Get prepared to help your clients grow better crops, more efficiently, ecologically, and profitably
The Organic Field Crop Course by OATS is a training course for advisors, consultants, agronomists, and agricultural professionals on the art and science of organic field crop production.
This course will prepare you to work one-on-one with transitional and certified organic field crop farmers. It provides high quality, science-based information that you need to advise your farmer clients.
The course covers all aspects of field crop production in the northern tier of the United States. Crops featured include corn, soybeans, small grains, pulses, and forage crops, and includes regionally specific information.
"Just started the OATS training, and the production quality is absurdly good. I like the videos a lot so far too, very nice to have something so focused on agronomy and providing sources for everything"
— Ben Lehman, Course participant
Get prepared to offer the following services:
- Agronomic consulting
- Transition planning
- Input sourcing
- Rotation planning and marketing support
- Troubleshooting
- Operations support
- Navigating certification
- Record keeping services
- Moral support
12
MODULES
48
VIDEO LESSONS
6
ZOOM SESSIONS
1
IN-PERSON EVENT
1
FINAL EXAM
1
CERTIFICATE
What you get when you enroll
- Expert course facilitator
- 48 self-paced video lessons
- 6 live, online sessions featuring guest speakers, Q&A, and discussion of lesson content - hosted monthly
- Discussions with cohort of peers
- Access to a wide network of organic field crop experts
- Written content online
- Supplementary materials for deeper dives
- Lesson quizzes to test your learning
- Exercises to put lessons into practice
- 1-day, in-person event
- Final exam
- Certificate of completion
The Facilitated Experience
Once you enroll, you will gain access to the course materials and join a cohort of your peers. You will move through the online, video-based lessons and course materials at your own pace. Your course facilitator will host 6 live zoom sessions where your cohort will meet experienced organic farmers, researchers, and agricultural professionals, discuss the lesson content and activities, and get your questions answered.
Your facilitator will connect you with in-person events and working organic farms where you can get boots on the ground and turn principles into practice. Successful completion of the course (online content, live Zoom sessions, in-person event, and final exam) will earn you the Certificate of Completion for the OATS Organic Field Crop Course. This Certificate will show your clients and employers that you are knowledgeable about organic field crop farming.
Hi, I’m Léa Vereecke, your course facilitator for the December 2023 cohort.
Since 2021, I have served as an Organic Consultant with the Rodale Institute consulting team. I am thrilled to work with a renowned organization, and assist farmers across the Midwest in the transition to organic agriculture. After growing up on a grain farm in Northeastern France, I earned an M.S. in Agronomy and Agroecology. For four years, I was a Research Specialist with Dr. Erin Silva at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, overseeing diverse research projects—including cover crop-based reduced tillage systems, organic row crops, small grains, cover crops, industrial hemp, and more. I have always been fascinated by sustainable agronomic crop production, and values maintaining close relationships with farmers to motivate and inform her work.
Schedule and Topics for the Live Sessions
December 2023 cohort
The dates and times of each of the facilitated live sessions are set so that you can mark them on your calendars when you enroll. The topics covered at the sessions can be adapted based on feedback and preferences by you and the rest of the cohort. If there is a topic of particular interest, we can mold the schedule to fit.
All sessions will meet from 1-3pm Mountain Time.
- Dec. 21, 2023 - Modules 1 Introduction & 2 NOP Regulations
- Jan. 18, 2024 - Modules 3 Soil Health and Fertility & 4 Crop Rotation
- Feb. 15, 2024 - Modules 5 Tillage, 6 Weed Control, & 7 Pest and Disease
- Feb. 29, 2024 - Modules 8 Certification and Record Keeping & 9 Harvest and Storage
- Mar. 14, 2024 - Modules 10 Transition & 11 Profitability and Marketing
- Mar 28, 2024 - Module 12 The Role of an Advisor
Take a Peek Inside
Explore the full table of contents for the course. See the curriculum layout and view sample video lessons.
Farmers Featured in the Video Lessons
John Wepking
WISCONSIN
John Wicks
MONTANA
Rick Mittleider
NORTH DAKOTA
Jason Federer
INDIANA
Michael O'Donnell
INDIANA
Harold Wilken
INDIANA
Boyd Charles
WISCONSIN
Eric Madsen
IOWA
Jerry Matzner
MINNESOTA
Tom Cotter
MINNESOTA
Subject Matter Experts Featured in the Video Lessons
Adam Davis
University of Illinois
Paul Dietmann
Compeer Financial
Bryce Irlbeck
AgriSecure
Colin Wiegman
Merchandising Expert
Joseph Kibiwott
Timeless Food
Léa Vereecke
Rodale Institute
Steven Mirsky
USDA ARS
Ryan Schmid
Ecdysis Foundation
Margaret Smith
Albert Lea Seed
FAQs
Do you offer scholarships or financial assistance?
Yes! Contact [email protected] to learn more.
Can you invoice my company/organization instead of paying by credit card?
Yes! If your employer requires an invoice to remit payment, email [email protected]. We will send you an invoice and a login code to access the course materials.
Do you offer a guarantee?
We offer a 10-day money back guarantee so long as you have viewed 10 videos or less.
I'd like to send my team to the course, do you offer bulk pricing?
Yes! Contact [email protected] to inquire about bulk pricing.
How long will it take me to complete the lessons?
We estimate that each lesson will take approximately 25 minutes to complete. This includes reading the online written materials, viewing the 7-15 minute instructional video, and taking the lesson quiz. We estimate that total time investment for the full course (online content, exercises, Zoom sessions, in-person event, and final exam) requires 40 hours to complete. The zoom sessions meet once a month for 6 months.
When will my access expire?
You have access to the course content for 12 months from your date of enrollment.
Do I need any qualifications to start the course?
We do not have any formal prerequisites to take this course. We recommend that you have an understanding of general agriculture principles and experience working in agriculture. This course assumes prior knowledge of field crop production practices and offers an extension of that knowledge into organic-specific practices and requirements.
Will this course enable me to find employment as an organic advisor?
This course will help set you apart from other advisors and consultants. It will provide you with the foundational knowledge you need to consult organic field crop farmers. In the near future, OATS will be launching a directory of organic advisors to help farmers find the advice that they need.
What do graduates do when they have completed this training?
Past OATS trainees put their knowledge to work in many different ways. Some are employees of input companies, some are independent consultants, and yet others are agricultural educators. Our trainees put their new knowledge to work by expanding their client base to include transitioning and certified organic producers.
Will I obtain a certificate or official course credits?
After completing the online materials, quizzes, exercises, live zoom sessions, in-person event, and achieving a passing score on the course final exam, you are eligible to receive the OATS Organic Field Crop Course Certificate of Completion. Certificates are non-accredited.
Participants are eligible to receive Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) continuing education units (CEUs).
What if I have more questions?
Contact [email protected] to learn more.