Agriculture Courses

AGRI 005                      19 credits

Hispanic Orchard Education Level I

Designed for Hispanic orchard employees at a supervisory level. Includes basic horticultural instruction in Spanish emphasizing technical terminology in English in many facets of tree fruit production; basic math, practice in reading, writing, speaking and listening in English-based horticultural topics; and presentations of subjects concerning everyday life and citizenship. This program meets 12 hours per week for 19 weeks.

AGRI 006                      19 credits

Hispanic Orchard Education Level II

For Hispanic orchard employees who have satisfied all the requirements of the first-year program (see AGRI 005). In-depth instruction in specific components of tree fruit production. Continuing practice in reading, writing, speaking and listening in English and continuing instruction in math. Includes presentations of subjects concerning everyday life and citizenship.

AGRI 015                      18 credits

Integrated Pest Management Technology               

Short-term intensive certificate program designed to prepare students as pest management scouts and assistants in apple, pear and cherry orchards. Training will include classroom and field studies emphasizing the biology of insects and mites, field sampling techniques, pest management basics and professional operations/conduct. Prerequisites: basic academic skills and instructor’s signature.

AGRI 016                      19 credits

Hispanic Orchard Education Level IV/Farm Mgmt

A two-quarter program taught in Spanish. Introduces the principles and practices of farm management, including goal setting, developing a record-keeping system, cash flow, farm financial statements, balance sheets, budgets, personnel management, laws and regulations, legal forms, and food safety. Includes farm visits. Prerequisites: basic command of the English language.

AGRI 017                      19 credits

Hispanic Orchard Education Level V/Intro Viticulture

A two-quarter program taught in Spanish. Introduces students to the production and management of juice and wine grapes, including plant physiology, canopy management, soils, irrigation, plant nutrition, thinning, harvest, storage, marketing and vineyard financial management. Prerequisites: basic command of English language.

AGRI 030                          1 credit

Private Applicator Certification in Spanish

Step-by-step instruction in Spanish in preparation for the USDA Private Applicator’s Exam. Designed for agricultural employees or agricultural land owners who want to obtain their private applicator pesticide licenses.

Forklift Operation Safety .5 credit

AGRI 070                                     

Provides forklift operation safety training for an agricultural, construction or industrial setting. Topics covered: forklift physics, safety, loading techniques, inspection, maintenance, fueling and recharging. The course consists of lecture and lab practice. Students who successfully pass the course evaluation will be prepared for OSHA testing for certification.

AGRI 102                          1 credit

Cultures in Agriculture

This class explores the impact of Latinos in Washington state agriculture and rural communities, as well as ways to bridge the Latino and Anglo cultures. It introduces the students to the common characteristics of the Latino cultures dominant in North Central Washington’s tree fruit industry.

AGRI 103                          1 credit

Current Issues in Food Production/Safety

Introduction to food production safety practices in Washington state’s agriculture industry. Includes understanding the complicated matrix of food safety regulations, regulatory agencies, emerging issues and trends in food safety regulations, and concerns with agro-terrorism.

AGRI 189                        2 credits

Agriculture Leadership and Professionalism

Students schedule and attend industry-related events/activities or other self-initiated endeavors for leadership and professional development. Students enroll their first quarter, receiving “work in progress” grades until their last quarter. A final letter-grade award is based upon a portfolio submitted/evaluated according to delineated criteria. Prerequisite: instructor’s signature.

AGRI 241                        5 credits

Farm and Ranch Management

Introduction to record keeping, economic concept application and analysis in the production agriculture business. Topics include goal setting, record process, budgeting, cash flow, depreciation, profit/loss, ratios, enterprise and investment analysis, partial budgeting and computer/spreadsheet use. Prerequisites: ECON& 201, formerly ECON 201, MATH 097.

AGRI 251                        5 credits

Ecological Pest Management

Classification, morphology, anatomy, growth and development, ecology and management of arthropod and pathogenic pests and noninfectious diseases of crop plants. Class emphasizes ecologically based pest management approaches.

AGRI 255                        3 credits

Orchard Integrated Pest Management II

Field-oriented practicum emphasizing the use of integrated pest management (IPM) in deciduous fruit orchards. Identification and biology of insects, mites, disease and weed pests that affect stone and pome fruit in spring and early summer; experience with methods for monitoring and managing pests. Prerequisites: AGRI 251.

AGRI 261                        5 credits

Plant Science

Develops an understanding of basic plant morphology and physiology emphasizing horticultural science and fruit tree crops. Topics include form and function of plants, plant metabolism, plant growth and development, reproduction, techniques of fruit tree improvement, and plant/environment interaction.

AGRI 262                        5 credits

Introduction to Pomology

Introduction to the horticultural principles and practices used in deciduous tree fruit production and orchard management. Topics include cultivars, root stocks, climate and environment, orchard systems, orchard establishment, pruning and training, flowering, pollination, fruit set, fruit growth and thinning, fruit maturation, harvest and storage, hardiness, and acclimation. Formerly AGRI 162.

AGRI 263                        5 credits

Soils

Introduction to basic concepts of soil science, plant nutrition and water management. Topics include soil formation and development, soil structure and composition, physical properties of soils, soils mineralogy, soil chemistry, soil fertility, fertilizers, plant, soil and water relationships, and irrigation management.

AGRI 264                        2 credits

Postharvest Crop Management

In-depth study of principles and practices of fruit crop production in the Northwest, including fruit maturation and ripening, indices of fruit maturity, harvesting, fruit tree acclimation, hardiness, fruit anatomy composition, fruit cultivar identification, rodent control, and orchard floor management. Laboratory includes extensive field work in teaching and demonstration orchards.

AGRI 265                        2 credits

Crop Canopy Management

In-depth study of principles and practices of deciduous tree fruit production as applied to the Pacific Northwest, including pruning and renovation of mature and nonbearing trees, rootstocks, interstems, dwarf and standard fruit trees, tree structure, growth habits, orchard systems, orchard establishment, replanting old orchard sites, and grafting. Laboratory includes extensive field work in teaching and demonstration orchards.

AGRI 266                        2 credits

Fruit Production Management

In-depth study of principles and practices of deciduous tree fruit production in the Northwest. Includes flower bud initiation and development, pollination, fertilization, pollinizers, fruit set and development, thinning and alternate bearing, frost control, fruit tree propagation, and summer pruning. Laboratory includes extensive field work in teaching and demonstration orchard.

AGRI 267                        5 credits

Tree Fruit Production IV

In-depth study of principles and practices of deciduous tree fruit production as applied to the Pacific Northwest, including orchard floor management, summer canopy management, tissue sampling and analysis, tree row volume, sprayer calibration, irrigation scheduling, orchard mechanization, and nursery management. Laboratory includes extensive fieldwork in teaching and demonstration orchards. Prerequisites: AGRI 251, 255, 261, 262, 263, or instructor’s signature.

AGRI 271                        5 credits

Agriculture Sales and Marketing

Study of receiving, packing line/processing operation, grades, standards and quality control. Includes how these functions influence postharvest production and marketing/sales decisions. Study and evaluation of market development potential for direct marketing and standard marketing channels. Study of the sales function and potential for value-added agriculture products.

AGRI 196\296              1-5 credits

Work Experience

Industry internship for tree fruit production students to learn and apply skills and knowledge gained in the WVC Tree Fruit Program. Interns will be placed in commercial orchards, warehouses and/or agribusinesses. Includes development of educational goals relative to internship program and professional aspirations, and on-site visitation by instructors. Prerequisite: instructor’s signature.