Plan and manage the production of crops

This standard covers planning and managing the production of crops. Crops may include cereals/grains, root crops, pulses, oilseed rape, vines, hops, vegetables, herbs, flowers, shrubs, trees or fruit and may be field-grown or in a protected environment such as a greenhouse or polytunnel.

This includes producing plans for the crops to be grown, managing the implementation of the plans and monitoring the results.

When planning and managing the production of crops you must consider the impact it will have on the environment, and work towards preserving and improving habitats and biodiversity and responding to and mitigating the effects of climate change.

This standard is suitable for those who have responsibility for managing the production of crops.

Production of grass and forage crops is covered in LANAgM4.

1. Identify and evaluate opportunities and constraints to determine the crops to be grown
2. Seek specialist advice where required
3. Determine the production method to be used
4. Produce a plan for the production of suitable crops with timescales, objectives and targets
5. Determine the resources required for preparation, planting and maintaining the crop
6. Identify how the planting material will be sourced and the requirements for quality
7. Outline methods and specifications for the implementation of the crop production plan
8. Communicate the plan to those involved in its implementation
9. Manage the production of crops to meet the intended purpose
10. Establish measures to maintain the required levels of hygiene and bio-security and confirm that they have been implemented
11. Establish measures for the recycling or disposal of waste and by-products, in accordance with the relevant legal and business requirements and confirm that they have been implemented
12. Establish measures to manage the impact on the environment
13. Confirm that working methods promote health and safety and are consistent with the relevant legislation, codes of practice and business requirements
14. Monitor the implementation of the crop production plan at regular intervals to confirm that the timescales, objectives and targets are being met and, where necessary, take action to rectify deviations from the plan
15. Evaluate the success of the crops grown to assist with future decision making
16. Confirm that appropriate records are maintained and stored as required by the relevant legislation, quality assurance requirements and business policies

1. The importance of planning to the successful production of crops
2. How to plan the production of crops and achieve the best balance between opportunities and constraints
3. The different types of crops and the conditions required for growth
4. The sources of information and specialist advice on crop production
5. The information that the crop production plan needs to contain and how to determine specific details
6. The principles of precision farming techniques in relation to crop production
7. The sources of planting material and how quality can be assured
8. The current national legislation controlling the use of fertilisers and treatments when planting crops
9. The potential impact that different management methods may have on the crops, surrounding environment and landscape
10. How to determine the human, financial, material and capital resources necessary to achieve the plan
11. The methods of communicating plans and specifications to those involved in their implementation
12. The methods of maintaining hygiene and bio-security and the reasons why this is important
13. The relevant legal and organisational requirements for the handling, transport, storage, recycling and disposal of waste and by-products
14. The measures that can be taken to preserve and improve habitats and biodiversity and to respond to and mitigate the effects of climate change
15. Your responsibilities under the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, codes of practice and organisational requirements
16. The ways to monitor the implementation of the crop production plan to confirm that timescales, objectives and targets are being met
17. The methods of evaluating and determining the success of the crop production plan
18. The methods of monitoring the environmental impact of the production of crops
19. The requirements for reporting and recording, and the length of time for which records should be retained