Williams Lake Campus
Applied Sustainable Ranching
Become a leader. Revitalize the agricultural industry with sustainable ranching through TRU.
The Applied Sustainable Ranching program is a 60-credit program, the first of its kind in British Columbia. This program allows you to gain practical experience on farms or ranches of your choice, learning hands on skills for the enterprises you are interested in pursuing. From beef and sheep production to pasture poultry or pork as well as many other greenhouse, vegetable and fruit and berry enterprises, the program has host farms for you.
At the core of the program is gaining a solid foundation in business and enterprise management as well as learning how to practise regenerative agriculture in a variety of ecosystems and production systems. In-class and/or online courses in business and enterprise diversification teach you to how to assess, select and develop each enterprise, in order to plan for success. Business courses include strategy, financial management, marketing and human resources while natural resource science courses include soil health, range ecology, grazing management, riparian management and many others. The tools you gain will allow you to build and manage a diversified and resilient farming operation or agricultural business in BC, across Canada and around the world.
What to expect
- Participate in real-life farm or ranching operations in BC.
- Gain employment-ready experience.
- Understand how ranch and rangeland ecosystems react to management decisions.
- Understand livestock needs and how to best manage the natural environment to produce nutritious proteins to feed the world.
- Learn to design farming or ranching enterprises that fit the environment and resources while providing a return on investment.
- Experience a program that is built in BC to address the needs of the local ranching environment but the skills can be applied to anywhere in the world.
- Learn to develop and fine-tune enterprise management around the unique market opportunities and environment in your region.
Whether you are already part of the farming and ranching community or you are a newcomer, the interdisciplinary and practical, hands-on approach of the ASUR program will help you successfully lead and enhance the future of regenerative agriculture and building resilient community food systems.
Careers
As a graduate of the ASUR program you may discover career opportunities within areas such as:
- Agriculture entrepreneur
- Ranch or farm manager or enterprise manager
- Farm manager trainee
- Land or range manager
- Forest Service — range technician
- Development corporation manager
- Food sovereignty coordinator
- Banking — agriculture account manager
- Trainee with consulting company
- Customer service or retail manager — irrigation, seed or equipment sales
You can also use your ASUR diploma (GPA minimum requirement) to ladder into the third year of the Olds College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Agribusiness. If you decide to branch out and apply your knowledge to another profession, you can also transfer credits gained into TRU’s Natural Resource Science program or the Bachelor of General Studies.
Application requirements
Admission is limited. Admission is offered on a first-applied, first-qualified (completed application and all requirements met) basis. It is important to complete your application as soon as possible to ensure the best chance of securing a seat.
Educational requirements
- High school graduation or mature student status.
- Foundations of Mathematics 11 with a minimum C (or equivalent)
- English Studies 12/English First Peoples 12 (or equivalent)
- Students are responsible for finding their own suitable work experience placement.
Additional requirements
- A good working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel
- Access to a reliable internet source
Completion of 32 credits will get you a certificate. The full 60 credits is required to get a diploma.
ASUR 1010 Introductory Residency Lab (2,0,0)(L)ASUR 1010 Introductory Residency Lab (2,0,0)(L)Credits: 2 credits During this one-week residency, students become familiar with the educational technologies used in the program and are required to demonstrate standard ranch safe operating procedures. Participants tour a variety of ranch sites in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region and explore the historical issues that have shaped the ranching industry. Students discuss the challenges and opportunities that ranchers face in building resilient ranching operations.
|
ASUR 1020 Sustainable Business Enterprise (10,0,0)ASUR 1020 Sustainable Business Enterprise (10,0,0)Credits: 10 credits Students build a sustainable business strategy for their ranch, including a strategic marketing and human resource management plan. They also develop skills in enterprise costing, preparing budget projections and management of financial statements. In addition, students explore governance frameworks, government programs, and key success factors for farm/life balance, succession planning, communication, conflict resolution, and crisis management.
|
ASUR 1030 Environmentally Sustainable Ranching (7,3,0,20)ASUR 1030 Environmentally Sustainable Ranching (7,3,0,20)Credits: 10 credits Students explore considerations and methodology for developing an environmentally sustainable ranch operation. Students develop management techniques to address soil fertility and soil health, riparian and watershed systems, wildlife and predator interactions, and urban and agriculture land interfaces. An appreciation for traditional uses of land by Aboriginal peoples and the legal requirements surrounding traditional-use sites is examined. Students create grazing management plans that demonstrate an appreciation for the importance of biodiversity in a healthy landscape and exemplify pasture stewardship principles for a variety of ecosystems.
|
ASUR 1040 Skill Development and Diversification (10,0,0)ASUR 1040 Skill Development and Diversification (10,0,0)Credits: 10 credits In this skills-based course, students explore a variety of techniques commonly used in ranch operations. Students apply skills related to humane animal care, stockmanship and dog training, equipment preventative maintenance, safe operating procedures, and fencing techniques. Additionally, students examine opportunities for diversification, including key success factors and production and income benchmarks for a number of alternative agriculture enterprises.
|
ASUR 2010 Beef Production (10,0,0,4)ASUR 2010 Beef Production (10,0,0,4)Credits: 6 credits Students develop skills related to beef cattle nutrition. Genetic parameters, finishing, processing, yield, product costing, and pricing will be explored. Students then create a herd-health, parasite prevention and marketing program specific to the beef enterprise on their ranch.
|
ASUR 2020 Sheep Production (10,0,0,4)ASUR 2020 Sheep Production (10,0,0,4)Credits: 6 credits Students develop skills related to sheep nutrition and grazing management. Genetic diversity, finishing, processing, yield, product costing, and pricing will be explored. Students then create a flock-health, parasite prevention and marketing program specific to the sheep enterprise on their ranch.
|
ASUR 2030 Winter Feed Production (4,0,0,13)ASUR 2030 Winter Feed Production (4,0,0,13)Credits: 5 credits Students develop skills related to winter feed management for their farm/ranch enterprise. Use of equipment, selection of seed and fertilizer, irrigation management, and best practices in forage harvesting are examined. Students create a marketing plan for their hay sales operation complete with product costing and pricing.
|
ASUR 2040 Soft Adventure and Agri-Tourism (4,0,0,13)ASUR 2040 Soft Adventure and Agri-Tourism (4,0,0,13)Credits: 5 credits Students explore the soft adventure and agri-tourism industry at a global and local level. Historical, geographical and cultural contexts will be examined in relation to the development of produce and service opportunities. Students use strategic planning, competitive strategy and information technology tools to design a soft-adventure and agri-tourism marketing plan for his/her ranch.
|
ASUR 2050 Sustainable Ranching Final Project (12,0,0,180)ASUR 2050 Sustainable Ranching Final Project (12,0,0,180)Credits: 6 credits Students complete a business and five year financial plan for the entire ranch operation using existing or virtual ranch/farm lands that includes the following components:
1. Strategic plan
2. Human resource management plan
3. Operations management plan for each of the enterprises
4. Marketing plan for each of the enterprises
5. Environmental and range use plan
6. Financial projections including net-worth, cash flow, and income statements
7. Capital improvement and finance plan
|
Inquiries and Advising
Phone: 250-392-8000
Email: wlmain@tru.ca
Admissions
Phone: 250-392-8020
Email: wladmissions@tru.ca
