2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Agriculture
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Agriculture course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2015 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting their strengths in particular parts of the examination and indicating where candidates need to improve.
This document should be read along with:
- the Agriculture Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2015 Higher School Certificate Agriculture examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Agriculture in Stage 6.
Section I
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying the behavioural role of testosterone in animals (Q21a)
- clearly detailing the physical characteristics of soil, with some candidates supporting their response with relevant examples (Q22a)
- clearly understanding the term sustainability, with some candidates using relevant examples to support their response (Q23b)
- clearly describing some identified experimental design elements within a plant trial (Q24b).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- linking the effect of the factors identified on the fertility of farm animals (Q21c)
- showing a clear connection between conservation tillage and its impact on soil fertility (Q22b)
- clearly distinguishing between soil texture and structure (Q23a)
- clearly distinguishing between and understanding the components of experimental design (Q24b).
Question 25
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- recognising the effects of Australia’s climate on plant production (Q25a)
- demonstrating an understanding of plant breeding goals (Q25a)
- defining a hybrid plant (Q25b)
- identifying advantages of hybridisation, including possible increased yield and varied production traits (Q25b)
- outlining a strategy to market a product and linking it to the identified farm product (Q26a)
- identifying at least two ways in which the product could be value added (Q26b)
- identifying a wide range of factors that affect supply of and demand for the product (Q26c)
- using appropriate and relevant terminology associated with supply of and demand for the product (Q26c)
- identifying a recent technology, such as robotic dairies and ‘Auctions Plus’ that aids farmers in the production or marketing of agricultural products (Q27a)
- broadly outlining how the technology has improved the production or marketing of agricultural products; for example, robotic dairies improve milk yield by increasing labour and time efficiency and livestock health via automatic mastitis detection (Q27a)
- providing a point in favour of contract selling as a marketing strategy (Q27b)
- outlining the effect of market fluctuations on those contractually obligated to meet contract specifications (Q27b)
- using appropriate and relevant concepts and terminology associated with contract selling, such as legal implications and penalties (Q27b).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- responding clearly and concisely to the question (Q25a)
- including relevant examples (Q25a)
- clearly linking changes in markets, climates, pests to the need for new varieties (Q25a)
- identifying appropriate disadvantages of using hybrid plants (Q25b)
- clearly explaining why the stated features are advantages and disadvantages of using hybrids, rather than the creation of hybrids(Q25b)
- distinguishing between hybridisation and genetic engineering (Q25b)
- selecting a strategy a farmer could use to market the product rather than an industry-based strategy (Q26a)
- including a relevant, detailed description of a value-adding method for the product (Q26b)
- demonstrating an understanding of the concepts related to the supply of and demand for the product (Q26c)
- clearly linking the technology to improvements in the production or marketing of agricultural products (Q27a)
- ensuring that the identified technology related only to farm operations for the production or marketing of agricultural products, rather than post farm operations (Q27a)
- clearly identifying negative factors that directly relate to the farmer, rather than the buyer or consumer (Q27b)
- providing a detailed point both for and against contract selling as a marketing strategy (Q27b).
Agrifood, Fibre and Biotechnology
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- clearly outlining the role of biosecurity
- identifying measures such as quarantine, restriction of movement and tracking systems
- providing a detailed description of biofuel methods which demonstrated an understanding of the processes involved in biodiesel and bioethanol production
- using appropriate terminology and presenting flow diagrams to support the description
- demonstrating knowledge of GM crops used in Australia; specifically canola and cotton
- providing detail regarding the genetic modification process and how productivity (yield and quality) is improved through altering genes
- identifying the implications of these genetic modifications, including at least one social, economic, political or environmental factor (Q28b).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- outlining the role of biosecurity on or off farm
- providing at least two methods of biofuel production
- distinguishing between the methods of production for ethanol and biodiesel
- using the appropriate terminology for biofuel production methods
- responding with greater clarity and in a more coherent way
- providing more explicit detail throughout the response by demonstrating deeper knowledge of the specific examples provided
- using examples relating to the question only, such as commercial Australian GM crops (canola, cotton), rather than a variety of experimental and overseas examples.
Question 29 Climate Change
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- clearly defining the Southern Oscillation Index and describing its effect on climate and agricultural production
- identifying that ruminant animals release methane gases and are contributors to greenhouse gas emissions
- quantitatively relating the nutritional quality of feed to methane gas production from ruminant animals
- identifying a link between nitrogen fertiliser and the release of nitrous oxide as a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions
- identifying options available to farmers to maintain production under changed climatic conditions, for example, changing breeds of stock and plant varieties
- describing how one relevant option available could allow farmers to maintain production under changed climatic conditions.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- understanding a process which is responsible for the conversion of nitrogen fertiliser into nitrous oxide, for example, denitrification
- understanding the relationship of microbial activity in ruminant animals to the production and release of methane
- correctly interpreting key terminology within the question, such as ‘discuss’
- discussing more than one relevant option available to farmers to maintain production under changed climatic conditions.
Question 30 Farming for the 21st Century
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- outlining a range of research needs related to agricultural technology
- identifying the concept of ownership rights for companies or individuals in relation to patents and plant breeder rights
- providing examples to support the response
- identifying a computer technology or smart device used in agriculture
- outlining the use of these technologies
- identifying relevant and current examples of technologies dependent on or utilising computers
- discussing an example of a technology and its implication for Australian agriculture.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- avoiding general statements about the needs for research
- understanding the differences and similarities between patents and plant breeder rights
- understanding the range of protections, rights and responsibilities afforded by patents and plant breeder rights
- providing a coherent and comprehensive response
- recognising that ‘implications’ can be both positive and negative
- linking the implications of these technologies to specific agricultural technology examples.
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