Dordt University Department of Agriculture

Overview

Dordt University offers a Christian accredited four-year agriculture program. The diversity of agricultural opportunities near campus makes Dordt an ideal setting for studying agriculture. We believe that “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). We’ll challenge you to think about issues such as stewardship, agricultural policy, environmental health, rural community vitality, and animal welfare from a Christian point of view. You’ll learn about the connectedness of plants, animals, business, economic infrastructure, and the natural environment. You’ll learn to evaluate choices about food and fiber production, processing, distribution, marketing, and disposal from a God-centered point of view. Explore how production and marketing decisions affect global and local environments and economies. All in all, our mission is to use a Biblical foundation, theoretical knowledge, and applied experiences to prepare students to honor God through lives of service and leadership in agriculture.

Agricultural Degrees Offered

• Agribusiness and Applied Economics
• Agribusiness
• Agricultural Education
• Animal Sciences
• Biotechnology
• General Agriculture
• Plant Sciences
• Pre-Veterinary Science
• Agricultural Missions

Research Centers

The facilities and faculty provide hands-on opportunities for the students. The Science and Technology Center’s animal science and agronomy labs include a plant tissue culture lab, student project rooms, a greenhouse, and shared botany, chemistry, microbiology, and zoology labs. Also, located 2 miles north of campus, the Agriculture Stewardship Center (ASC) has 200 acres of cropland used for production, crop testing, and research; 20 acres of cropland is farmed organically, with the remainder farmed using conventional methods; Black Angus stock cow herd; machinery maintenance facility; and welding lab. The students use the ASC for research projects, skill development, and class demonstrations. The Defender Cattle Investment Course seeks to educate through hands-on learning environments that foster Christian ethics and principles of stewardship through cattle investment at a local custom feedlot. Finally, in senior capstone projects, students develop research projects, cooperate with local farmers and companies, resulting in field days and publications.