WSU First to Offer Degree in Organic Agriculture

WSU leads the way in organics. This fall Washington State University will be the country’s first university to offer a major in organic agriculture systems and is leading a movement among agricultural schools to put organic farming in the curriculum. “WSU has been conducting research in organics for more than 25-30 years. It seemed only natural to have a program in it,” said John Reganold, a soil scientist at WSU who conceived the school’s organics major. The trend reflects rising consumer demand for food grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones or genetic engineering. “Organics are 2 percent of the market, with dairy being the fastest growing,” Reganold said. That figure is expected to double by 2010. The increased availability will cause prices of organic foods to drop, allowing poor and middle-class families access to healthier food choices, he said. Retail sales of organic foods have escalated 20 percent annually since 1990, according to a 2002 U.S. Department of Agriculture report. For information on how to contact Reganold or program coordinator Cathy Perillo, call Charleen Taylor, WSU News Service, at 206.448.1333 or 206.330.6999 (cell).