UWRF College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Announces New Academic Offerings

November 3, 2014 -- The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls has recently added three new programs to its academic array:

• Horticulture - Fruit and Vegetable Sustainable Systems option 
• Food Processing Technology minor 
• Animal Science – Companion Animal emphasis 

Growing consumer interest in sustainable and locally grown foods prompted the addition of a new option within the horticulture program, Fruit and Vegetable Sustainable Systems. UW-River Falls already offers coursework in fruit and vegetable production and has an extensive fruit research program under the direction of Professor Brian Smith. This option integrates specific non-horticulture support courses in a systems approach.  The curriculum includes fruit and vegetable production, soil and plant nutrition, plant pathology, entomology, sustainable production models, environmental issues, market distribution and market forces, human resource management and food safety. A business emphasis already exists for students in this option that might want a stronger business component. 

"One of the hallmarks of this new option is to prepare our students to be able to address future changes with confidence and flexibility," said Smith, professor of horticulture.  "Upon graduating our students will be managers and owners of highly variable fruit and vegetable operations. To be successful, they must keep pace with the new technologies that emerge, ranging from growing systems and equipment to bioengineering and food safety. With the tools we provide them, our students will be able to successfully and profitably grow and market vegetables and fruits locally and globally, while educating the public and protecting the environment." 

Students in animal science with a meat animal emphasis traditionally take coursework that gives them exposure to the basic processes and practices of converting livestock into a retail product, and the associated issues of quality and product safety. The new minor in Food Processing Technology will give students in other areas (dairy science, crops and soils, horticulture) the same opportunity to gain theoretical knowledge and practical experience in applicable food product processing. 

"This minor, coupled with the planned renovation of the UWRF Dairy Plant will expose students to the latest, state-of-the-art science, technology and equipment for dairy manufacturing, making them extremely competitive nationwide for high salary supervisory and quality control positions in the dairy industry," said Gary Onan, chair of the Animal and Food Science Department. "Dairy manufacturing leaders have specifically expressed the need for graduates with that type of background.  Similar sentiments have come from meat, vegetable, and fruit processors." 

The new Animal Science emphasis in Companion Animals complements the existing Animal Science emphases in Meat Animal and Equine, and responds to the growing interest in this branch of animal science. The new emphasis consists of four specific courses and fits within the animal science program similar to the other emphases. The degree awarded in all three emphasis areas is animal science, allowing students to seek employment in either companion or non-companion animal areas. Industry representatives that helped guide the planning for the new emphasis noted the need for College graduates to fill a variety of positions in their sector of the industry.  

"The Companion Animal emphasis will provide a 'home' for the substantial number of students with a passion for animal biology who are not necessarily interested in food producing species," said Onan. "By the same token, these students will be exposed to a significant amount of coursework that focuses on production animals which will help build an appreciation of production animal agriculture among this demographic." 

This new emphasis will likely be attractive to students following a pre-veterinary medicine track, as typically 75 percent of veterinary school graduates go on to work exclusively in small animal practices.  

"These programmatic changes represent the ongoing efforts of CAFES faculty and staff to be responsive to the needs and interests of our students and of the employers and industries who will ultimately hire them," stated CAFES Dean Dale Gallenberg. "We believe these changes help address some unique opportunities and challenges for the college that have emerged in the last several years." 

"Overall, CAFES remains committed to providing broad-based, hands-on education that prepares our graduates to be ready from the first day to work in production agriculture and related industries," Gallenberg said. "This commitment is further demonstrated in our recently completed Lab Farm Master Plan and the priority renovation and new construction projects it identified, and in the launching of a significant renovation project for our Dairy Pilot Plant. We look forward to additional opportunities to work with our many external partners in strengthening the educational experiences of our students." 

For more information, email laura.walsh@uwrf.edu or call 715-425-3535.