Prevalence, Use, and Perceptions of Student Farms at Public Agricultural Universities

Abstract

Student farms provide experiential learning opportunities at a variety of colleges and universities across the United States. The full extent of the student farm movement at public agricultural universities, [Land Grant Universities (LGUs) and Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities (NARRUs)] is largely unknown. An online survey was sent to 112 LGUs and 69 NARRUs to examine the prevalence, use, and perceptions of student farms at these institutions. Seventy-five of the 181 (41.4%) institutions responded to the survey, 47 (62.67%) institutions had student farms and 28 (37.33%) did not have student farms. Institutions with student farms show that students are largely self-motivated to participate in farm work, but major differences exist between student farms at 1862 LGUs and NARRUs. Overall, student farms help institutions accomplish the LGU/university mission. Institutions without student farms indicated that finances and student interest are barriers to student farm establishment; however, they believe student farms would help them accomplish the LGU/university mission. Future research can develop greater means for communication/information sharing among student farms, work to reduce barriers to student farm establishment, and further clarify the differences between student farms at 1862 LGUs and NARRUs.