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Production Agriculture/Soils and Crops

There is a growing need for highly skilled employees in the production agriculture industry in Wisconsin. Growth in the number of jobs by 2014 is expected to be more than 14 percent.

The Production Agriculture Youth Apprenticeship is a unique program which combines two successful work experience programs - Youth Apprenticeship and Cooperative Education Skill Certificate Program (Co-op) available through DPI. Students are enrolled in the Crop Production YA course their junior year and continue with their work experience and classroom instruction in the co-op program their senior year. Note: Successful completion of the Farm Safety Tractor Driving Course is required for all students enrolling in the Production Agriculture Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Work-Based Requirements

Industry mentors are trained to teach youth apprentices the skills and knowledge needed to find entry level employment in the agriculture industry.

Youth apprentices rotate through the major areas at the worksite (see Skills Standards Checklist) and take related classroom instruction at the local high school, technical college or at the worksite.

The Production Agriculture program has two options available. The one-year option includes two semesters of classroom instruction which support a minimum of 450 work hours. The two-year option includes four semesters of classroom instruction, which support 900 work hours.

Related Instruction Requirements

Production Agriculture academic instruction focuses on:

• Prerequisite -- Satisfactory completion of the Wisconsin Safe Operation of Tractor and Machinery certification program
• Ag Mechanics -- Build mechanics skills including safety and emergency response, machinery operation, equipment adjustment, lubrication, tire service, fluid and electrical system service, machinery and equipment cleaning and storage, service records and equipment repair.
• Ag Facilities and Materials Handling -- Maintenance of the building and grounds of a modern dairy facility, manure management practices and housing factors to provide a healthy animal environment
• Crop Production -- Develop crop production skills.  Includes crop volume, crop quality, marketing, maps and records, soils sampling, field and crop conditions, tillage, planning, fertilizing and harvesting.
• Agribusiness -- Competency areas include sales, customer relations, marketing, technical assistance, communications, professional development.
• Plant & Soils -- Competency areas include plant morphology and physiology and soil management.

Skill Certificate and Advanced Standing

After successful completion of the requirements for a high school diploma and the school-based and work-based requirements for Youth Apprenticeship, the students receive a Certificate of Occupational Proficiency from the Department of Workforce Development.  Students who complete the two-year Production Agriculture Youth Apprenticeship may receive advanced standing credits from a Wisconsin Technical College offering related associate degree programs.

Downloadable Documents

Skills Standards Checklist
Order Form from Dept. of Administration Document Sales Unit

Additional Links

Wisconsin Agribusiness Council
Wisconsin Future Farmers of America (FFA)