Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in particular training and assessment requirements may depend on the work situations available.

What agricultural crops does this unit cover?
Agricultural crops covered by this unit include wheat and coarse grains, cotton, grain legumes, oilseeds, sugar, temperate and tropical pastures.

What instructions may be relevant to this standard?
Instructions may include Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), company policy and procedures in regard to crop establishment, specifications, work notes, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), manufacturers instructions, product labels, or verbal directions from the manager, supervisor, or senior operator.

What machinery, equipment and tools are likely to be used?
Machinery, equipment and tools may include tractors and associated land preparation and seeding equipment, cultivators, fertiliser spreaders, seeding or planting machinery, bagged or bulk seed, fuel, field tool boxes, cane knives, and planting trailers.

What OHS hazards may be associated with crop establishment?
Hazards may include use of machinery, moving machinery and machinery parts, plant debris, chemicals and hazardous substances, manual handling, solar radiation, dust, and noise.

What are the environmental implications associated with agricultural crop establishment?
Environmental implications may include the contamination of off-site ground water or soils from solids, debris, nutrients or chemicals; land disturbance, spread of noxious weeds and water run-off.

What personal protective equipment may be required to undertake turf renovation?
Personal protective equipment may include hat, boots, overalls, gloves, goggles, respirator or face mask, hearing protection, and sunscreen lotion.

What activities are associated with assisting with agricultural crop establishment
Agricultural crop establishment includes preparation of machinery, tools and equipment, assisting with land preparation tasks, (ploughing, seeding, cultivating, land shaping and forming) and communicating with other staff regarding the progress of work.

How may the waste materials be disposed of?
Waste disposal may include disinfestation, ploughing organic waste into the soil, mulching or composting of plant material, bagging and removal of seed heads, and disposing of noxious or poisonous material at approved disposal sights.

What soil treatments/amendments may apply to this standard?
Soil treatments/amendments may include gypsum, lime, organic matter, fertilisers, or the planting of a temporary or permanent cover crop.

What does working the site include?
Working the site may include any sustainable production technique that produces a clean, weed free paddock of appropriate tilth ready to receive the crop.

What type of crop protection may be required for crop establishment?
Crop protection may include wind protection such as permanent shelter belts or temporary plantings of cereals, bana grass or sudax; and mulch, including straw, cover crop or any vegetative material.

What types of planting material may be used to establish a crop?
Planting material may include wheat and other coarse grain seed, legume seed; pasture seed, cottonseed, oilseed, and cane as billets or whole sticks.

How might planting material be treated before planting?
Pre-plant treatments may include fungicide dips or fungicide dusts for seeds.

What treatments may apply to the care of young plants?
Treatments may include pest and disease prevention and control, weed prevention and control, frost, fertilisers, and mulch.

What agricultural crops does this unit cover?
Agricultural crops covered by this unit include wheat and coarse grains, cotton, grain legumes, oilseeds, sugar, temperate and tropical pastures.

What instructions may be relevant to this standard?
Instructions may include Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), company policy and procedures in regard to crop establishment, specifications, work notes, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), manufacturers instructions, product labels, or verbal directions from the manager, supervisor, or senior operator.

What machinery, equipment and tools are likely to be used?
Machinery, equipment and tools may include tractors and associated land preparation and seeding equipment, cultivators, fertiliser spreaders, seeding or planting machinery, bagged or bulk seed, fuel, field tool boxes, cane knives, and planting trailers.

What OHS hazards may be associated with crop establishment?
Hazards may include use of machinery, moving machinery and machinery parts, plant debris, chemicals and hazardous substances, manual handling, solar radiation, dust, and noise.

What are the environmental implications associated with agricultural crop establishment?
Environmental implications may include the contamination of off-site ground water or soils from solids, debris, nutrients or chemicals; land disturbance, spread of noxious weeds and water run-off.

What personal protective equipment may be required to undertake turf renovation?
Personal protective equipment may include hat, boots, overalls, gloves, goggles, respirator or face mask, hearing protection, and sunscreen lotion.

What activities are associated with assisting with agricultural crop establishment
Agricultural crop establishment includes preparation of machinery, tools and equipment, assisting with land preparation tasks, (ploughing, seeding, cultivating, land shaping and forming) and communicating with other staff regarding the progress of work.

How may the waste materials be disposed of?
Waste disposal may include disinfestation, ploughing organic waste into the soil, mulching or composting of plant material, bagging and removal of seed heads, and disposing of noxious or poisonous material at approved disposal sights.

What soil treatments/amendments may apply to this standard?
Soil treatments/amendments may include gypsum, lime, organic matter, fertilisers, or the planting of a temporary or permanent cover crop.

What does working the site include?
Working the site may include any sustainable production technique that produces a clean, weed free paddock of appropriate tilth ready to receive the crop.

What type of crop protection may be required for crop establishment?
Crop protection may include wind protection such as permanent shelter belts or temporary plantings of cereals, bana grass or sudax; and mulch, including straw, cover crop or any vegetative material.

What types of planting material may be used to establish a crop?
Planting material may include wheat and other coarse grain seed, legume seed; pasture seed, cottonseed, oilseed, and cane as billets or whole sticks.

How might planting material be treated before planting?
Pre-plant treatments may include fungicide dips or fungicide dusts for seeds.

What treatments may apply to the care of young plants?
Treatments may include pest and disease prevention and control, weed prevention and control, frost, fertilisers, and mulch.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in establishing crops requires evidence that a person can interpret a site map, clear the site of old plantings, prepare the soil and site for plantings, prepare the plants, plant the crop and maintain the new crop.
The skills and knowledge required to establish crops must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, this could include different crops, regions, soil types and enterprises.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

importance of field hygiene and quality control in regard to crop establishment
operations of a range of crop establishment machinery
the importance of correct timing and procedures for crop planting
range of pre-planting soil treatments and their importance
methods of waste disposal causing minimal impact on the environment.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

participate in teams and contribute to team objectives
communicate with team members and supervisor
read and interpret a range of workplace information
calibrate equipment
measure quantities of treatment
determine spacings and planting patterns
operate machinery to manufacturers specifications and enterprise procedures
safely apply appropriate agricultural chemicals.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

importance of field hygiene and quality control in regard to crop establishment
operations of a range of crop establishment machinery
the importance of correct timing and procedures for crop planting
range of pre-planting soil treatments and their importance
methods of waste disposal causing minimal impact on the environment.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

participate in teams and contribute to team objectives
communicate with team members and supervisor
read and interpret a range of workplace information
calibrate equipment
measure quantities of treatment
determine spacings and planting patterns
operate machinery to manufacturers specifications and enterprise procedures
safely apply appropriate agricultural chemicals.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Ideas and information relating to preparation, planting and crop care, and problems encountered, should be discussed with other members of the work team and the supervisor. (1)

Communicating ideas and information
Ideas and information relating to preparation, planting and crop care, and problems encountered, should be discussed with other members of the work team and the supervisor. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Enterprise work procedures, such as a daily planting plan should be consulted, interpreted and applied to crop establishment activities with further clarification sought from the supervisor where necessary. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Enterprise work procedures, such as a daily planting plan should be consulted, interpreted and applied to crop establishment activities with further clarification sought from the supervisor where necessary. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Materials, tools, equipment and work activities for crop establishment routines may need to be arranged around seasonal requirements and there may be some responsibility for co-ordinating work activities with other members of the work team. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Materials, tools, equipment and work activities for crop establishment routines may need to be arranged around seasonal requirements and there may be some responsibility for co-ordinating work activities with other members of the work team. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Crop establishment activities may involve working with other members of a team to complete operations within the daily work routine. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Crop establishment activities may involve working with other members of a team to complete operations within the daily work routine. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Calibrating seeding equipment and determining quantities and application rates for treatment or fertiliser will require mathematical applications. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Calibrating seeding equipment and determining quantities and application rates for treatment or fertiliser will require mathematical applications. (1)

Solving problems
Problems relating to site preparation, crop planting, treatments, machinery and equipment, workplace safety, and other team members may arise during the establishment of crops, which may require problem-solving skills. (1)

Solving problems
Problems relating to site preparation, crop planting, treatments, machinery and equipment, workplace safety, and other team members may arise during the establishment of crops, which may require problem-solving skills. (1)

Using technology
Technology may be applied in the preparation, use and maintenance of agricultural equipment and machinery used for land preparation, seeding, spreading of fertiliser or other crop treatments. (1)

Using technology
Technology may be applied in the preparation, use and maintenance of agricultural equipment and machinery used for land preparation, seeding, spreading of fertiliser or other crop treatments. (1)