Production Agriculture

Specific Competencies and Skills Tested in this Assessment:

 

Animal Science

• Maintain animal health sanitation
• Describe anatomy and physiology
• Explain grading and judging
• Describe handling and shipment of animals and products
• Explain genetics and breeding
• Describe feeds and feeding
• Describe specific beef production operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific dairy operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific poultry operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific equine operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific aquaculture operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific small animal operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific swine operations, including breeds and types
• Describe specific sheep/goat operations, including breeds and types

 

Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resources

• Conserve and protect water, land, and soil resources
• Recycle and manage waste products
• Research and develop new, renewable energy sources, including biofuels

 

Plant Science

• Describe plant anatomy and physiology
• Describe taxonomy and plant identification
• Explain plant genetics, breeding, and propagation
• Formulate, mix, and properly handle agricultural chemicals
• Identify plant pests and practice pest control
• Identify and classify plant diseases
• Calculate fertilizer rates and costs
• Determine populations and planting rates
• Discuss harvesting and storage of crops
• Identify plant nutrient requirements

 

Soil Management

• Describe preparation of land for efficient cropping
• Exhibit knowledge of land judging and soil management concepts
• Identify and discuss soil tests and various amendments

 

Agricultural Technology

• Explain safe use and maintenance of tools and equipment
• Perform calculations and measurements used in agricultural technology
• Describe basic welding, electrical, plumbing, and carpentry practices
• Explain maintenance of agricultural and livestock containment structures
• Operate, maintain, and service engines
• Safely operate, maintain, and repair agricultural machinery

 

Agri-Business

• Identify sources of credit
• Use appropriate tax management skills
• Describe types of farm businesses and enterprises, including cooperatives
• Identify assets, liabilities, and net worth
• Calculate net worth, income and expenses, and cash flow statements
• Identify fixed and variable costs
• Compute market values of livestock and costs of ownership
• Interpret and apply analysis of financial tools and recordkeeping systems
• Determine factors of risk management
• Identify marketing and distribution networks, channels, and processes
• Identify agricultural-based sales and marketing skills
• Identify principles of agri-business economics, including supply/demand
• Describe career opportunities and advancement pathways

 

Written Assessment:

Administration Time: 3 hours
Number of Questions: 187

Areas Covered: 

Animal Science: 29%

Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resources: 6%

Plant Science: 21%

Soil Management: 6%

Agriculture Technology: 14%

Agri- Business: 24%

Sample Questions:

An injection placed in the vein is called  

1. subcutaneous
2.  intramuscular
3.  intravenous
4.  intraperitoneal

 

A tap root system is found in

1.  barley
2.  wheat
3.  rice
4.  alfalfa

 

An alkaline soil has a pH of

1. 2
2. 4
3. 5
4. 8

 

Most farm accidents and injuries are caused by

1.  machinery
2.  tools
3.  chemicals
4.  carelessness

 

Return on investment is the longest for

1. dairy cattle
2. poultry (broilers)
3. poultry (layers)
4. beef cattle

 

Performance Assessment:

Administration Time: 3 hours and 5 minutes
Number of Jobs:   6

Areas Covered:

20% Vehicle Maintenance
Record vehicle make, model, check oil, determine if engine needs oil; record fuel gauge reading, recommended tire inflation psi, actual tire psi; check engine coolant level, determine if engine needs coolant; vehicle maintenance worksheet; return work area to original condition; and time to complete Job 1.  

28% Calculate Net Worth
Identify and list current assets, intermediate assets, long term assets; calculate and list total assets; identify and list current liabilities; determine absence of intermediate liabilities; identify and list long term liabilities, calculate and list total liablities, net worth, total liablities, and capital; calculate and list current capital ratio, and time to complete Job 2.  

14% Determine Genotypes and Phenotypes (Punnett Square)
Punnett square completion, identify four phenotypes, list the six genotypes and number of each, and time to complete Job 3.  

6% Crop Leaf Identification
Crop leaf identification and time to complete Job 4.  

18% Administer an Injection
Determine appropriate medication dosages, and appropriate medication to administer; select appropriate syringe, and needle size; prepare syringe, draw proper dosage; identify and prepare injection site; administer injection intramuscularly; dispose of needle and syringe; and time to complete Job 5.  

14% Compute Acreage
Compute and record total acreage, corn acreage, potato acreage, and wheat acreage, and time to complete Job 6.  

Sample Job: Compute Acreage
Maximum Time: 30 minutes
Participant Activity:   The participant will use a diagram provided to calculate total acreage and calculate the amount of acreage that is used for corn, wheat, and potatoes.