Module Title:Organic Cereal Production
Language of Instruction:English
Credits: 5
NFQ Level:8
Module Delivered In 1 programme(s)
Teaching & Learning Strategies: A mixture of formal lectures along with polytunnel practicals and facilitated crop walks and discussion group type activity to encourage the learner to critically analyse aspects of organic cereal production. Learners will follow crop management on selected organic farms and critically analyse the inputs and management of the various crops. Visiting Lecturers, site visits and case studies will be used to supplement the learning delivered in lectures. This will expose the student to the marketing and processing businesses that supply organic feed and food.
Module Aim: The module aims to build upon the skills acquired from the previous crop production modules. Students will acquire the skillset necessary to sustainably manage organic crops at farm level, and in particular combinable cereals. The learner will have a deeper understanding of the agronomy and marketability of organic cereal crops including the role of rotations with non-cereal crops, the use of winter cover crops and grain quality criteria for organic production.Finally, farm based processing of grains and direct marketing to the consumer will be explored.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1 Have a knowledge of the various technologies that are available to organic farmers for the successful establishment and management of organic cereals including the role of integrated pest management for a sustainable cereal crop.
LO2 Learners will have knowledge of the role of rotations, winter cover crops and under-sown mixes in the production of a sustainable yield of organic grains
LO3 Have an appreciation of the most up to date regulations that apply to organic cereal production including the regulations on feed manufacture as it applies to organic cereal growers that process and market their own grains.
LO4 The learner will be able to appraise the various markets and processing options that are available to organic cereal grows to optimise farm profitability.
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
10792 AGRI C1706 Crop and Grassland Management on Organic Farms
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
Learners should have taken Crop and Grassland Management on Organic Farms or an equivalent prior to taking this module. A knowledge of soil science is also useful.
 

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content
Enhancing Crop Productivity
Areas such as winter cover crops, the role of under sown legumes and short and long term rotation strategies will be discussed in the context of obtaining a sustainable yield of cereal.
Cereal Crop Agronomy
Strategies around the key agronomic practices for organic cereal crops. Site selection. Seed rates. Sowing Dates. Weed, insect and disease control.
Markets for Organic Grains
The learner will examine the potential returns from the market place for various cereal crops including the market spec for these grains. The concept of home processing of the cereal grain will be explored as well as the availability of medium term and long term contracts for the supply of organic cereals to food and feed manufacturers and farm to farm selling.
Assessment Breakdown%
Project30.00%
Practical20.00%
End of Module Formal Examination50.00%
No Continuous Assessment
Project
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Project Students will create a detailed agronomy plan for the production of up to 3 crops on an organic farm. 1,2,3,4 30.00 n/a
Practical
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Practical/Skills Evaluation Students will be required to conduct plant counts, tiller counts, identify growth stages. 1,2 20.00 n/a
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Formal Exam Terminal Examination 1,2,3 50.00 End-of-Semester
No Continuous Assessment
Project
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Project Students will create a detailed agronomy plan for the production of up to 3 crops on an organic farm. 1,2,3,4 30.00 n/a
Practical
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Practical/Skills Evaluation Students will be required to conduct plant counts, tiller counts, identify growth stages. 1,2 20.00 n/a
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Formal Exam Terminal Examination 1,2,3,4 50.00 End-of-Semester

SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture 12 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Practicals 12 Weeks per Stage 1.00
Independent Learning 12 Weeks per Stage 3.00
Total Hours 72.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture 12 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Practicals 12 Weeks per Stage 1.00
Independent Learning 12 Weeks per Stage 3.00
Total Hours 72.00
 

Module Delivered In

Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CW_SWOAG_B Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Organic Agriculture 8 Group Elective 3