Course in Agricultural Operations Planning
Online 300 h course in agricultural operations planning. 6 modules with ASABE EP496 (agricultural machinery management), ASABE D497 (agricultural machinery management data) and John Deere Operations Center. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the farm as an integrated production system.
Plan operations and rotations taking weather windows into account.
Size machinery according to area, crops and working capacity.
Calculate machinery costs and margins to support decisions.
Identify production risks and continuity measures.
Use field data and sustainability criteria in planning.
Prepare an annual operations plan for a real farm.
Who it's for
- Farm manager who wants to specialise in Agricultural Operations Planning.
- Agronomic planning technician who wants to specialise in Agricultural Operations Planning.
- Farm management adviser who wants to specialise in Agricultural Operations Planning.
- Agricultural machinery fleet manager who wants to specialise in Agricultural Operations Planning.
- Precision agriculture technician who wants to specialise in Agricultural Operations Planning.
- Agricultural cooperative technician who wants to specialise in Agricultural Operations Planning.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter farms.
What you'll work with
- ASABE EP496 (agricultural machinery management)
- ASABE D497 (agricultural machinery management data)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 (CAP strategic plans)
- ISO 11783 (ISOBUS)
- Royal Decree 1311/2012 (sustainable use of plant protection products)
- Royal Decree 1051/2022 (sustainable nutrition of agricultural soils)
- GLOBALG.A.P. (good agricultural practices)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Inventory of plots, soils and crops1.2Rotations and crop alternatives1.3Farming calendar and operating windows1.4Local climate and weather risk1.5Resources: land, water, machinery and labour1.6Production and economic objectives1.7Regulations, aid and cross-compliance1.8Operations records and farm logbook1.9Farm indicators1.10Workshop: diagnosis of a real farm
2.1Soil preparation and tillage2.2Sowing and planting: dates and densities2.3Fertilisation: plan by crop and by plot2.4Irrigation: needs, scheduling and efficiency2.5Crop protection and intervention thresholds2.6Harvest: optimal timing and logistics2.7Post-harvest field operations2.8Sequence of operations and overlaps between crops2.9Annual operations plan by plot2.10Practice: operations plan for a season
3.1Selecting machinery by operation3.2Working capacity and real outputs3.3Sizing the fleet according to area and windows3.4Shared use, cooperatives and services to third parties3.5Maintenance and availability during the season3.6Hourly cost and cost per hectare3.7Decision to buy, rent or contract3.8Fuel and input logistics3.9Precision agriculture and its fit3.10Practice: sizing the fleet of a farm
4.1Cost structure by crop and by hectare4.2Fixed and variable farm costs4.3Gross and net margin by crop4.4Break-even point and price sensitivity4.5Season budget and cash flow4.6Prices, markets and price risk management4.7Aid and its effect on decisions4.8Investments and their return4.9Comparison of crop alternatives4.10Practice: income statement for a season
5.1Climate risk: drought, hail, frost and wind5.2Agricultural insurance and available cover5.3Crop health risk5.4Water availability risk5.5Labour risk at peak seasons5.6In-season breakdowns and contingency plans5.7Storage and post-harvest losses5.8Diversification as risk management5.9Farm continuity plan5.10Practice: risk management plan for a season
6.1Field data recording and its use6.2Yield maps and zone-based decisions6.3Input use and efficiency indicators6.4Environmental and certification requirements6.5Carbon and water footprint of the farm6.6Traceability required by the food chain6.7Team training and work organisation6.8Continuous improvement between seasons6.9Common mistakes in agricultural planning6.10Final project: complete annual plan for a farm
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which allows it to be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is John Deere Operations Center, QGIS, Advanced Excel, Climate FieldView, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Trials are studied using real procedures for sizing a farm's machinery fleet, calculating hourly costs and margins by crop, and planning a season with working windows. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Analyse the farm as an integrated production system.
Plan operations and rotations taking weather windows into account.
Size machinery according to area, crops and working capacity.
Calculate machinery costs and margins to support decisions.
Identify production risks and continuity measures.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulations.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 total hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is 10 to 15 hours per week on average, compatible with full-time work.
You work with John Deere Operations Center, QGIS, Advanced Excel and Climate FieldView. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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