Basis qualification

[Classichay]

Has anyone done any basis level courses on grass and fertiliser looking what ballpark costings there are involved, just curious as my other Ag degrees i've done to a higher level in Sustainable Agriculture. Looking to specialise in FACTS and grass agronomy just for the knowledge banks and to help with work.

 

[Brisel]

Your local ag training provider will help point you in the right direction and there is a BASIS trainer in TFF. What part of the country are you in?

 

[Classichay]

west midlands, looking to do a p-time course to fit in around the farm and work.

 

[Brisel]

BASIS Registration | Established 1978 | Learn More

Harper Adams?

 

[Brisel]

west midlands, looking to do a p-time course to fit in around the farm and work.

This is the best I could come up with for your area. 2 BASIS courses running this year at Harper.

Short Courses

www.harper-adams.ac.uk

 

[Classichay]

thankyou Brisel, ive emailed them think the cost is roughly around 800.00 including test.

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Has anyone done any basis level courses on grass and fertiliser looking what ballpark costings there are involved, just curious as my other Ag degrees i've done to a higher level in Sustainable Agriculture. Looking to specialise in FACTS and grass agronomy just for the knowledge banks and to help with work.

You can access RB209 free of charge, if you do FACTS you will need it anyway. If you have any specific questions just put them on here.

 

[Classichay]

"Thank you for your enquiry into the courses we offer at Harper Adams University.

Please click on the link below to find out more information regarding this course and costs etc.

https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/cour...--advanced-module--grassland-and-forage-crops

We have no dates presently for the above training and because this is one of our courses that is very much demand driven I’m unable to advise whether it will be run in the near future I’m afraid.

https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/cour...n-crop-protection--grassland-and-forage-crops

Unfortunately, because we have a backlog of candidates that started on or were due to start courses because of Covid we won’t have the capacity to run the Basis Certificate in Crop Protection (Grassland and Forage Crops) course until 2022 at the earliest.
Would you be happy for us to retain your details and notify you once dates are scheduled?"


is this the case across the whole of the UK then I presume?

 

[Brisel]

is this the case across the whole of the UK then I presume?

I’m going to page @Woodlander and @Gav in this. Basis is not really a course that can be completely delivered online so I think that your presumption is correct.

A quick call to BASIS themselves might be worth considering.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Do the regular BASIS course, grassland and forage crops is a cop out.

 

[Brisel]

Do the regular BASIS course, grassland and forage crops is a cop out.

It’s and advanced module - usually the entry requirement is the core BASIS certificate?

 

[deleted user 837354]

It’s and advanced module - usually the entry requirement is the core BASIS certificate?

An 'advanced' course, I see. So it's not just a money/employment creation thingaymabob then? £800 smacks for a module teaching about grass and forage crops, for which the range of pest control products must be reducing year on year. I'd save my money.

 

[Bogweevil]

I believe some providers plan to offer certain BASIS and FACTS courses in spacious well ventilated buildings (I think they mean a barn).

I wonder if I have missed something here - the course you mention is described thusly:

This course is for candidates with a sound knowledge of arable, grassland and forage crops who are qualified for the BASIS Professional Register and who want to extend and update their specialist knowledge or who wish to gain Continuing Professional Development Points.

I am not sure if you mean to become qualified for the professional register (which is a different course I think) or are qualified and wish to take your qualifications to the next level. Neither is this technically a FACTS course as such.

BASIS publish a searchable list of current providers for all courses on their website which you may not have seen as it is rather hard to find: https://basis-reg.co.uk/course-trainer-search

The syllabus is published online so you can get ready for your course if you wish: https://basis-reg.co.uk/documents/syllabuses/10909.pdf

I am unaware of a forage/grassland FACTS option

Apologies if I have got the wrong end of the stick again.

 

[Classichay]

I think its a worthwhile investment doing the Basis course in full. I think 800.00 was rather steep for 5 days course (4 if you dont account for the test which is 340.00?)

 

[Brisel]

What exactly do you want to learn, @Classichay ? Grass agronomy would be well covered by the core BASIS course, which is quite expensive. Mine was 26 days spread over several months. FACTS is arguably the more important of the two for grassland management as nutrition is a bigger factor in productivity than agronomy. Basic husbandry of grassland could be learned elsewhere like IGER or Kingshay Trust.

It might be worth asking about this in the livestock forum. There will be folk with a deeper knowledge of where to find learning resources online.

 

[Classichay]

Well to be quite honest the Complete basis course seems rather tempting, Generally agronomy is a tool which cannot be scoffed upon and most cereal weeds can be applicable in grassland situations. Am I right in assuming beet is a module separate on its own? Just looking for a better understanding of chemical applications and weed id's etc, my knowledge is ok to be quite honest but im always looking to learn more. I seem to be asking questions on chemical i feel I aught to know about when i'm spraying them. Almost as a backcheck for what our agronomists is recommending.

Just a kick from the reply ive received that any viable course basis isn't going to be open till 2022.

 

[Brisel]

I did my BASIS at Lincoln, so more emphasis on spuds and beet and less on grassland but everything was covered apart from vegetables. My FACTS course had a few guys from Gs so fresh produce got discussed a lot.

In your part of the world I would expect more time of the course spent on grass and forage/fodder crops.

 

[Bogweevil]

Not all BASIS courses are equal - Ag, commercial hort and forage/grass are all counted the same and in theory allow holders to work in any of these areas and indeed any crop or amenity situation (as long as they are confident of the crops in question obviously). Others, amenity horticulture BASIS for example, do not.

FACTS however are all the same.

Or at least that is how I understand it.

Something to check at the outset?

 

[Classichay]

Hopefully I can get some form of response on wait times come Monday, Thankyou for your input @Brisel & @Bogweevil

 

[jack6480]

do you have to be well educated to do the FACTS course