Agriculture has been an integral part of the University since its inception as students were taught Agriculture and related enterprises as a means of providing for enterprises allowed the college to maintain self sufficiency and prepared graduate work.  The second Morrill Act of 1890 reinforced the activities that were ongoing with offering fields of study in Agriculture in addition to liberal education.

Today, the Department of Agriculture maintains the best of the past.  The department assists the University in areas through teaching, research and service to the community.  Research activities use part of the duties for instructional faculty.  Faculty is conducting research in Alternative Crops (herb/spices, vegetables and drought tolerance of rice), integrated pest management (both terrestrial and aquatic environments), marketing better quality and management of caged layers.  Research activities are carried out at the UAPB Experimental Station and the Small Farm Outreach Wetlands Water Management Center in Lonoke, Arkansas.

The service component of the department is accomplished through Cooperative Small Farm Outreach activities.  The Cooperative Extension Service activities include research-based information to clientele groups through meetings, workshops and livestock management and community development.  The Small Farm Outreach Program assists farmers who are socially disadvantaged.  It is designed to help make a profit and maintain ownership of land.

Degree Programs

Agricultural Sciences with options in:

• Agricultural Economics
  Agricultural Economics Option may be defined as a study of the efficient allocation of the factors of production in Agriculture-land, labor, capital and management between alternative and competing ends.
  
• Agricultural Business
  Agricultural Business Option may be defined as a summation of activities involved in the manufacturing and distribution of farm inputs, production, storage, processing and the distribution of farm commodities.
  
• Plant Science (Agronomy/Horticulture)
  Plant Science Option prepares students in areas of crop production and protection; crop breeding and improvement; crop physiology and nutrition; and, application of biotechnology in crop enhancement.
  
•  Animal Science
  Animal Science Option is designed to give the student basic knowledge of nutrition, physiology, breeding, management, diseases and parasites of livestock and poultry. The Animal Science Option will prepare students for careers in agriculture such as meat inspectors, laboratory technicians, extension agents, and production animal agriculturalists. The degree can lead to entry into graduate and veterinary schools.
  
• Agricultural Education
  The School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences in cooperation with the Department of Elementary, Secondary and Special Education administers a curriculum in Agricultural Education. Students must request admission to teacher education. (See Criteria under “Admission to School of Education”). In order to exit the program, students must pass PRAXIS examinations I and II.

The Regulatory Science Program

The multi-disciplinary curriculum in Regulatory Science is designed to prepare students for exciting careers related to regulatory and compliance activities with federal, state and local governments as well as private industry. Government regulatory agencies protect the health and safety of the American public. They help to ensure safety in the development, distribution and use of natural resources, food and agricultural products. In addition, regulatory agents work with environmental issues, waste disposal issues and the industrial and manufacturing sectors.

Students completing the curriculum have expertise in a technical field as well as broad-based knowledge of the legislative and judicial powers delegated to federal and state agencies. Graduates of the program are equipped to balance regulatory issues of health and safety with constitutional rights of citizens, economic development interests, national security, international development and other evolving social and political priorities.

Regulatory Science with options in:

• Agriculture
• Environmental Biology
• Industrial Health and Safety

The program requires students to take a set of core courses to offer an underlying knowledge of government regulations and basic sciences. These courses include biology, chemistry, food plant, and animal sciences, depending on their option of specialization. The regulatory science core curriculum students will study advanced courses in their specialization.