Assessor Resource

AHCMER406
Provide information on fertilisers and soil ameliorants

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to provide information on fertilisers and soil ameliorants.

All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety legislation and codes, and sustainability practices.

This unit applies to employees in a sales role in an agricultural or horticultural support enterprise who provide information on fertilisers, soil ameliorants and related environmental information to primary producers

This unit applies to individuals who take responsibility for their own work and provide and communicate solutions to a range of predictable and sometimes unpredictable problems.

No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Gather information on the requirements of the client

1.1 Identify basis of fertiliser or soil ameliorant requirement

1.2 Evaluate planned use of fertiliser or soil ameliorant against legislative requirements, local productivity and environmental guidelines and food safety regulations

1.3 Take individual soil, plant tissue and water samples for each customer

1.4 Provide customer with relevant sampling kits and advice on sampling procedures where appropriate

2. Provide information on nutrient management program

2.1 Provide information and referrals about the fertiliser and soil ameliorant products including work health and safety, biosecurity, food safety and environmental and sustainability issues inline with industry codes of practice and enterprise policies

2.2 Recommend use of nutrient management tools where necessary

2.3 Suggest changes to application method or timing if necessary

2.4 Research and update knowledge and understanding of fertilisers, soil, ameliorants and related products from authoritative sources

2.5 Research local enterprise and district requirements for fertilisers, soil, ameliorants and related products

3. Provide appropriate service or product

3.1 Refer customer to a specialist adviser if required

3.2 Provide customer with information regarding transporting, storing and handling fertiliser and soil ameliorants

3.3 Arrange transport, handling and storage of fertiliser and soil ameliorants where required

3.4 Supply fertiliser and soil ameliorants that meet legislative requirements and productivity, food safety, biosecurity and environmental guidelines

3.5 Record details of transaction

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

take soil, plant tissue and water samples

use and explain use of nutrient management tools

provide information on the relationship between soil types, water, crops, fertiliser and soil ameliorant use

follow enterprise work health and safety policies

follow enterprise biosecurity and sustainability policies

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

crop nutrient requirements - both macro and micro nutrients

effect of soil ameliorants in dispersion and adjustment for acidity or alkalinity (pH)

fertiliser and soil ameliorant application methods, including timing and frequency of fertiliser and soil ameliorant application to minimise losses

fertiliser and soil ameliorants availability and relative costs

industry production regimes and fertiliser practices

sources of technical information

major nutrient management risks of leach, run-off, load, blow, mine and how these impact on the environment

nutrient management advisory tools and processes used by advisers in making a crop nutrition recommendation

organisational work health and safety and environmental procedures, practices and policies in operating sampling equipment

packaging and dispatch procedures for samples

physical, chemical and biological properties related to a healthy soil and environment,

sampling tools and methods, including soil, plant tissue and water tests; yield monitoring; and electrical conductivity survey

impact of climate on soil productivity

environmental impacts including soil structural decline, fertility decline, acidification and salinity, erosion, loss of organic matter, water quality, fertiliser and soil ameliorant impurities, and greenhouse gas emissions

work health and safety legislation

use, transport, handling and storage requirements of fertiliser and soil ameliorants in terms of legislation, codes of practice, environmental stewardship and human safety

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Gather information on the requirements of the client

1.1 Identify basis of fertiliser or soil ameliorant requirement

1.2 Evaluate planned use of fertiliser or soil ameliorant against legislative requirements, local productivity and environmental guidelines and food safety regulations

1.3 Take individual soil, plant tissue and water samples for each customer

1.4 Provide customer with relevant sampling kits and advice on sampling procedures where appropriate

2. Provide information on nutrient management program

2.1 Provide information and referrals about the fertiliser and soil ameliorant products including work health and safety, biosecurity, food safety and environmental and sustainability issues inline with industry codes of practice and enterprise policies

2.2 Recommend use of nutrient management tools where necessary

2.3 Suggest changes to application method or timing if necessary

2.4 Research and update knowledge and understanding of fertilisers, soil, ameliorants and related products from authoritative sources

2.5 Research local enterprise and district requirements for fertilisers, soil, ameliorants and related products

3. Provide appropriate service or product

3.1 Refer customer to a specialist adviser if required

3.2 Provide customer with information regarding transporting, storing and handling fertiliser and soil ameliorants

3.3 Arrange transport, handling and storage of fertiliser and soil ameliorants where required

3.4 Supply fertiliser and soil ameliorants that meet legislative requirements and productivity, food safety, biosecurity and environmental guidelines

3.5 Record details of transaction

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

take soil, plant tissue and water samples

use and explain use of nutrient management tools

provide information on the relationship between soil types, water, crops, fertiliser and soil ameliorant use

follow enterprise work health and safety policies

follow enterprise biosecurity and sustainability policies

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

crop nutrient requirements - both macro and micro nutrients

effect of soil ameliorants in dispersion and adjustment for acidity or alkalinity (pH)

fertiliser and soil ameliorant application methods, including timing and frequency of fertiliser and soil ameliorant application to minimise losses

fertiliser and soil ameliorants availability and relative costs

industry production regimes and fertiliser practices

sources of technical information

major nutrient management risks of leach, run-off, load, blow, mine and how these impact on the environment

nutrient management advisory tools and processes used by advisers in making a crop nutrition recommendation

organisational work health and safety and environmental procedures, practices and policies in operating sampling equipment

packaging and dispatch procedures for samples

physical, chemical and biological properties related to a healthy soil and environment,

sampling tools and methods, including soil, plant tissue and water tests; yield monitoring; and electrical conductivity survey

impact of climate on soil productivity

environmental impacts including soil structural decline, fertility decline, acidification and salinity, erosion, loss of organic matter, water quality, fertiliser and soil ameliorant impurities, and greenhouse gas emissions

work health and safety legislation

use, transport, handling and storage requirements of fertiliser and soil ameliorants in terms of legislation, codes of practice, environmental stewardship and human safety

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.

Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Identify basis of fertiliser or soil ameliorant requirement 
Evaluate planned use of fertiliser or soil ameliorant against legislative requirements, local productivity and environmental guidelines and food safety regulations 
Take individual soil, plant tissue and water samples for each customer 
Provide customer with relevant sampling kits and advice on sampling procedures where appropriate 
Provide information and referrals about the fertiliser and soil ameliorant products including work health and safety, biosecurity, food safety and environmental and sustainability issues inline with industry codes of practice and enterprise policies 
Recommend use of nutrient management tools where necessary 
Suggest changes to application method or timing if necessary 
Research and update knowledge and understanding of fertilisers, soil, ameliorants and related products from authoritative sources 
Research local enterprise and district requirements for fertilisers, soil, ameliorants and related products 
Refer customer to a specialist adviser if required 
Provide customer with information regarding transporting, storing and handling fertiliser and soil ameliorants 
Arrange transport, handling and storage of fertiliser and soil ameliorants where required 
Supply fertiliser and soil ameliorants that meet legislative requirements and productivity, food safety, biosecurity and environmental guidelines 
Record details of transaction 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

AHCMER406 - Provide information on fertilisers and soil ameliorants
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

AHCMER406 - Provide information on fertilisers and soil ameliorants

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: