206-331 Whole Farm Planning

Availability

Credit Points

HECS Band

Semester

Subject Description

The aims of the subject are to:

• develop an understanding of the principles involved in the holistic approach to whole farm planning;

• develop skills in applying objective indicators of farm and catchment health in a whole farm planning context;

• develop an awareness of the application of geographical positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS) to whole farm planning;

• apply the basic principles of whole farm planning and monitoring to a reference farm;

• prepare a Whole farm Plan for a reference farm;

• and develop the rudimentary skills involved in the collaborative processes in leadership, particularly those related to problem-solving techniques in whole farm planning.

The subject includes:

• lecture and project work in map work and interpretation, indicators of catchment health, financial performance/ quality trends;

• use of GPS and GIS in farmland planning;

• land degradation;

• trees and the Whole Farm Plan;

• pastures and the Whole Farm Plan;

• cropping and The Whole Farm Plan;

• water quality and quantity;

• farm subdivision, land classification;

• fire prevention;

• community and Regional Networking;

• and budgeting and setting priorities in the implementation of a whole farm plan.

Assessment

Whole Farm Plans and written reports, equivalent to about 3000 words and each worth a minimum of 20% of the final mark.