Official Site of The State of New Jersey
The Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Cluster® focuses on the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources.
Career Pathways
- Agribusiness Systems
- Animal Systems
- Environmental Service Systems
- Food Products and Processing Systems
- Natural Resources Systems
- Plant Systems
- Power, Structural and Technical Systems
As stated in the New Jersey Perkins V State Plan, career and technical education programs of study must support career pathways meeting two out of the following three criteria, high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations. The following CIP codes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) have been identified as meeting these requirements at the state level.
| CIP Code | Program Name | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 01.0000 | Agriculture, General | A program that focuses on the general principles and practice of agricultural research and production and that may prepare individuals to apply this knowledge to the solution of practical agricultural problems. Includes instruction in basic animal, plant, and soil science; animal husbandry and plant cultivation; soil conservation; and agricultural operations such as farming, ranching, and agricultural business. |
| 01.0101 | Agricultural Business and Management, General | A general program that focuses on modern business and economic principles involved in the organization, operation, and management of agricultural enterprises. |
| 01.0201 | Agricultural Mechanization, General | A program that generally prepares individuals to sell, select, and service agricultural or agribusiness technical equipment and facilities, including computers, specialized software, power units, machinery, equipment structures, and utilities. Includes instruction in agricultural power systems, planning and selecting materials for the construction of support facilities, mechanical practices associated with irrigation and water conservation, erosion control, and agricultural data processing systems. |
| 01.0204 | Agricultural Power Machinery Operation | A program that prepares individuals to operate specialized farm, ranch, and agribusiness power equipment of a stationary, mobile, or hand-operated nature. Includes instruction in operating specialized equipment such as terrestrial and airborne crop-spraying equipment; tractors and hauling equipment; planting and harvesting equipment; cutting equipment; power sources and systems for silos, irrigation, pumping, and applications such as dairy, feeding and shearing operations; processing equipment; and applicable electrical, mechanical, and safety principles. |
| 01.0308 | Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture | A program that focuses on agricultural principles and practices that, over the long term, enhance environmental quality, make efficient use of nonrenewable resources, integrate natural biological cycles and controls, and are economically viable and socially responsible; and that may prepare individuals to apply this knowledge to the solution of agricultural and environmental problems. Includes instruction in principles of agroecology, crop and soil sciences, entomology, horticulture, animal science, weed science and management, soil fertility and nutrient cycling, applied ecology, agricultural economics, and rangeland ecology and watershed management. |
| 01.0903 | Animal Health | A program that focuses on the application of biological and chemical principles to the study, prevention, and control of diseases in agricultural animal populations. Includes instruction in environmental science, pharmacology, animal population studies, genetics, animal physiology and diet, disease prevention, treatment methodologies, and laboratory and testing procedures. |
| 01.0901 | Animal Sciences, General | A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to operate and maintain a variety of heavy equipment, such as a crawler tractors, motor graders and scrapers, shovels, rigging devices, hoists, and jacks. Includes instruction in digging, ditching, sloping, stripping, grading, and backfiling, clearing and excavating. |
| 01.0601 | Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations | A program that focuses on the general production and processing of domesticated plants, shrubs, flowers, foliage, trees, groundcovers, and related plant materials; the management of technical and business operations connected with horticultural services; and the basic scientific principles needed to understand plants and their management and care. |
| 03.0103 | Environmental Studies | A program that focuses on environment-related issues using scientific, social scientific, or humanistic approaches or a combination. Includes instruction in the basic principles of ecology and environmental science and related subjects such as policy, politics, law, economics, social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interactions of human beings and nature. |
| 01.1001 | Food Science | A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to repair, install, service and maintain the operating condition of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Includes instruction in diagnostic techniques, the use of testing equipment and the principles of mechanics, electricity, and electronics as they relate to the repair of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems. |
| 01.1002 | Food Technology and Processing | A program that focuses on the application of chemical, physical, and engineering principles to the development and implementation of manufacturing, packaging, storage, and distribution technologies and processes for food products. Includes instruction in food engineering, food preservation and handling, food preparation, food packaging and display, food storage and shipment, and related equipment and facilities design, operation, and maintenance. |
| 01.0605 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping | A program that prepares individuals to manage and maintain indoor and/or outdoor ornamental and recreational plants and groundcovers and related conceptual designs established by landscape architects, interior designers, enterprise owners or managers, and individual clients. Includes instruction in applicable principles of horticulture, gardening, plant and soil irrigation and nutrition, turf maintenance, plant maintenance, equipment operation and maintenance, personnel supervision, and purchasing. |
| 03.0101 | Natural Resources/Conservation, General | A general program that focuses on the studies and activities relating to the natural environment and its conservation, use, and improvement. Includes instruction in subjects such as climate, air, soil, water, land, fish and wildlife, and plant resources; in the basic principles of environmental science and natural resources management; and the recreational and economic uses of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. |
| 01.1101 | Plant Sciences, General | A general program that focuses on the scientific principles that underlie the breeding, cultivation, and production of agricultural plants, and the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural plant products. Includes instruction in the plant sciences, crop cultivation and production, and agricultural and food products processing |
| 01.8301 | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant | A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of veterinarians, laboratory animal specialists, and zoological professionals, to provide patient management, care, and clinical procedures assistance as well as owner communication. Includes instruction in animal nursing care, animal health and nutrition, animal handling, clinical pathology, radiology, anesthesiology, dental prophylaxis, surgical assisting, clinical laboratory procedures, office administration skills, patient and owner management, and applicable standards and regulations. |
Industry-valued credentials (IVCs) are identified by the New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL) as:
- Valued – demanded by employers.
- Portable – skills learned are transferable and provide broad opportunities.
- Stackable – skills learned may lead to opportunities for continuous or advanced training and education.
- Rewarding – lead to higher wages, career advancement and or increased job security.
Obtaining an Industry Valued Credential (IVC) is a method districts can use to meet the requirement that a Program of Study culminates in the attainment of a recognized postsecondary credential. Previously, NJDOE analyzed credentials provided by the New Jersey Department of Labor and aligned them to CIP codes and assigned them a designation of Tier I or Tier II.
- Tier I IVCs were defined as stackable credentials and not eligible to be used as a pathway for Program of Study Status.
- Tier II IVCs were defined as advanced credentials and were eligible to be used as a pathway for Program of Study Status.
In 2024, the NJDOE proposed and gained approval from the Credentials Review Board for an evidence-based submission and review process to enable districts to offer additional IVC to students as a pathway for meeting legislative requirements.
| Certification Name | Organization Name | Credential Status | Applicable CIP Codes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approved Veterinary Associate | National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America | Tier II | 01.8301 |
Teachers of CTE Programs of Study must hold the endorsement aligned to the program CIP code. The following table provides the eligible CIP codes in this career cluster and the corresponding CTE endorsement an educator would need to hold to be able to teach courses and the program of study. For more information on endorsements visit the Certification homepage.
| CIP Code | Program Name | CTE Endorsement |
|---|---|---|
| 01.0000 | Agriculture, General | #2501 Teacher of Agriculture |
| 01.0101 | Agricultural Business and Management, General |
|
| 01.0201 | Agricultural Mechanization, General |
|
| 01.0204 | Agricultural Power Machinery Operation |
|
| 01.0308 | Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture |
|
| 01.0903 | Animal Health |
|
| 01.0901 | Animal Sciences, General |
|
| 01.0601 | Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations |
|
| 03.0103 | Environmental Studies |
|
| 01.1001 | Food Science |
|
| 01.1002 | Food Technology and Processing |
|
| 01.0605 | Landscaping and Groundskeeping |
|
| 03.0101 | Natural Resources/Conservation, General |
|
| 01.1101 | Plant Sciences, General | #2501 Teacher of Agriculture |
| 01.8301 | Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant |
|