[2]The agricultural technology program provides students the flexibility to select elective courses to fit their career goals. Students can choose concentrations of courses in animal science or plant science.
- Animal science concentration ‑ students can elect courses to enhance their knowledge in animal agriculture and/or dairy science.
- Plant science concentration ‑ students can elect courses to enhance their knowledge in crops and plant sciences, including fruit and vegetable production.
The careers related to agriculture are diverse and constantly changing. The agricultural technology program has been designed to allow students the freedom to select courses which will allow specialization in specific areas of agriculture. Options and opportunities for both conventional and organic farming practices will be offered on the college's production agriculture farms.
Animal/Dairy Science Concentration
The animal science concentration is a progressive practical program emphasizing dairy cattle management. The program offers both managerial and hands-on experiences. This concentration's courses provide a science and business background. A strong emphasis is placed on application of these principles, with our 65 cow tie-stall dairy herd of registered Holsteins. The dairy complex features a milking parlor with integrated dairy cattle management software. The herd produces nearly 28,000 pounds of milk, more than 1,100 pounds of fat with a B.A.A. of more than 108.7 percent. The Alfred State cows have the highest B.A.A. of any publicly-owned herd in the nation. Alternative species, including horses, pigs, alpacas, poultry, and sheep are also housed at the College Farm for instructional purposes.
Plant/Crops/Fruit/Vegetable Concentration
This curriculum emphasizes the management of the soil in order to increase production of food crops for both human and livestock consumption. Students are usually interested in crop farming or market gardening careers. Students will be taught conventional, natural, and organic food production systems. This concentration's courses that provide a science and business background. A strong emphasis is placed on application of sustainability principles on our farm, research plots, gardens, hydroponic systems, greenhouses, and high tunnels.
Showmanship Day
All students enrolled in agriculture classes truly enjoy participating in the annual showmanship activities each spring. Students can select a species of animal (cattle, horses, swine, alpacas, or sheep) to train, groom, and show in this annual competition. Family, friends, and alumni are invited to enjoy the competition and the awards BBQ following the showmanship contest.
Related Clubs and Activities
Students have the opportunity to participate in the Collegiate Agricultural Leaders (CAL) Club, Collegiate FFA, Equestrian Club, Dairy Judging Team, Agricultural Skills Day, Spring Fling Consignment Sale, Community Supported Agriculture projects, local foods projects, showmanship contests, and Sustainability Club.
Expenses
Textbooks are the primary expense with cost averaging $500 per year. Boots and coveralls are required for all farm-related activities.
- Demonstrate essential technical knowledge of animal husbandry methods to make informed agribusiness decisions
- Demonstrate essential technical knowledge of crops, soils, and growing conditions to make informed agribusiness decisions
- Demonstrate the ability to analyze information, and compare and contrast agricultural management systems.
- Info Management (computer & research skills appropriate to degree level and type)
- Written & Oral Communication (appropriate to degree level and type)
- Critical Thinking (problem solving, reasoning skills appropriate to degree level and type)
Required: Algebra
Recommended: Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry, Biology, Chemistry
- Students can take courses in any agriculture program as well as other programs at Alfred State & Alfred University
- Individual programs designed for each student based on needs/interests
- Utilizes all facilities in the Ag Science building and college farm
- Students may remain in agricultural technology or transfer to another agricultural program
Graduates of the agricultural technology program have transferred to many four-year colleges and universities to continue their education. In recent years, this list of four year institutions has included Cornell University, Penn State University, University of Georgia, Delaware Valley College, Ohio State University, and the University of Wisconsin. Usually, an agricultural technology graduate can obtain a bachelor's degree with only two additional years of study. Students can also remain at Alfred State to transfer into the technology management BBA degree program.
Students must:
- successfully complete the prescribed sequence of courses
- achieve a minimum index of 2.0 in their core courses
- achieve a minimum index of 2.0 overall
- be recommended by the department faculty
- Owners, Operators, Managers, and Herdsmen for Dairy Cattle, and Meat Animal Farms
- Salespeople and Consultants for Feed, Fertilizer, Agricultural, and Veterinary Supply Companies
- Laboratory and Field Technicians for Artificial Insemination and Veterinary Supply Companies
Inspectors of Agricultural Products- Fruit, Vegetable, and Field Crop Production
- Food Industry
- Agricultural Banking and Lending
- Dairy Farm Inspectors
Alfred State agricultural technology graduates may enter directly into the technology management BBA degree program.
Many schools, including Cornell University, grant full credit to students wishing to transfer to fouryear programs. A formal articulation agreement exists between Alfred State and Cornell University for transfer options.
Collaborations
- Wyoming County Dairy Institute (WDCI) Dairy Herdsmanship Training modules can be completed and applied toward college credit for the agricultural technology degree at Alfred State.
- Scholarship money is available to students in the agricultural programs at Alfred State.
A typical first semester would consist of 16 academic hours which translates into approximately 24 class hours per week, 10 of which are in a laboratory situation and 14 in a lecture format. Subsequent semesters are comparable. For each hour spent in class, an additional two hours outside of class is usually required. The total academic week, therefore, may require as much as 60 hours in order to excel. Class sizes are small, ranging from 15 to no more than 30 in lectures and fewer than 15 in laboratories. All students are assigned an adviser who meets regularly with each advisee to plan the student's academic career, semester schedules, and to address any other counseling needs.
Animal Science Concentration
| First Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AGRI [3] | 3351 [4] | Live Animal Evaluation | 1 |
| ANSC [5] | 1204 [6] | Intro to Animal Sciece | 4 |
| AGRI [3] | 1002 [7] | Intro to Agriculture | 2 |
| AGPS [8] | 1103 [9] | Soils | 3 |
| xxx3 | English as advised | 3 | |
| xxx3 | Gen Education Elective | 3 | |
| 16 | |||
| Second Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ANSC [5] | 2114 [10] | Domestic Animal A & P | 4 |
| ANSC [5] | 3203 [11] | Dairy Cattle Production I OR | |
| xxxx | Animal Elective | 3-4 | |
| BIOL [12] | 1304 [13] | Botany | 4 |
| xxxx | Agriculture elective(s) | 3 | |
| xxx3 | Gen Education Elective | 3 | |
| 17-18 | |||
| Third Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ANSC [5] | 3013 [14] | Animal Disease Control | 3 |
| AGEC [15] | 3213 [16] | Farm & Rural Management | 3 |
| AGPS [8] | 2113 [17] | Field & Forage Crops | 3 |
| xxx3 | Animal or Plant Agriculture elective | 3 | |
| xxx3 | Gen Education Elective | 3 | |
| 15 | |||
| Fourth Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| xxxx | Agriculture or Transfer-related Elective | 2-4 | |
| xxxx | Agriculture or Transfer-related Elective | 3-4 | |
| xxx3 | Gen Education Elective | 3 | |
| AGRI [18] | 4002 [19] | Seminar/Capstone Project | 2 |
| AGEC [15] | 4303 [20] | Rural Business Finance | 3 |
| 13-16 | |||
Suggested Agriculture or Transfer-related Electives:
- AGPS [21] 3004 [22] Soil Fertility
- ANSC [5] 3202 [23] Dairy Management Analysis
- ANSC [5] 3003 [24] Feeds & Nutrition
- ANSC [5] 3223 [25] Dairy Calf Management
- ANSC [5] 2102 [26] Dairy Cattle Reproduction and A.I. Techniques
- ANSC [27] 3103 [28] Livestock Management and Production
- AGPS [21] 5103 [29] Sustainable Vegetable Production
- AGPS [21] 5003 [30] IPM
- AGRI [3] 2012 [31] Organic and Sustainable Agriculture
- AGRI 6103 [32] Precision Agriculture
- BIOL [33] 2803 [34] Environmental Science
- BIOL [33] 2801 [35] Environmental Science Lab
- BIOL [33] 4254 [36] General Microbiology
- BIOL [12] 6534 [37] Genetics
- CHEM [38] 1114 [39] General Chemistry I
- MATH [40] xxxx
- If full-time student, may cross register at AU for equestrian classes
Also required - One unit of Physical Education.
Plant Science Concentration
| First Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AGRI [18] | 1002 [7] | Introduction to Agriculture | 2 |
| ANSC [5] | 1204 [6] | Intro to Animal Sciece | 4 |
| AGPS [8] | 1103 [9] | Soils | 3 |
| xxx3 | English Elective as advised | 3 | |
| xxx3 | Gen Education Elective (Math recommended) | 3 | |
| 15 | |||
| Second Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AGRI [18] | 2012 [31] | Organic and Sustainable Agriculture | 2 |
| BIOL [12] | 1304 [13] | Botany | 4 |
| xxx3 | Agriculture Elective | 3 | |
| xxx3 | General Education Elective | 3 | |
| xxx3 | Business Elective | 3 | |
| 15 | |||
| Third Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AGPS [8] | 2113 [17] | Field and Forage Crops | 3 |
| xxx3 | Agriculture Elective | 3 | |
| AGEC [15] | 3213 [16] | Farm & Rural Management | 3 |
| AGPS [8] | 5103 [29] | Sustainable Vegetable Production | 2 |
| xxx3 | Agriculture Elective | 3 | |
| xxx3 | General Education Elective | 3 | |
| 17 | |||
| Fourth Semester | credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| xxxx | Agriculture or Transfer-related Elective | 3-4 | |
| xxxx | Agriculture or Transfer-related Elective | 3-4 | |
| xxx3 | General Education Elective | 3 | |
| AGRI [18] | 4002 [19] | Seminar/Capstone Project | 2 |
| AGEC [15] | 4303 [20] | Rural Business Finance | 3 |
| 14-16 | |||
Suggested Agriculture or Transfer-related Electives:
- AGPS 3004 [22] Soil Fertility
- AGPS [21] 5003 [30] IPM
- AGRI [3] 6103 [32] Precision Agriculture
- ANSC [5] 2114 [10] Domestic Animal A&P
- ANSC [5] 3202 [23] Dairy Management Analysis
- ANSC 3204 [41] Dairy Cattle Production III
- ANSC [5] 3003 [24] Feeds & Nutrition
- ANSC [5] 3223 [25] Dairy Calf Management
- ANSC [5] 2102 [26] Dairy Cattle Reproduction and A.I. Techniques
- BIOL 2803 [34] Environmental Science
- BIOL 2801 [35] Environmental Science Lab
- BIOL 4254 [36] General Microbiology
- BIOL [12] 6534 [37] Genetics
- CHEM [38] 1114 [39] General Chemistry I
- MATH [40] xxxx
- If full-time student, may cross register at AU for equestrian classes
Also required - One unit of physical education.
| Survey Details | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving Degrees | 4 | 13 | 8 |
| Responding to Survey | 4 (100%) | 10 (77%) | 8 (100%) |
| Employed | 1 (25%) | 8 (80%) | 3 (38%) |
| Employed in Field | 0 (0%) | 8 (100%) | 3 (100%) |
| Transferred | 2 (50%) | 2 (20%) | 5 (62%) |
| Unemployed & Seeking Employment | -- | -- | -- |
| Unemployed & Not Seeking Employment | 1 (25%) | -- | -- |
Prefer not to disclose (3)
