Practice Areas

Practice Areas Classification System (PACS)

The structural focus of the Practice Areas Classification System (PACS) for Manitoba agrology is on occupations and what practitioners do, versus education-related nomenclatures. And while on the one hand the proposed new system does not distinguish education, skill, or experience levels, it will increase the practitioner and public’s awareness of occupational distribution in agrology in Manitoba. The new PACS is deliberately designed to complement other information and systems concerned with the practice of agrology.

What has not been reviewed is what implications there may be for these descriptions relative to labour mobility and descriptions of agrology practice elsewhere in Canada. No attempt has been made within the broad category descriptions to identify activities and relationships that exist between traditional agrology and engineering, silviculture, viticulture, and acquaculture. Some of these may be identified in lower levels in the PACS hierarchy.

01: Agricultural Production & Processing

Description: The Agricultural Production & Food Processing category covers the entire spectrum of activities involved in producing crops and livestock and processing these raw materials into products.

Activities: Agrology professionals in this practice area utilize their specialized knowledge in plant, soil, and animal science to advise clients on safe and effective practices that enhance the production of agricultural products, crops, or livestock. This area is crucial for ensuring food security, sustainability, and economic benefits, with agrology professionals contributing throughout the value chain—from primary production to final consumption.

Major Groups

  • Agricultural Production:
    • Crop Production
    • Horticulture
    • Animal/Source Production:
  • Processing:
    • Processing/Food Safety: [does not extend beyond what is controlled by the Agrologists Act (i.e., extending into food processing areas controlled by CFIA, and Health Canada, among others)

Additional interpretation information concerning “processing” as it relates to the regulation of agrology:

Agricultural products processing refers to the series of operations or steps involved in transforming raw agricultural products (such as crops, livestock, and other farmed produce) into finished goods that are more valuable and suitable for consumption, storage, or distribution. Processing can range from basic actions like cleaning, sorting, and packaging, to more complex operations like milling grains into flour, extracting oils from seeds, pasteurizing milk, canning fruits and vegetables, or producing meat products.

The purpose of agricultural processing is to enhance the shelf life, safety, and quality of the raw products, making them more convenient and appealing to consumers. Additionally, it often adds economic value by creating new products, enabling better use of resources, and reducing waste.

Registered agrologists may be involved in post-production processing of raw materials if their involvement is supported by appropriate agrology education, skill, and experience. This may be the situation for someone who is involved in meeting other regulatory standards or guidelines for how food should be safely produced and handled in alignment with Canadian laws and regulations.

02: Environmental Management and Protection

Description: The Environmental Management and Protection category is dedicated to safeguarding natural resources and ecosystems through sustainable practices, policies, and technologies. The goal is to balance human activities with environmental stewardship, ensuring long-term ecosystem health and creating systems where agricultural productivity and environmental conservation coexist.

Activities: Agrology professionals specializing in this area apply their environmental science knowledge to implement effective practices and policies that support ecosystem health and sustainability.

Major Groups

  • Land/Water Remediation and Reclamation
    • Environmental Site Assessment
  • Water Resource Management
  • Soil Science and Management
  • Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
  • Nutrient Management/Biological Waste Management
  • Biosystems Engineering
  • Environmental Compliance with Regulations

03: Agricultural Economics, Business & Policy

Description: The Economics, Business & Policy in Agriculture & Food Industries focuses on applying principles and practices to enhance the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of agricultural enterprises. This area covers farm management, agribusiness operations, market analysis, policy development, and supply chain management.

Activities: Agrology professionals in this area leverage their expertise in agribusiness to ensure the economic viability of agricultural enterprises ranging from farms to industries and businesses that provide agricultural inputs, financial services, as well as those that handle processing, distribution and marketing of agricultural products, crops, or livestock.

Major Groups

  • Agribusiness and Farm Management
    • Economic Planning/Risk Management
    • Lending and Financing
    • Succession Planning
  • Operations Management:
    • Marketing/Business Strategy
    • Economic modeling and forecasting
  • Policy Development and Analysis:
  • Supply Chain Management:
    • Logistics and Distribution
    • Trade Analysis

04: Agricultural Education, Extension, and Innovation

Description: Agricultural Education, Extension, and Innovation is dedicated to advancing agricultural knowledge, technologies, and practices to address challenges, enhance efficiency, and create new opportunities. This area of practice tackles evolving challenges like climate change, resource scarcity, and sustainable food production by driving innovation throughout the agricultural value chain. The results include new or improved products, services, processes, and business models ready for real-world application.

Activities: Professionals in this area play a pivotal role in the agricultural sector by applying their scientific expertise to train future agrology experts, develop (cutting-edge) technologies, and disseminate vital information to the public and industry stakeholders.

Major Groups

  • Agricultural Education:
    • Formal Education: post-secondary education instruction
    • Technical Training/Experiential Learning
  • Agricultural Innovation and Development
    • Research
      • Technological/Biological/Methodological
      • Creating, testing, and implementing new technologies, practices, and systems
    • Implementation
  • Extension Services:
    • Knowledge Transfer and Community Engagement