Future of Horticultural Science Task Force

L. George Wilson, Past President of the American Society for Horticultural Science
July 2004

Around the world horticultural industries are continuing to fare well, and we are all enjoying the fruits of their successes ..year around. Meanwhile, in academia around the world, Horticultural Science Departments in universities and colleges are disappearing. More correctly, our horticultural science departments are being combined with other crop science departments into departments of Plant Sciences.
For a number of reasons, university and college administrators are being forced to consolidate compatible departments as a matter of efficiency and survival. As this process continues to play out across the United States and around the world, one has to wonder who will be next? The question posed in the title of this ASHS open forum, 'The Last Horticultural Science Department', is valid.
What can we do to stop this trend? What should we do? If we do nothing, decisions will be made for us by those less knowledgeable about our interests and needs.
ASHS and our global counterpart, ISHS, have initiated dialogue on these issues by the creation of a joint 'Future of Horticultural Science' Task Force. At the next meeting of the Horticultural Council of ISHS in late August in Brisbane, Australia, this subject will be prominent on the agenda.

ASHS Task Force on the Future of Horticultural Science

Meanwhile, an ASHS Task Force on the Future of Horticultural Science was appointed to lead this dialogue among our membership. Members of this task force include:

L. George Wilson, Chair of ASHS Board of Directors, and ASHS representative on ISHS International Horticultural Council, Vice Provost, International Affairs, NC State Univ.
Norman Looney, President, ISHS, Principal Research Scientist Emeritus, Agriculture Canada, Somerton, BC, Canada
Jules Janick, Board of Directors, ISHS, Professor of Horticulture, Purdue Univ. (substituting for Looney at ASHS Open Forum)
Daniel Cantliffe, ASHS representative on ISHS International Horticultural Council, Chair, Horticultural Science Dept., Univ. of Florida
Blanche Dansereau, Professor of Plant Science, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
Fred T. Davies, Professor of Horticultural Science, Texas A&M Univ.
Julia Kornegay, Head, Horticultural Science Dept., NC State Univ.
Lurline Marsh, Head, Horticulture Dept. Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore

Wilson, Looney, Janick and Cantliffe will meet with the ISHS Council in Brisbane, Australia, 27-30 August 2004. Approximately 70 ASHS members participated in the Open Forum in Austin, Texas. Following brief introductory comments by Wilson, Janick, Marsh, Kornegay and Davies, the Task Force listened to the following comments offered by ASHS members.

Issues of Concern/Recommendations:

Horticultural Science Departments

'Horticulture' in the title of an academic department is critical to maintaining the prominence of horticulture. It was noted that, historically, horticulture was usually not a separate department, but evolved out of various other disciplines, including botany, plant physiology, and forestry. Are we reverting to this?
Horticultural research, teaching and extension contributions should all be emphasized in identifying and leveraging our support bases. Research generates more financial support, but teaching is most visible and best understood among the public.
We are not doing a very good job of showing how we impact everyday lives. Horticultural scientists should engage in marketing our image and promoting our importance to horticultural industries and urbanization programs. We must document the ways in which horticultural scientists have impact on the economy.
Horticultural scientists should become engaged in university administrative positions. to be in positions to influence decisions regarding university future planning, including the maintenance of departments of horticultural science.
Universities should establish Distinguished Chairs in horticultural disciplines which are devoted to study in this field. If we pursue these approaches, academic horticulture will not only survive but prosper.
Positioning. We should have lists of our horticultural science needs ready to present to university administrators and Congressmen/women whenever opportunities arise.
Funding opportunities linked to current and emerging food safety and food security issues should be pursued by horticulturalists in partnership with other disciplines, including biotechnologists. Publicize that we are all horticulturists.
Biotechnologists have joined horticultural science departments, but do not always identify with the traditional main thrusts of the department. More effort toward fully engaging the basic researchers in our departments is warranted if we really want to retain our identity as departments of horticultural science.
More basic scientists imbedded in horticultural science departments often prefer other affiliations. Can't we double count them as horticultural scientists?
We are no longer a rural society. Populations are increasing in urban areas. Horticultural Science departments need to change to address these dynamics by giving greater attention to urban populations.
Efforts need to be increased to engage children in horticulture.

Industry

Organizations that relate to horticulture should be used to advocate for maintaining Horticultural Science Departments. These commodity groups can be very influential, especially if they work together, such as the North Carolina Horticultural Council.
These industry support groups should unite and work together to provide consolidated requests to decision makers regarding horticultural science needs. As one Forum participant said, 'lumpers are more effective than splitters'.
The horticultural industry is still influential at the dean level, where critical decisions are made. Industry leaders must organize to pressure the state universities to continue research and education in horticulture.
The globalization of horticulture. Are the technologies that we horticulturalists produce helping our farmers? Or are they helping global trade, helping our competitors?

ASHS

If horticultural science departments are healthy, ASHS will continue to be healthy.
Raise the level of scholarship in horticultural science and ASHS.
Professional certification as horticulturalists should be a priority. Certified Professional Horticulturalists and Certified Horticultural Associates will provide greater visibility to horticultural science.

Government

Federal agencies and legislative offices are accessible. Our ASHS president, executive director, and possibly other officers, should make appointments to visit regularly - to reinforce the importance of horticulture to communities and the economy.
Federal agencies are investing in research efforts in which they anticipate greater returns on their investment. Will funds invested in horticulture research yield sufficient ROI?