Corporate Rates and Workshops
Are you wanting to register 10 or more students? Contact us for bulk purchase discounts or annual corporate membership rates. We also offer in-person one day workshops. Our in-person workshops are designed for organizations that want a deeper, more customized learning experience. Facilitated by industry experts, these highly interactive sessions are customized to your organization and focused on applied learning. Email us at [email protected] for more details!
Designed for Professionals Outside Agriculture
You don’t need a farming background to understand the agri-food sector. This course explains key concepts in plain language, helping you quickly grasp how producers, governments, and agribusinesses work together across Canada’s Prairies.
Practical Knowledge You Can Use Right Away
Learn how the seasons, markets, and policies shape farm decisions, and what that means for your work. Every lesson connects real agricultural examples to the business, policy, or client contexts you already operate in.
Build Credibility and Stronger Client Relationships
Gain the confidence to communicate with agricultural clients as an informed partner. Understanding their world builds trust, strengthens collaboration, and sets you apart in industries that serve Canada’s most vital sector.
About the course
Ag Basics for Business is a self-paced online course designed to help professionals outside the agriculture industry understand the people, systems, and decisions that shape Canadian agri-food. Through short video lessons, real-world examples, and interactive quizzes, you’ll gain practical insight into how farming works on the Prairies, from crop production and livestock management to sustainability, policy, and risk management. The course takes approximately 4-6 hours to complete. Developed following accreditation standards for quality and reviewed by industry experts, the course delivers credible, relevant learning you can trust. You’ll explore how government programs, market forces, and innovation influence the sector, and what that means for your clients and organization. By the end, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to engage with agricultural clients as an informed, trusted partner who understands their business, their challenges, and their opportunities.
Curriculum Ag Basics for Business is organized into six lessons that build a complete understanding of Canada’s agricultural sector, from how Prairie farms operate to how innovation, policy, and culture shape the way business is done. Each lesson combines short video lectures, real examples, and practical applications to help professionals outside the agriculture industry connect their work to this vital sector. Lesson 1: The Foundations of Prairie Agriculture Explore how geography, climate, and soil define Prairie agriculture. Learn what crops and livestock dominate the landscape, how producers choose what to grow, and how the region’s unique environment drives both challenges and opportunity. Lesson 2: Understanding Farming Systems and Cycles Gain insight into how farmers plan, plant, and harvest throughout the year. Learn how they select crop rotations, purchase inputs, and manage timing, and discover how understanding these cycles can help professionals build stronger relationships and serve clients effectively. Lesson 3: Technology and Innovation in Agriculture See how data, automation, and digital tools are transforming the way food is produced. Explore how technology supports sustainability, efficiency, and profitability, and learn how non-ag professionals can identify business opportunities that support innovation in agriculture. Lesson 4: Policy, Regulation, and Managing Risk Understand how agricultural policy frameworks like the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) guide priorities across Canada. Learn about regulations, environmental programs, and Business Risk Management tools that help producers manage uncertainty, and how businesses can align their services to support these needs. Lesson 5: The Agri-Food Business Mindset Examine how farmers think like entrepreneurs, balancing risk, capital, and long-term planning. Learn how diversification, value-added processing, and market access strengthen competitiveness, and how innovation and partnerships drive sustainable growth across the agri-food value chain. Lesson 6: The Culture of Agriculture Discover the human side of agriculture, the values, relationships, and traditions that make it more than an industry. Understand how family, community, and stewardship shape decision-making, and how professionals who respect this culture can build authentic, lasting partnerships. By the end of this course, you’ll have a grounded understanding of how Canada’s agricultural sector operates, the factors that drive decisions on the Prairies, and the skills to communicate confidently and credibly with agricultural clients and partners.
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1
Agriculture 101: Why it Matters
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson Overview
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Understanding the Foundations of Canadian Agriculture
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Video Lesson
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Interactive Map Exercise
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Lesson Review
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson 1 Quiz
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(Included in full purchase)
Terminology Cheat Sheet
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(Included in full purchase)
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2
Western Canadian Agriculture
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson Overview
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Landscapes, Systems and Stewardship
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(Included in full purchase)
Indigenous Agriculture in the Prairies: Reclaiming Knowledge, Building Opportunity
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(Included in full purchase)
Video Lesson
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Learning Activity- Timing, Trust and Understanding the Farmer's Schedule
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson 2 Review
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(Included in full purchase)
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3
Technology and Innovation in Agriculture
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson Overview
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(Included in full purchase)
Technology and Innovation in Agriculture: The Digital Transformation of Farming
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(Included in full purchase)
Learning Activity
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson 3 Review
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(Included in full purchase)
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4
Policy, Regulation, and Risk
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson Overview
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(Included in full purchase)
Policy, Regulation and Risk in Canadian Agriculture
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Who Shapes Agricultural Policy and Direction in Canada
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Learning Activity- Designing Smart Tools for Regulated Industry
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Lesson 4 Review
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Lesson 4 Quiz
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5
The Agri-Food Business Mindset
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson Overview
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The Agri-Food Business Mindset
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(Included in full purchase)
Video Lesson
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Case Study- Building Value from the Ground Up
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson 5 Review
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson 5 Quiz
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(Included in full purchase)
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6
The Culture of Agriculture
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(Included in full purchase)
Lesson Overview
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The Culture of Agriculture
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Case Study- Earning Trust
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Lesson 6 Review
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Lesson 6 Quiz
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(Included in full purchase)
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7
Course Review
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(Included in full purchase)
Course Review
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Post Course Survey
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(Included in full purchase)
What People Are Saying
How Ag Basics for Business Made a Difference.
"The Ag Basics for Business Course would be a great tool for any team with producer clients. It provides all the essentials professionals need to confidently communicate with producers, while also emphasizing the importance of building trust and long-term relationships. The content is practical, easy to apply, and perfectly tailored for those new to the industry. It would be valuable for onboarding new staff, giving them the tools to understand producer needs and engage in meaningful conversations from day one. This course doesn’t just teach knowledge, it builds confidence, credibility, and connection. I would highly recommend it to any organization working closely with producers."
Government of Saskatchewan
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“Ag Basics for Business delivered exactly what I needed, credible, well-structured learning that respected my time and built real understanding. The lessons were professional, well-paced, and full of practical examples that made complex topics easy to grasp.”
Policy Analyst in Government of Saskatchewan
"The Ag Basics for Business Course would be a great tool for any team with producer clients. It provides all the essentials professionals need to confidently communicate with producers, while also emphasizing the importance of building trust and long-term relationships. The content is practical, easy to apply, and perfectly tailored for those new to the industry. It would be valuable for onboarding new staff, giving them the tools to understand producer needs and engage in meaningful conversations from day one. This course doesn’t just teach knowledge, it builds confidence, credibility, and connection. I would highly recommend it to any organization working closely with producers."
Government of Saskatchewan
“Ag Basics for Business delivered exactly what I needed, credible, well-structured learning that respected my time and built real understanding. The lessons were professional, well-paced, and full of practical examples that made complex topics easy to grasp.”
Policy Analyst in Government of Saskatchewan
Ready to strengthen your credibility and understand Canada’s agricultural sector?
Enroll today and start learning how to engage with agricultural clients confidently and effectively.
$400.00