SEGMENT: BACKGROUND
Doug Parrett>LPL Interviews N-Z>LPL Interviews K-Z, Segment 3
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- BACKGROUND
- History of the College of Agriculture. 1867 was the start of this Land Grant University. Purpose was to take technology back to the people. In 1886 the college of agriculture. Most of the college developed around 1900. Animal husbandry and crops were early departments. Home economics developed. Animal husbandry became animal and dairy husbandry. 1940 brought the veterinary school. Animals sciences consolidated around 1980. Deals with management of raising animals. Veterinary is for health. They are related, but departments are separate. In 1900, about 40-50 per cent of population was involved in agriculture. Now 2-3 per cent. The Ag department was major one in 1900 (50 per cent). Now it is ten per cent of the university population. The department is now called ACES (Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences), changed because it is science based, not just production-based. Animal science, crop science, ag consumer economics, natural resources and environmental studies, food & nutrition, human and community development, and ag and bio-engineering. Explains some of these terms. Each department has different areas of concentration. Now there are fewer students who came from a farm where they actually raised animals. Most were males in the 1970s. Now, of his 200 incoming students, 80 per cent want to be vets. Where are the farm kids today learning technology and skills for animal production? It demands too much for one person to understand all aspects of it, including techniques, marketing, etc.