In which department should forages be taught?

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Animal Science
• Agronomy

Background:

• The discipline of forage science and the number of forage professionals are decreasing nationally.
• Potential reasons for this decline are being investigated, including the academic placement of forage courses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the historical context of forage and livestock grazing research.
• To identify current instructors and locations of forage courses at land-grant institutions.
• To propose a strategy for increasing undergraduate exposure to the forage discipline.

Main Methods:

• Historical review of forage and livestock grazing research.
• Survey of land-grant institutions to determine where forage courses are taught.
• Analysis of current academic departmental structures housing forage education.

Main Results:

• The paper reviews the history of forage research and identifies current teaching departments.
• It highlights the current distribution of forage courses across different academic units.
• A potential solution is proposed to enhance the visibility of forage science.

Conclusions:

• The academic placement of forage courses significantly impacts student exposure.
• Relocating forage education within animal science departments may increase student engagement.
• This strategic shift could help reverse the decline in the forage discipline.