Agriculture and Agricultural Science courses are up, Food Science is up, Forestry is up, Veterinary Nursing is up and Equine courses are down. This is your one-sentence summary of how the CAO points worked out for the food and agri-sector this year.

Food Science courses have, for the most part, seen a big increase across the board, particularly in UCC. Food Science on the Cork campus jumped by 35 points to 440, representing a 31% points increase since 2010. International Development & Food Policy jumped 25 points.

In Dublin, Food Innovation in DIT has increased by a staggering 50 points, while Food Science in UCD is up 15 points to 470. However, two courses in the northern part of the country have seen significant point decreases: Food Science with Business Management in St Angela’s Sligo is down 50 points, while Food Science & Nutrition in LYIT has decreased by 55 points.

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Of the 12 courses in the country that come under the “Agriculture/Agricultural Science” umbrella, nine increased in points, one decreased, one stayed the same, and one released CAO points for the firsttime. Waterford IT’s agrelated courses have seen a significant increase. The Level 7 Agricultural Science has increased by 30 points to 410, while the college’s Level 7 Agriculture course has risen by 25 points to 380. Agricultural Science in UCD increased by 10 points this year to 455.

Dairy Business in UCD is up 15 points to 445, representing a 20% increase in points overall since 2010. Dundalk IT’s Level 6 Agriculture has shot up 65 points from 300 last year, but it’s worth noting that, while on the first round last year it was offered at 345*, it decreased in subsequent offers to 300.

Forestry has also seen a significant rise. Points in UCD have increased by 35, from 350 last year to 385 this year, representing an overall increase of 17% since 2010. Level 7 Forestry in WIT is up 25 points.

For the most part, courses in the Equine area have seen a decrease this year, although UCD’s Animal Science (Equine) degree increased by five points. This reverses last year’s trend where points for equine courses, for the most part, went up.

Meanwhile, Veterinary Medicine in UCD decreased by five points to575*.

Generally, points for veterinary nursing have increased, with the exception of UCD’s Veterinary Nursing course which dropped 10 points. However, Dundalk IT has increased by 55 points from 375* in 2012 to 430 this year. LYIT’s veterinary nursing course has increased by 10 points, and Athlone IT has increased by 35 points.