The aim of Agriculture Studies is to provide students with knowledge, skills, and abilities enabling them to pursue careers or employment opportunities in value-added or diversified agriculture or in the related goods and services supporting them.

Connections between School and Work: To create a connection for students between the world of school and the world of work in Agriculture.

Business and Entrepreneurship Attitudes: To develop the skills and abilities which encourage students to pursue opportunities in value-added and diversified agriculture via post-secondary education, apprenticeship programs, entrepreneurial endeavors, or in the workplace.

Community Environment: To use relevant community agriculture examples which will help develop students’ skills and abilities as well as encourage a sense of pride and community.

Communication: To develop social and communication skills as potential employees or employers in agriculture.

Employability Skills: To encourage the development of employability skills through agriculture.

Personal Management Skills: To promote self-esteem, confidence, and a pro-active attitude toward agricultural business and the community.

Saskatchewan has been and continues to be a world leader in traditional, production-based agriculture. Over the past decade the agricultural industry has shifted its focus toward developing and improving value-added and diversified agriculture.

In contrast to traditional forms of production-based agriculture, value-added agriculture uses the foundations of production-based agriculture but directs its focus on earning the best possible return for Saskatchewan agricultural commodities by processing the initial commodity. Diversified agriculture focuses on broadening the types of agricultural commodities produced or processed in Saskatchewan.

Integral components of value-added and diversified agriculture are a variety of related goods and services. Related goods include crop and livestock production products; related services include transportation, marketing, manufacturing, as well as information and financial services.

It is important to the Saskatchewan economy that value-added agriculture and diversified agriculture, as well as their related services, change and adapt continually in order to earn the best possible return for Saskatchewan commodities in the domestic and global marketplace. More importantly, however, is the extent to which value-added and diversified agriculture can and is based in local Saskatchewan communities. This means that a wider variety of employment and economic opportunities should be created. These opportunities are particularly important and relevant to students and young people. Providing students with practical knowledge and skills to become involved in value-added or diversified agriculture, as well as their related services, will help them participate in Saskatchewan’s future.

The Foundational Objectives of the core modules of the curriculum are specified.

• To demonstrate knowledge of the diversity and significance of Saskatchewan agriculture, agri-food, and agri-fibre industries.
• To develop effective skills in marketing an agricultural product or related service.
• To describe the range of activities involved in selecting, producing, processing, transporting, and marketing an agricultural commodity, value-added product, or service.
• To describe the use of technologies and practices in processing a value-added product, or providing a related service.
• To understand the concept and need for quality assurance of an agricultural commodity, value-added product, or related service.
• To be able to describe and access careers and job opportunities in agriculture.
• To develop effective information gathering and communication skills used in agriculture.

The Foundational Objectives of the Optional Modules of the curriculum are specified as are Common Essential Learnings Foundational Objectives.

Agriculture Studies 30 is a curriculum within the area of Practical and Applied Arts and requires 100 hours of instruction. The course has been developed to provide a balance between:

• awareness provided by relevant information and practical application of concepts
• exposure to relevant businesses or farms involved in diversified or value-added agriculture
• opportunities for mentoring, job shadowing, or work study using resources in the community.

Important characteristics of the course are:

• use of, or involvement with community industries, human resources and related support services in order to provide relevant examples of the concepts presented in the course
• integration of career exploration throughout the course
• application of effective communication skills in areas such as customer service and providing quality assurance of products and services.

Insight into community industries and related agricultural services has the potential to provide transitions to occupations in Saskatchewan agriculture, agri-food, and agri-fibre industries.

The course will provide desirable background and skills for entry into related programs at public and vocational colleges, technical institutes, apprenticeship programs, and universities in Saskatchewan.