Pathway lookup
Agriculture in North Carolina
These pages summarize rules to help you plan. They are not legal advice. Before you place students at a work site or change a program, check with your state agency, your district's counsel and your insurance carrier.
In short
North Carolina's agriculture cluster has six pathways and eight course pairs that earn community college credit; youth employment certificates apply to farm jobs, and applicator licenses wait until 18.
State program: AGRI cluster, six pathways: AA21, AA22, AA41, AN53, AP41, AP42, AP44, AS32, AU21, AU22 (full list: Confirm with the agency)
What a high school can deliver
Course-aligned credentials such as YQCA, Beef Quality Assurance and Certified Veterinary Assistant, and community college credit; applicator licensing waits until 18.
Credentials students can earn
YQCA, NC Beef Quality Assurance, Elanco Veterinary Medical Applications or CVA, Certified Forest Worker, Future Plant Professional, AWS welding (Ag Mechanics II), Certified Beekeeper, NHJTCA Equine
Age and hour requirements
Applicators, private applicators and supervised noncertified applicators 18 (02 NCAC 09L .0512, .1107; rule text: Confirm with the agency).
Other agencies involved
None for the program. NCDA&CS licenses pesticide applicators; the NC Veterinary Medical Board governs assistant tasks.
Who can teach it
Agricultural education license; NC State LEAP (15 online credit hours) for agriculture bachelor's holders with a 2.75 GPA; license code and any industry or residency route: Confirm with the agency.
Child labor rules for work placements
Youth employment certificate for farm jobs; agricultural workers are not exempt from youth employment rules (G.S. 95-25.5, 95-25.14). Whether the 13 NCAC 12 .0406 bars (welding, 10-foot falls) reach farm work: Confirm with the agency.
College credit after high school
HS-to-CC Articulation Agreement (May 16, 2025): AA22 to ANS-110, AA41 to VET-114, AN53 to FOR-171, AP41 to HOR-150, AP42, AP44, AS32 to WLD-112 or TRN-180, AU21-AU22 to AGR-139 (conditions: Confirm with the agency).
Where to go next
- The full Agriculture guide, showing North Carolina
- The North Carolina state profile
- Add this pathway to your plan
Agriculture in other states
Other pathways in North Carolina
- Nurse Aide / Patient Care
- EMT
- Electrical
- Welding
- Construction and Carpentry
- HVAC/R
- Cybersecurity / Networking
- Programming / Computer Science
- Automotive
- Medical and Dental Assisting
- Cosmetology
- Early Childhood Education
- Culinary and Hospitality
- Machining and Mechatronics
- Engineering and Drafting
- Firefighting
- Law, Public Safety and Corrections
- Business Management and Marketing
- Entrepreneurship
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