Organic Production (5cr)

Evaluation scale

1-5

Objective

Students will be familiar with the procedures and methods of organic production as well as the opportunities it offers. They can make a crop rotation plan and an animal management plan for an organic farm. They will be aware of the factors affecting profitability in organic farming, and they will be knowledgeable of the channels available for marketing organically grown products.

Content

Introduction to ecology, rules and control of organic production, soil fertility, crop rotation, fertilization and plant protection in organic cultivation, financial management and marketing, basics of organic animal production.

Materials

Rajala 2004. Luonnonmukainen maatalous. HY, Maaseudun tutkimus- ja koulutuskeskus
TAI Källander & Bovin 1993. Luonnonmukainen maanviljely. Kirjayhtymä:
Briggs, S. 2008. Organic cereal and pulse production. A complete guide.

Teaching methods

Contact teaching and supervision 45 %, approved assingments 40 %, exam 15 %.

Student workload

Totally 133 h, scheduled studies 60 h and autonomous studies 73 h.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student knows the ecological basis for the organic production and lists the most important rules concerning organic production. The student specifies the main things of the cultivation technique of organic farming and draws up a crop rotation plan for an organic farm. The student lists factors which affect the profitability of the organic production and lists marketing channels.The student can list the main principles of the animal organic production. Student can identify the most important changes caused by the transition to the organic production on a farm.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student describes the ecological basis for the organic production and explains rules concerning organic production. The student makes the summary of the cultivation technique of organic farming and explains factors which affect it. The student draws up a crop rotation plan for an organic farm and justifies the practices of the farm. The student estimates factors affecting the profitability of organic production and lists the marketing channels of different products.The student can explain the main principles of organic animal production. Student can apply the regulations and guidelines of organic production to the conditions of a farm.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

: The student explains which ecological points the organic production is based on and interprets and comments on the rules of organic production. The student explains the cultivation technique of organic farming and analyses affecting factors. The student makes a crop rotation plan for an organic farm, compares different alternatives and justifies his/her choices and development proposals. The student compares the profitability factors of the organic production and the marketing channels.The student can plan the animal production of an organic farm , also in the phases of transition from convential to organic production.

Qualifications

Common professional studies in plant husbandry and animal husbandry.