FARM & RANCH
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Farming and Ranching entail much more than most people think. Caring for the animals and land that fuel our country and provide so many resources is important work that requires a deep understanding. In our Farm & Ranch Program, you will work hands-on with live animals while also learning to use a variety of agricultural equipment and technology. With a focus on agribusiness, conservation, wildlife management, and more, you will be able to work with land and livestock in a professional capacity post-completion.
According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas is the home to the largest concentration of farmland and ranches in the United States, totaling more than 248,000 ranches and farms with more than 127 million acres of land. The opportunities in this career field are abundant in Texas and beyond.
Farm and ranch Program details
With a mixture of online, hybrid and in-person courses, you will earn an Occupational Skills Award (OSA), and a Level 1 Farm & Ranch Certificate, on your way to an AAS Farm & Ranch Degree at NCTC. Through our program, you will learn the skills necessary to pursue a career in Agronomy, Livestock Evaluation, Livestock Feeds/Feeding, Plant Protection, Beef Cattle Management, Pasture Management, Soil Management, Farm & Ranch Record Keeping, and Wildlife Conservation. The entire program will take two years to complete at a full credit load.
You will be able to do a wide range of tasks including:
Identifying plants and pests as a part of sustainability practices
Assembling, utilizing, repairing and maintaining farming equipment
Conducting various methods of farming including no-till, seedbed preparation, and grain production
Understanding traditional farming techniques as well as modern methods to ensure quality nutritional practices
Caring for the daily upkeep, well-being, and diseases and illnesses of multiple classes of wildlife and livestock
Hands-on experience is a guarantee and you will also have access to some of the best technology within the industry - allowing you to do things by hand or with state of the art equipment.
Basic Certificate
First Semester
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| AGRI 1131 AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY | 1 |
| AGRI 1325 MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS | 3 |
| AGMG 2301 LIVESTOCK BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| AGME 1315 FARM AND RANCH SHOP SKILLS I | 3 |
| AGAH 1353 BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION
or AGRI 2330 WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT |
3 |
| AGCR 1371 INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| Total for this semester | 16 |
| Total Credit Hours | 16 |
|---|
Level 1 Certificate
Fees associated with the Farm & Ranch Level 1 Certificate are as follows and are included in tuition and fees. These fees may vary from year to year, but specific information may be obtained from the Division Chair prior to the semester's start.
State licensure exam - Private Applicator's License
First Semester
Second Semester
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| AGRI 1131 AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY | 1 |
| AGRI 1325 MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS | 3 |
| AGMG 2301 LIVESTOCK BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| AGME 1315 FARM AND RANCH SHOP SKILLS I | 3 |
| AGAH 1353 BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION
or AGRI 2330 WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT |
3 |
| AGCR 1371 INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| Total for this semester | 16 |
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| AGRI 1407 AGRONOMY | 4 |
| AGRI 2321 LIVESTOCK EVALUATION | 3 |
| AGCR 1341 FORAGE & PASTURE MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| AGAH 1343 ANIMAL HEALTH
or AGCR 1307 RANGE MANAGEMENT or AGCR 2313 SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION |
3 |
| AGCR 2305 ENTOMOLOGY
or AGAH 1347 ANIMAL REPRODUCTION |
3 |
| Total for this semester | 16 |
| Total Credit Hours | 32 |
|---|
Farm & Ranch AAS
Fees associated with the Farm & Ranch AAS are as follows and are included in tuition and fees. These fees may vary from year to year, but specific information may be obtained from the Division Chair prior to the semester's start.
State licensure exam - Private Applicator's License
The AAS program is designed to take two years to complete. Upon completion of this Associate of Applied Science Degree, you will be able to:
Identify plants and pests which are of economic importance to forage and livestock production.
Correctly perform applicable animal husbandry practices such as castration, tattooing, and injections.
Utilize equipment owners' manual to properly set-up and maintain farm equipment.
Restate the fundamental concepts of planting small grains either through preparing a seedbed or no-till method.
Recommend modern feeding practices and nutritional principles to livestock feeding programs.
First Semester
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| AGRI 1131 AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY | 1 |
| AGRI 1325 MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS | 3 |
| AGMG 2301 LIVESTOCK BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| AGME 1315 FARM AND RANCH SHOP SKILLS I | 3 |
| AGAH 1353 BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION
or AGRI 2330 WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT |
3 |
| AGCR 1371 INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| Total for this semester | 16 |
Second Semester
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| AGRI 1407 AGRONOMY | 4 |
| AGRI 2321 LIVESTOCK EVALUATION | 3 |
| AGCR 1341 FORAGE & PASTURE MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| AGAH 1343 ANIMAL HEALTH
or AGCR 1307 RANGE MANAGEMENT or AGCR 2313 SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION |
3 |
| AGCR 2305 ENTOMOLOGY
or AGAH 1347 ANIMAL REPRODUCTION |
3 |
| Total for this semester | 16 |
Third Semester
Fourth Semester
| Course | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CORE LAB SCIENCE | 3 |
| AGRI 2317 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS | 3 |
| SPCH 1311 COURSE INTRO TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION
or SPCH 1315 PUBLIC SPEAKING or SPCH 1321 BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION |
3 |
| AGAH 2313 PRINCIPLES OF FEEDS AND FEEDING
or AGEQ 2373 INTRODUCTION TO VETERINARY TECH |
3 |
| AGMG 2280 COOPERATIVE EDUCATION-AGRICULTURE BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT, GENERAL | 3 |
| Total for this semester | 15 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 |
|---|
Capstone Requirement: AGMG 2280 Cooperative Education - Agricultural Business and Management, General is the capstone requirement and may not be substituted. It should be taken the last semester before graduation.
Planting the Seeds of your Future
If you are eager and ready to pursue a career in the Agriculture industry, then a degree in Farm & Ranch from NCTC Gainesville will be a perfect fit for your goals. With some of the best instructors in the region, you can guarantee that you will walk away with in-depth knowledge as well as all of the tips and tricks of the trade necessary to be successful.
Contact our knowledgeable team of Advisors today and start your path to a well-respected career in Farming and Ranching today.
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