Agricultural Production Minor (B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.)) (24 credits)
Offered by: Plant Science (Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Program credit weight: 24
Program Description
This Minor program is designed to allow students in non-agricultural production majors to receive credit for courses in agricultural production and to stimulate "cross-over" studies. The Minor can be associated with existing major programs in the Faculty, but in some instances it may require more than 90 credits to meet the requirements of both the Major and the Minor.
Students are advised to consult their major program adviser and the Academic Adviser of the Minor in their first year. At the time of registration for their penultimate year, students must declare their intent to obtain a Minor Agricultural Production. With the agreement of their major program adviser, they must submit their program of courses already taken, and to be taken in their final year, to the Academic Adviser of the Agricultural Production Minor. The Academic Adviser of the Agricultural Production Minor will then certify which courses the student will apply toward the Minor and that the student's program conforms with the requirements of the Minor.
Notes:
- Most courses listed at the 300 level and higher have prerequisites. Although instructors may waive prerequisite(s) in some cases, students are urged to prepare their program of study well before their final year.
- Not all courses are offered every year. For information on available courses, consult Class Schedule at http://www.mcgill.ca/minerva. Complete listings can be found in the "Courses" section of this Course Catalogue.
For information on academic advising, see: http://www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/studentinfo/advising
General Regulations
To obtain a Minor in Agricultural Production, students must:
- ensure that their academic record at the University includes a C grade or higher in the courses as specified in the course requirements given below.
- offer a minimum total of 24 credits from the courses as given below, of which not more than 6 credits may be counted for both the Major and the Minor programs. This restriction does not apply to elective courses in the Major program.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to Visual Schedule Builder. A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.
Required Courses (12 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AEBI 210 | Organisms 1. | 3 |
Organisms 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025 The biology of plants and plant-based systems in managed and natural terrestrial environments. The interactions between autotrophs and soil organisms and selected groups of animals with close ecological and evolutionary connections with plants (e.g., herbivores and pollinators) will be explored in lecture and laboratory. | ||
| ANSC 250 | Introduction to Livestock Management | 3 |
Introduction to Livestock Management Terms offered: Fall 2025 Introduction to the scientific principles underlying animal livestock production as it relates to the consumer food chain. The world- wide demand for animal products, various areas of management (reproduction, nutrition, breeding, health, and welfare) that are used to provide those products by examining both conventional means as well as new and evolving technologies. How these techniques relate to some of the major production systems (dairy, beef, pig, and broiler and egg production) – primarily in a Provincial/Canadian context. | ||
| ENVB 210 | The Biophysical Environment. | 3 |
The Biophysical Environment. Terms offered: Fall 2025 With reference to the ecosystems in the St Lawrence lowlands, the principles and processes governing climate-landform-water-soil-vegetation systems and their interactions will be examined in lecture and laboratory. Emphasis on the natural environment as an integrated system. | ||
| PLNT 200 | Introduction to Crop Science | 3 |
Introduction to Crop Science Terms offered: Fall 2025 Application of plant science and soil science to production of agronomic and horticultural crops. Use and sustainability of fertilization, weed control, crop rotation, tillage, drainage and irrigation practices. | ||
Complementary Courses (12 credits)
12 credits chosen from the following list in consultation with the Academic Adviser for the Minor:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AGRI 215 | Agro-Ecosystems Field Course. | 3 |
Agro-Ecosystems Field Course. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Through case studies and field trips, students will examine the problems and constraints within the Canadian agro-ecosystem, including the interrelationships among food production, the environment, agricultural policy and social issues. Research in this field of study will also be introduced. | ||
| AGRI 340 | Principles of Ecological Agriculture. | 3 |
Principles of Ecological Agriculture. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Focus on low-input, sustainable, and organic agriculture: the farm as an ecosystem; complex system theory; practical examples of soil management, pest control, integrated crop and livestock production, and marketing systems. | ||
| ANSC 458 | Advanced Livestock Management | 3 |
Advanced Livestock Management Terms offered: Fall 2025 Overview of the major Canadian livestock industries with particular emphasis on dairy, pork, broilers, and layers. Building on introductory livestock management and advanced nutrition, breeding, and reproductive physiology, current and evolving IofT practices for the production of consumer animal products. | ||
| PLNT 302 | Forage Crops and Pastures. | 3 |
Forage Crops and Pastures. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Ecology, management, and physiology of forage crops with emphasis on establishment, growth, maintenance, harvesting, and preservation; value as livestock feed in terms of nutritional composition and role in environmental conservation. | ||
| PLNT 307 | Agroecology of Vegetables and Fruits. | 3 |
Agroecology of Vegetables and Fruits. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Application of ecological concepts and principles to the design and management of selected vegetable and fruit agroecosystems. Includes selection of varieties and management from seedling to harvest to storage. | ||