Involves policy, international trade and economic analysis

Activities:

• Work within government, banking and industry or provide independent consulting services
• Research and teaching with various organizations, universities and colleges

Involves interactions between agriculture and financial institutions

Involves studying the effects of economic policies on agriculture and farm-operator families and businesses

Activities:

• Agricultural loans
• Manage lending portfolios for producers
• Agri-business and agri-food operations

Involves optimizing the use of input products such as fertilizers, pesticides and animal nutrition products

Activities:

• Work for agricultural retail outlets, focused on the business side of production agriculture
• Work closely with specialists including researchers to ensure their clients’ production needs are met
• Provide advice to support productivity, resource conservation and profitability

Core knowledge areas:

Use scientific knowledge integrating plant nutrition, soil chemistry and physics, ecology, plant pests, geomatics and hydrology to reduce agricultural impact on the environment

Activities:

• Improving nutrient management
• Integrated pest management
• Adoption of conservation tillage soil
• Planning and protection of riparian streams
• Planning windbreaks map

Involves land management practices that incorporate woody perennials into an agricultural production system

Activities:

• Tree physiology
• Soil fertility and chemistry
• Weed management
• Tree pathology
• Pest management

Core knowledge areas:

• Fish health and nutrition
• Shellfish production
• Physiology of aquatic animals
• Aquacultural engineering

Activities:

• Manage or provide technical inputs for fish farms
• Conduct research on fish or shellfish production
• Conduct environmental assessments on proposed sites
• Advise on fish health and nutrition requirements

Core knowledge areas:

• Plant breeding and genetics
• Plant physiology and nutrition
• Pest management

Members may work with food, industrial and other special purpose crops

Activities:

• Develop new crops and/or improve existing crops
• Crop rotation planning
• Field scouting
• Crop variety and tissue testing
• Provide agronomic consultation to producers
• Identify and control crop disease
• Identify nutrient needs and deficiencies

Core knowledge areas:

Using basic sciences such as chemistry, food microbiology, biochemistry, plant metabolism and agriculture production sciences in order to develop food processes and ensure product quality

Activities:

• Research and development
• Quality management
• New product production
• Ensure products do not cause harm
• Management of industrial food processes

Core knowledge areas:

• Plant breeding and genetics
• Plant physiology and nutrition for horticultural crops
• Integrated pest management

Activities:

• Market gardening
• Orchard management
• Turf management
• Develop and manage vegetation for landscaping
• Optimization of crop conditions

Includes a wide variety of expertise related to international development work including crop and livestock production, hydrology, financial management, environmental remediation and protection, marketing, and economic and community development

Activities:

• Assist with crop and livestock production
• Community development
• Disaster relief

Core knowledge areas:

• Economics
• Soil chemistry and fertility
• Physical geography
• Landscape pedology
• Crop condition optimization

Activities:

• Develop optimization and conservation plans
• Develop policies and programs
• Land capability classification
• Plan regional and municipal land use

Core knowledge areas:

• Animal breeding and genetics
• Animal physiology and nutrition
• Animal husbandry

Activities:

• Develop new breeds and/or improve existing breeds
• Manage herd or flock health
• General herd or flock management
• Feed production and processing
• Consult with producers
• Develop livestock housing

Enhances the quality of rural life, communities and the environment

Core knowledge areas:

• Rural sociology
• Psychology
• Economics

Activities:

• Develop policies and programs
• Community economic development
• Family studies
• Various social services

Core knowledge areas:

• Soil physics
• Hydrology
• Pedology

Activities:

• Evaluate land for irrigation and drainage suitability
• Design, implement and maintain irrigation systems
• Manage crop irrigation
• Allocate and manage water resources
• Measure and manage soil water