Overview
This unit introduces the principles and practices relevant to the social licence to farm. You will learn about the concept of the social licence to operate, the social obligations of farmers and identify drivers of social licence. You will also develop the skills to measure the levels and factors of the social licence to operate, and learn techniques for raising the level of social licence, using specific industry case studies and scenarios.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite AGRI11005 Agricultural Business Planning
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Moodle feedback
While most students felt that this was an interesting unit with many important aspects of agricultural relevance, some students felt the social licence to operate should not have constituted an entire unit in the Bachelor of Agriculture.
In order to further convey the importance and industry-relevant nature of this unit, students should be given the opportunity to hear industry/government perspectives on the social licence to operate in agriculture at the outset of the term. While students have received guest lecturers throughout the term, a contribution from an industry contact in week one or two of term may be more effective in giving the whole unit greater context. The social licence to operate attracts significant attention in agricultural discourse and many in the industry have commented on the importance of this unit in CQUni's Bachelor of Agriculture.
Feedback from Moodle feedback In class discussions
Students felt that the field trip was too short.
The length of the field trip should be extended to allow more time for students to engage in the workshops and sessions of the field trip.
Feedback from Moodle feedback
Students wanted to engage in more in class debates.
Students should be given some more opportunities to engage in in-class debates/discussions with their peers on various social licence to operate topics. Students felt that these debates/discussions were helpful and useful opportunities to explore the relevant content and to challenge their own views and evaluate the views of others. Although these debates/discussions were conducted from time to time in-class any unfinished debates/discussions were moved online. However students were reticent to engage in online debates. While the number of peer-to-peer debates on topics of relevance should be increased, care should be taken to still include other learning activities such as critiquing perspectives of other individuals and groups; discussing and evaluating industry or research publications; and analysing regulatory frameworks relevant to the social licence to operate in agriculture.
- Explain the principles of a social licence to operate.
- Make an informed decision regarding the social obligation of farmers.
- Apply the concepts and principles of a 'social licence to operate' to a business case in agriculture.
- Present a case for the requirements of maintaining a durable 'social licence to operate'.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 60% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Wordprocessing, spreadsheeting and powerpoint software; access to audio or video recording technology
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.sinai@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction & History of the Social Licence to Operate in Agriculture
Chapter
Reading: Martin and Williams (2011). Chapters 1 and 2 of "Defending the Social Licence of Farming". (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Measuring Social Licence
Chapter
Reading: Boutilier and Thomson (2011). “Modelling and measuring the social license to operate: Fruits of a dialogue between theory and practice.” (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Urban Rural Divide in Social Licence
Chapter
Reading: Woodward (2017). "The Urban Rural Divide: How can the New Zealand Dairy Industry protect and better its social licence with New Zealand’s Urban Populations?" (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Climate Change and Agriculture
Chapter
Reading: Eckard and Clark (2018). "Potential solutions to the major greenhouse-gas issues facing Australasian dairy farming." (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Water Use and Contamination
Chapter
Reading: Grafton (2019). "Policy review of water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia: the “do's” and “do'nots”." (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Field Trip (Tuesday)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Land Use Conflict and Land Use Planning
Chapter
Reading: Erica Hellerstein and Ken Fine: "A million tons of feces and an unbearable stench: life near industrial pig farms" in The Guardian Newspaper, 2017. (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Animal Welfare
Chapter
Reading Cornish, Ashton, Raubenheimer and McGreevy. (2019). "Australian Consumers’ Knowledge and Concern for Animal Welfare in Food Production: Influences on Purchasing Intentions." (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Live Animal Export
Chapter
Reading: "Live Export - a chronology" - Parliament of Australia (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Labour Conditions in Agriculture
Chapter
Reading: International Labour Organization (2019). "Activists welcome progress towards eradication of forced labour, child labour in Uzbekistan" (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Human Health and Agriculture
Chapter
Reading: Portier, Armstrong, Baguley, et al (2016). "Differences in the carcinogenic evaluation of glyphosate between the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)" (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Environmental Stewardship, Sustainability Plans and Agri-Environment Schemes
Chapter
Reading: Introduction Chapter of Ansell, Gibson and Salt (2016). "Learning from agri-environment schemes in Australia: Investing in biodiversity and other ecosystem services on farms." (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Certification Schemes and BMPs
Chapter
Reading: Edwards and Laurance (2012). "Green labelling, sustainability and the expansion of tropical agriculture: Critical issues for certification schemes". (Link to be provided via Moodle)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Assessment 1 is a written assessment based on a prominent social licence issue facing Australian agriculture. For Assessment 1 you are required to write a 2300 word persuasive essay in response to a statement on a particular issue. You must select one from a list of statements that will be provided to you on Moodle in Week 1. In your essay you must explore the obligation of farmers and the range of societal perspectives on the issue, even if they do not align with your own viewpoint. You must state your viewpoint in response to your selected statement and provide economic, social, environmental or other rationale for your position, drawing on a range of reputable sources. If you are arguing that a certain practice should continue or be amended you should outline any strategies that can be employed by farmers and the industry to gain greater acceptance by society. If you are arguing that a certain practice should cease all together, you should outline alternative solutions for farmers and the industry that allows them to continue producing food and/or fibre. In your essay you must explain the various views (for and against) on your selected issue or practice.
Your essay should follow the following format:
1. Introduction (~400 words)
2. Body: with various subheadings, the names and content of which will depend on your issue (~1600 words)
3. Conclusion (~300 words)
4. References (APA or Harvard Style)
Include at least 10 references (References can be peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, industry papers, media publications and reputable other sources)
You must write your report in third person and adhere to the word count (within 10% over and 10% under the limit).
Week 6 Monday (20 Apr 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 8 Monday (4 May 2020)
You will be marked on:
· Clear and professional written communication
· Ability to define social licence to operate
· Analysis of the social/cultural/economic/environmental impact of the social licence issue
· Analysis of the social obligation of farmers and agricultural industries
· Analysis of societal perspectives on the issue
· Ability to formulate and present your argument
· Formatting and Referencing
A marking rubric will be available to you on Moodle.
- Explain the principles of a social licence to operate.
- Make an informed decision regarding the social obligation of farmers.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Presentation and Written Assessment
Assessment 2 (60%) will be based on three components: written report (group task: 40%), presentation (individual task: 15%) and peer marking (5%). Only one member of the group should submit the written report to Moodle. Each student must submit their own individual presentation
Based on a given scenario, you are to work in small groups (4-5 people) to write a 3500 word report outlining the steps that a proposed corporate farm should take to ensure it is granted and maintains a social licence to operate from the community. You will be provided with all of the specifications of the farm (size, stock numbers, foreign ownership composition, location etc.) and a brief summary of the demographics and socioeconomic situation of the local community as well as the results of a survey into the community’s views on relevant farming practices.
In the scenario provided, the corporation you are to write the report for takes social licence very seriously and recognises that gaining a social licence is a vital part of their obligations to the community. As such, that corporation’s leadership team are willing to implement all of the measures that you and your team recommend in order to ensure that a social licence is granted. They have asked your team to prepare a 3500 word report that must be written in the following format:
1. Title
2. Introduction (~500 words):
a. A suggested name for the farm
b. Summary of the farm
c. Explaining the concept of a social licence
3. Identify key stakeholders and their relationship with the proposed farm (~400 words):
4. Identification of at least three social licence issues and how they apply to the proposed farm (~700 words)
5. Discussion of how the corporation will manage community expectations around each of these issues including any innovative strategies. Keep in mind that some issues will only be relevant to local community residents whilst others might also call for gaining a broader (state, national) social licence (~700 words)
6. Community engagement and education strategy (~500 words)
7. Strategy for measuring and maintaining social licence (~500 words)
8. Conclusion (~200 words)
9. References
10. Statement of Contribution (Here you must outline the contributions of each group member to both the written assessment and the presentation - there is no word limit for this)
You will base your recommendations for social licence-gaining activities on a range of sources as well as the scenario information (farm specifications, a brief summary of the demographics and socioeconomic situation of the community, and the results of a survey into the community’s views on relevant farming practices). You may reference information from a variety of sources including peer-reviewed journal articles, survey data, government reports, consultant reports, media sources and other reliable sources. You must include at least 10 references.
You may write your report in first person plural (i.e. “we” “us”) or in third person. You must remain within within 10% (over or under the word count).
The second part of Assessment 2 is an individual presentation task. Each group member will be assigned a stakeholder group relevant to the selected scenario. You must develop and deliver a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation (with audio) outlining how you will seek to maintain a social licence to operate, particularly in the context of the relevant stakeholder group’s priorities and interests (15% of the marks for this unit). Details on how to add voice recordings to a PowerPoint presentation can be found here: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161c
Presentations must be no shorter than 14 minutes and no longer than 16 minutes and include:
1. Outline of the farm
2. Explanation of Social Licence
3. Proposed activities of the farm
4. Actions to be taken to ensure that the stakeholder group’s social licence is granted
5. How you will engage with the stakeholder group and review the their expectations
6. How you will respond to these changing expectations
You will also be required to submit a Self and Peer Assessment worth 5/60 for this assessment (Details on conducting the Self and Peer Assessment will be provided on Moodle.)
Review/Exam Week Monday (8 June 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (19 June 2020)
Peer assessment – this is for both the presentation and the report (Details on conducting the Self and Peer Assessment will be provided on Moodle)
For the report you will be marked on:
· Clear and professional written communication
· Ability to define social licence
· Ability to identify relevant stakeholders
· Ability to identify and analyse relevant social licence issues with respect to the scenario
· Quality of the various proposed community-related strategies
· Formatting and Referencing
For the presentation you will be marked on:
· Clear, professional and appropriate oral communication
· Ability to define social licence
· Ability to engage with the relevant audience
· The quality of the various proposed community-related strategies
· Formatting and Presentation
- Explain the principles of a social licence to operate.
- Make an informed decision regarding the social obligation of farmers.
- Apply the concepts and principles of a 'social licence to operate' to a business case in agriculture.
- Present a case for the requirements of maintaining a durable 'social licence to operate'.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
