Integrating Science and Crop Management - (15 credits)

This module brings together the elements of the previous production modules and applies interdisciplinary principles and practices learnt, in a holistic and integrated way employing the latest scientific research across a variety of farm systems. While the need to specialise in particular crops or livestock will be acknowledged the value of diversity and symbiosis that integration offers will be explicit, as will the implications of this for farm management. The importance of soil management, biodiversity and other environmental factors will be paramount in the delivery of the module recognising the importance of a biological and sustainable approaches to agricultural production in keeping with the ethos of Regenerative Agriculture and the requirements of the post Brexit UK Agriculture Act. Detailed and justified crop and livestock plans will be developed and produced during this module taking into account the requirements of a system and its broader context (e.g. crop husbandry, advances in technology, societal ethics and values, energy and waste management, circular economics), while understanding the implications for business profitability and the natural environment. This module takes a systems-based approach to the assessment and evaluation of crop production, and explores sustainable and adaptive management practices deployed in modern industry to ensure resilience against uncertainties in the environment and market place. Modern and innovative scientific solutions to ongoing global and national problems are examined.