Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) with strands in
Arable Farming, Dairy Farming, and Livestock Farming
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
4
Credits
105-125
NZSCED
050105
Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies > Agriculture >
Animal Husbandry
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2017
Approval date
November 2013
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the pastoral farming
sector with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to take
responsibility for the day to day operational management of a
pastoral or arable farming production system.
This qualification is stranded in order to recognise the specific
skills and knowledge required to take responsibility for the daily
operations of an arable, dairy or livestock farm.
Learners will benefit by having a qualification within a training
pathway that recognises progression through the industry, as
well as increased skills and knowledge acquisition to enable
improved job performance.
The pastoral farming sector will benefit by having a qualification
pathway which recognises the development of skills and
knowledge leading to farm management, and assists with
industry succession planning and sustainability.
This qualification is targeted at people who are experienced
workers in the agriculture industry and are looking to move into,
or are at, a management level position in an agricultural
production enterprise.
Outcome Statement
Graduates will be capable of working under broad guidance and
may be supervising and directing others.
Graduate profile
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
Graduates of the qualification will be able:

benchmark own farm physical performance against data from
industry high performers

produce management reports on day to day activities for a
farming production system

take responsibility for the day to day maintenance of
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vehicles, plant, machinery, and equipment

assist with the management of environmental impacts on
farm.
Graduates of the Arable Farming strand will also be able to:

implement a crop protection plan

implement a crop growth plan

implement a crop harvest plan.
Graduates of the Dairy Farming strand will also be able to:

manage milk harvesting and milk quality for a dairy farm

implement a dairy livestock health plan

implement a dairy livestock breeding plan

implement a dairy livestock feeding plan.
Graduates of the Livestock Farming strand will also be able to:

implement a livestock health plan

implement a livestock breeding plan

implement a livestock feeding plan.
Education pathway
This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in
Agriculture (Pastoral Livestock Production) (Level 3) [Ref: 2217],
and New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Livestock
Husbandry) (Level 3) (Dairy, and Meat and Fibre) [Ref: 2214],
and may lead on to higher level New Zealand qualifications in the
agriculture sector.
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to be employed in day to
day management roles within the pastoral or arable farming
industries.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5
of the Industry Training Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation accredited under section 250 of the Education
Act 1989 to deliver an approved programme leading to this
qualification.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification
will display the NZQF logo and may also include the name
and/or logo of the awarding education organisation.
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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Evidence requirements for managing
consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to
the qualification must engage with arrangements for
managing consistency, including covering actual and
reasonable related costs.
Each education organisation is responsible for deciding what
specific evidence it will provide to demonstrate how well its
graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes of the
qualification.
Evidence of the following must be provided:
• Student feedback on course delivery and qualification
achievement, their perception of the value of the training,
and suggestions for improvements
• Feedback from employers on the level of skills, knowledge
and behaviour demonstrated by graduates of the
qualification
• Evidence of effective internal quality assurance systems
• Portfolios of work and/or assessment samples
demonstrating the range of student performance within a
programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that
supports the consistency review.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Education organisations must have policies and procedures
in place for managing credit transfer, and assessing
recognition of prior learning and recognition of current
competency. These policies and procedures, and
information about associated fees, must be available to the
candidate prior to enrolment.
To facilitate credit transfer, education organisations must
clearly demonstrate the equivalency or comparability
between each of the outcomes in the graduate profile, and
the assessment components of their programmes.
Minimum standard of achievement
and standards for grade
endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of
the qualification will be the achievement of all graduate
outcomes in the graduate profile through successful
completion of an NZQA approved programme.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory body
or legislative requirements)
There are no mandatory prerequisites to meet regulatory
body, or legislative requirements for this qualification.
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
None.
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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Conditions for programme
context
Livestock Farming includes any animal that is being farmed for the
production of meat and/or fibre and includes, but is not limited to, beef
cattle, deer, goats and sheep.
Other conditions
It is strongly recommended that programmes leading to the
qualification require candidates to have a minimum of at least two
years industry experience (or equivalent) prior to entering the
qualification.
All outcomes in this qualification require aspects of record keeping
and communication, which should be considered as part of the
assessment process.
Performance of outcomes involving implementation may include
supervising and directing others to complete tasks.
Compliance with workplace health and safety requirements and
animal welfare standards applies across all outcomes.
Consideration of industry best practice for business sustainability
and environmental management applies across all outcomes.
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Indicative
Qualification outcomes
Credits
1
Benchmark own farm physical
performance against data
from industry high performers
10
2
Produce management reports
on day to day activities for a
farming production system
10
3
Take responsibility for the day
to day maintenance of
vehicles, plant, machinery,
and equipment
10
4
Assist with the management
of environmental impacts on
farm
15
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
Programmes must include an
introduction to financial planning and
its implications for the whole farm
production system.
Mandatory
Programmes may include the
following topics:
Optional

Effluent

Fertiliser use

Water quality and use

Energy use

Carbon emissions

Agrichemical use

Erosion
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5
Arable Farming Strand
20
Implement a crop protection
plan
6
7
Implement a crop growth plan
Implement a crop harvest plan
20
20

Climate change

Soil damage

Weeds and pests

Nutrient management.
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Beneficial organisms

Plant pest, disease and disorder
recognition and management

Weed control.
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Soils and fertilisers

Agrichemicals

Irrigation

Cultivation practices

Crop establishment and growth

Plant physiology.
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Harvest process

Post-harvest storage and
handling
Optional
Optional
Optional
 Disposal of crop residues.
8
Dairy Farming Strand
Manage milk harvesting and
milk quality for a dairy farm
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
20
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Cleaning and maintenance of
the milking plant

Management of a dairy herd
during milking and drying off

Identification and treatment of
milking problems in dairy
livestock

Management of heifers and
cows at calving

Milk production and quality.
Optional
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9
10
Implement a dairy livestock
health plan
Implement a dairy livestock
breeding plan
20
20
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Health issues affecting dairy
livestock

Diagnosis, treatment and
recording of ill health in dairy
livestock

Preventative dairy health plans.
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Dairy genetics, herd selection
and dairy indices

Dairy breeding methods and
programmes

Dairy herd mating programmes
Optional
Optional
 Dairy herd paturition
programmes.
11
12
Implement a dairy livestock
feeding plan
Livestock Farming Strand
20
20
Implement a livestock health
plan
13
Implement a livestock
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
20
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Dairy herd feeding requirements
and feed management

Condition scoring of dairy
livestock

Management of pasture surplus
and deficits

Pasture production, pasture
renovation and renewal

Soils and fertilisers and
strategies for improving soil
health

Basic feed budgeting.
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Health issues affecting livestock

Diagnosis, treatment and
recording of ill health in
livestock

Preventative livestock health
plans.
Programmes should include the
Optional
Optional
Optional
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breeding plan
14
following topics:
Implement a livestock feeding
plan
20

Livestock genetics, livestock
selection and breed indices

Livestock breeding methods and
programmes

Livestock mating programmes

Livestock parturition
programmes.
Programmes should include the
following topics:

Livestock feeding requirements

Feed management

Condition scoring of livestock

Management of pasture surplus
and deficits

Pasture production, pasture
renovation and renewal

Soils and fertilisers

Strategies for improving soil
health

Introductory feed budgeting.
Optional
Programmes should also include
the following topics, in the context
of a specific livestock type:

Meat production, meat
schedules and grades

Wool production, shearing
requirements, shearing options

Velvet production.
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4)
with strands in Arable Farming, Beef Cattle Farming, Dairy Farming, Deer
Farming, and Sheep Farming [Ref: 0986], the National Certificate in Onfarm Milk Quality (Farm Dairy Supervisor) with an optional strand in
Mastitis Management [Ref 1351], and the National Certificate in Dairy
Farming (Managing Dairy Farm Effluent) (Level 3) [Ref: 1507].
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualification may either complete the
requirements as specified below, or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualifications is 31 December 2016. The
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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last dates for award of the replaced qualifications are as follows:

National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) with strands in Arable Farming, Beef Cattle Farming, Dairy
Farming, Deer Farming, and Sheep Farming [Ref: 0986] is 31 December 2018 at which time it will be
designated as discontinued.

National Certificate in On-farm Milk Quality (Farm Dairy Supervisor) with an optional strand in Mastitis
Management [Ref: 1351] and the National Certificate in Dairy Farming (Managing Dairy Farm
Effluent) (Level 3) [Ref: 1507] are 31 December 2017 at which time they will be designated as
discontinued.
It is the intention of Primary ITO that no existing trainee should be disadvantaged by these transition
arrangements. Any person who considers they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the Primary ITO.
Republication information
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in February 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency.
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in June 2015 to extend the last date for enrolment on the
replaced qualifications from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2016.
Also to extend the last date for assessment on the expiring:
 National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) with strands in Arable Farming, Beef Cattle Farming, Dairy
Farming, Deer Farming, and Sheep Farming [Ref: 0986] from 31 December 2017 to 31 December
2018
 National Certificate in Dairy Farming (Managing Dairy Farm Effluent) (Level 3) [Ref: 1507] from 31
December 2016 10 31 December 2017.
Qualification Reference 2212
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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