Organic Farm Certification The National Organic Program (NOP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees and regulates the national production, management and labeling standards for all fruits, vegetables, grains and livestock deemed organic agricultural products. The NOP also sanctions those foreign and domestic certifying agents who inspect organic products and handling facilities to assure they meet USDA standards. Given the avid public interest in "natural" foods, some farm owners might well consider going organic a forward-thinking strategy - and likely, it is. Still, it's important to note that formal certification is a legal mandate for operations marketing more than $5,000 worth of organic products annually. Because the process is lengthy, USDA analysts advise would-be organic growers to remember that certification:
Agricultural Industry Training and Continuing Education [top] While some scientific disciplines related to the agriculture industry require four-year degrees, other advanced credentials are available through professional organizations and continuing education programs. The sections below explore specific procedures toward obtaining such certifications - including those described above - accessible to virtually any eligible farm-business owner. How to Pursue Specific Certifications Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers serves as the primary certifying body for several specialties. Chief among these is the Accredited Farm Manager designation, which requires an-in depth course of instruction, as well as a number of prerequisites. These include:
The Web sites below provide direct links to detailed information regarding the Accredited Farm Manager designation:
Certified Agricultural Consultant The American Society of Agricultural Consultants is a non-profit organization striving to raise the public image, as well as the ethical standards, of all professional agricultural consultants. The group deems certification as the most effective means of achieving this goal. To that end, the following section summarizes guidelines and protocols for earning a CAC designation, which is renewable every five years, according to ASAC guidelines:
For more information regarding the Certified Agricultural Consultant designation, as well as ASAC membership, visit these Web pages: http://www.agconsultants.org/index.htm - ASAC homepage http://www.agconsultants.org/cac-checklist.htm - Complete rundown of policies regarding CAC certification http://www.agconsultants.org/caci-checklist.htm - Information on obtaining Independent Certified Agricultural Consultant (i.e. a CAC not employed by a firm) credentials, very similar to CAC requirements Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg) Of all the advancement opportunities the field of agriculture offers, the Certified Professional Agronomist designation, renewable annually, demands the most stringent educational qualifications. The American Society of Agronomy, which sponsors this voluntary program, maintains that this hard-won credential sets the gold standard for professional skills and deportment. CPAg candidates must possess, at minimum, the following qualifications:
Other useful Web resources include:
Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Enrolling more than 13,000 Certified Crop Advisors in its membership, the American Society of Agronomy maintains that certification is a demonstration of the highest standards of education, dedication and experience. Unlike the CPAg designation, CCA guidelines are a bit more relaxed. Applicants must meet the following qualifications:
Upon certification, CCAs must earn 40 hours continuing education units annually and also pay a yearly maintenance fee. According to ASA guidelines, a single continuing education unit equals one hour of classroom training. A minimum of 20 of these CEUs must meet with CCA Board approval. These links offer detailed instructions on obtaining certification nationwide:
Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), Certified Professional Soil Classifier (CPSC) The Soil Science Society of America is the certifying body for professional soil scientists and/or classifiers. Candidates for these advanced designations must have:
When applying for certification, candidates may visit https://www.soils.org/certifications/check-credentials to insure their documentation has been accepted and processed. The Web sites listed below provide additional information regarding CPSS/SC accreditation and renewal:
Organic Farm Certification The process for obtaining organic farm certification may not be easy, but it certainly is clear-cut. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) provides the following basic guidelines, applicable in most situations:
When minor noncompliance problems arise during the application process (e.g. inadequate records), a farm owner should receive organic certification once he rectifies the situation. Even so, more serious noncompliance issues (e.g. use of chemical fertilizers) can delay this credential for several years. As for certification fees, NOP estimates suggest that costs average about $750 per farm; nonetheless, fees do vary among agents, as well as according to inspection costs, operation size and other variables. For complete details on the certification process; contact information; professional, scientific and educational resources; detailed examples of fee structures; and financial assistance programs, visit http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/organcert.pdf for a downloadable booklet. Agriculture Continuing Education Opportunities in Agriculture Agricultural professionals who have earned advanced credentials in farm management, agronomy, soil science or other specialty areas, can't simply frame their certificates and forget about them. Rather, most disciplines require continuing education units to maintain specialist status - no simple matter for many busy pros. What's more, some farmers may wish to take a class or two just to brush up on certain skill areas, such as pest management, animal husbandry or soil amendment. The following section highlights some of the best ways to access agricultural courses, whether online or in a classroom. National Continuing Education Program in Sustainable Agriculture Sponsored by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (http://www.sare.org/index.htm), this continuing education curriculum targets farm professionals, as well as extension agents and other agricultural specialists. Certified Crop Advisors may use these courses as continuing education credits toward maintaining certification. Offered online at no cost to participants, the curriculum covers the basic principles of sustainable agriculture, agroecology and strategic farm/ranch planning and marketing, among other subjects. Classes, which combine activities, real-life examples and links to other Web resources, are self-guided and individually paced, so participants may access them at their convenience. For more information about courses and enrollment, interested persons should contact their respective SARE sustainable agriculture coordinators:
United States Department of Agriculture Because universities nationwide offer a range of continuing education opportunities towards recertification, as well as for individual enrichment, it is well-nigh impossible to list them all here. To this end, the United States Department of Agriculture provides links to dozens of programs sponsored by institutes of higher education, as well as by community, professional and government organizations. The USDA Alternative Farming Information Center (http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=2&tax_level=1) likewise is a reliable source for additional information and new learning opportunities.
Cooperative Extension System The Cooperative Extension System (under the USDA) is a national non-credit educational network which serves as a portal to continuing education opportunities for agricultural professionals, small business owners and the community at large. Administered through state/territory offices at land-grant universities, on-site experts provide research-based information and classes on a variety of subjects. The CES site (http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension)/ provides links to the system's individual offices, as well as a virtual map of branch locations. From a continuing education standpoint, the Web site, eXtension (http://www.extension.org), is an invaluable tool in locating classes and courses applicable to recertification requirements, as well as for practical enrichment. What's more, leading educators from 74 land-grant universities nationwide provide an interactive learning environment - along with a cutting-edge data base - on the site itself. By entering the term "continuing education" in the eXtension searchbox, users may access a continuously-updated list of classes and workshops, many approved for continuing education credit. Certified Crop Advisers, for instance, can earn CEUs through the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center, which offers self-directed online study via reports and Webcasts. |
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