The first university in the United States to offer a major in organic agriculture

The Washington State University is leading a movement among agricultural schools by putting organic farming into their curriculum. This is the first university in the US to offer a major in organic agriculture and one of at least three universities to start programs focused on organic agriculture - the Colorado State University is offering a program in organic food and fibre production and the Michigan State University is giving final review to a proposal for a certificate program in organic farming. In fall 2005, the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, was the first university in North America to offer an organic agriculture major.

The trend reflects a highly increasing consumer demand for organic food. Safeway offers its own store brand, Wal-Mart stated to put 400 organic food items on their shelves by this summer. California’s farmers are doing their share to meet the demand. In 2003, 177,000 acres of certified organic cropland were found there, as the figures of the U.S. Department of Agriculture show, more than in any other state. The universities in California are expected to respond to this trend as well.

Northwest Arkansas’ News Source, http://nwanews.com/bcdr/News/36238/