AGRICULTURE: WORKSHOPS & SHORT COURSES

Agriculture Lender’s Workshop

Intake: Spring

Delivery: Online

For more than 35 years, the Agriculture Lenders Workshop has been a professional development experience for beginning and continuing lenders and other financial professionals in the agricultural industry. This 5 day long virtual workshop provided by Olds College, a leader in virtual and distance learning, will provide each participant a window into today’s agriculture and instruction about how to be an effective farm lender.

Drone School for Farmers & Agronomists

Intake: Spring

Delivery: In-Person at the Olds College Campus

Whether you’ve never flown a drone and want to learn, or are looking to refine your skills, this 2-day class is for everyone. Come join us for this fun, hands-on course and learn how to fly drones safely and legally while focusing on the benefits of using drones in agriculture. Save time and increase efficiency by learning how you can use drones to check on livestock, map fields and crops, and access hard to reach areas. At the end of the course, participants will have the opportunity to take the online certification test with Transport Canada to fly legally.

Certified Crop Adviser Tutorial

Intake: Winter

Delivery: In-Person at the Olds College Campus

Advance your career and become a Certified Crop Adviser! Take advantage of this intensive tutorial training session and prepare to write the Certified Crop Adviser Prairie Province and International exam. The instructors have a wealth of knowledge that they will share with you to help you feel better prepared to write the exam.

This is an overview course which highlights the regional and international objectives required to pass the CCA exam. The instructors have a wealth of knowledge in this regard, which will help you to better prepare to write the exam.

Weed Identification

Intake: 2nd Wednesday of Every Month

Delivery: Online

The self-directed Weed Identification Microcredential was designed with seasonal staff in mind and provides learners with an introduction to plant and weed identification based upon physical characteristics, biology, lifecycle and preferred environment. Additionally, strategies for the management and control of weeds and invasive plants are explored in agricultural and environmental systems using the concept of Integrated Weed Management (IWM).

Vertical Farming Technologies

Intake: 2nd Wednesday of Every Month

Delivery: Online

This online microcredential focuses on the fundamentals of vertical farming as part of Controlled Environment Agriculture. Students acquire knowledge and skills about practices and procedures (cultivation methods, environment controls, and management practices including start-up considerations). Students will also learn about how technology and data systems are used on a vertical farm which will enable them to enter the vertical farming industry or set-up a home plug and play system.

On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF)

Intake: 2nd Wednesday of Every Month

Delivery: Online

Lakeland College and Olds College of Agriculture & Technology have collaborated to deliver industry-recognized, microcredentials covering Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) in three areas for Professional Agrologists and Certified Crop Advisors:

Cover Cropping: This course focuses on using Climate Smart Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) for Cover Cropping for Grain Crop and Livestock Production Systems. This is intended to certify certain requirements, such as identifying BMPs and their specific goals as well as implementations, monitoring and outcomes of BMPs via the integration of cover cropping into grain and livestock production systems.

Nitrogen Management: In this course, professionals will demonstrate an understanding of how to expand the adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPS) in Nitrogen Management to reduce carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions which will qualify them to work with farmers to receive OCAF funding.

Rotational Grazing: In this course, professionals will demonstrate an understanding of how to expand the adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPS) in rotational grazing to reduce carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions which will quality them to work with farmers to receive OCAF funding.

For more course information go to our website