NES3001 : Farm Business Consultancy
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Dr Jeremy Franks
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To provide knowledge and understanding of the management control systems used in crop and livestock enterprises and at the whole farm level.
The module deals with strategic planning of the business, the compilation of feasibility studies and development of business plans.
The module covers the principles and practice of farm enterprise management through recording, monitoring and controlling crop and livestock enterprises, with the principal aim of identifying and implementing improvements in performance.
Outline Of Syllabus
Arable and livestock management on NUFarms.
This involves planning rotations, assessing crop and livestock enterprise profitability, staff planning and machinery inventories, depreciation and replacement schedules.
Whole-farm planning includes use of SWOT analysis to inform strategic planning decisions, and cost-benefit analysis (partial-budgets) to inform feasibility studies. The module will also cover benchmarking performance and construction of cash flow and profit and loss budgets.
Additional subjects covered include - personnel management and land and farming agreements.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | Assessment based on NUFARM strategic objectives |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 20 | 2:00 | 40:00 | PiP lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 11:00 | 22:00 | Preparation for computer classes |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 80:00 | 80:00 | End of semester 2 closed-book examination |
| Guided Independent Study | Skills practice | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Each student will be asked to make a formative presentation based on material that will comprise some elements of the semester 1 summative assessment |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Farm visits - one in each semester |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
In class lectures are used to introduce concepts of business planning at both enterprise and whole-business levels.
Student presentations in classes enable them to practise summarising complex information and presenting the key information required. The workshops will assist students to complete the module assessments.
Field work (farm) visits will assist students to integrate the theoretical principals taught in the classroom with practical considerations faced by farm managers and be used to under-pin the module assessments.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 75 | Unseen examination paper |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 1 | M | 25 | A report on NUFARMS (max 1,000 words). Working in teams, student must submit both their assignment and their NUFARM spreadsheet (which they have been instructed to use to complete the assignment). |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessmnt | 1 | M | The formative presentation will help students develop their teamwork, and their presentation skills. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The summative assessment in Semester 1 requires students to start work on the assessment at a early stage in the semester. This provides an opportunity for them to deliver a presentation and to receive feedback at a time when it can materially assist with their understanding of what the assignment requires, and therefore help them to develop a more detailed and accurate report.
The closed-book examination in Semester 2 will examine the full range of material taught. This will be designed to deliver all learning outcomes for this module.
The formative assessments are designed to examine students knowledge of agricultural management activities in a real world situation. The formative assessments provide students with the opportunity to submit consultancy quality reports to a practical, working farm manager.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES3001's Timetable