College Diploma - Agriculture and Food Production (Co-op)

Program Description With the world’s population at 7.9 billion people and growing, food security is becoming a critical issue. As one of the world’s most reliable producers of high-quality grains, oilseeds and pulse crops, Saskatchewan plays an important role in feeding the world. Saskatchewan Polytechnic has a long history of agricultural innovation, from pioneering zero tillage to implementing GPS-guided machinery and now AI-driven crop management. Agriculture is about more than growing food—it’s about growing food sustainably, managing land and resources, understanding commodity trends and staying up to date on technology. Whether students enjoy being on the land, working with animals, figuring out logistics or working in finance, the new Agriculture and Food Production program can help launch their careers. The three-year Agriculture and Food Production diploma program is offered at the Moose Jaw campus and includes three paid co-operative education work terms. Students will get the foundational, technical, environmental and managerial knowledge they need to succeed in the evolving agriculture industry. In classes and hands-on labs, students will develop practical skills in: • Agricultural technology, including innovations in precision agriculture, global positioning, IoT devices, grain handling/storage/conveyance, food security and AI • Agriculture machinery, including general familiarity with the operation of tillage, seeding, spraying, harvest, haying and other standard ag equipment • Farm management, including business applications, financial record keeping, agricultural economics, commodity marketing, Indigenous resource rights, leadership and globalization • Production and land management, including crop production, beef cattle production, weed and insect control, soil and crop nutrition, yield management and rangeland management • Sustainability, including water management, meteorology, apiculture and environmental sustainability

The Co-op Work Term Advantage The Agriculture and Food Production diploma gives students hands-on learning in three co-operative education work terms. Co-op work terms are paid, so students will earn while they learn. Saskatchewan Polytechnic arranges students' interviews; it’s up to them to shine. It’s also a chance to develop important “soft skills” in job interviewing, professional attitude, interpersonal communication and more. Many of the co-op employers require both a valid Saskatchewan Driver's License and a clean Driver's Abstract. For international students, it can take up to 12 months to obtain a Driver's license; therefore, it is to their advantage to come with a Driver's License from their home country if possible. Some co-op work placements require a Criminal Record Check and/or drug and alcohol testing.