Agricultural Chemistry Department Records, 1895-1985

Agricultural Chemistry at Oregon State was initiated in 1883 with the appointment of Edgar Grimm as professor of agriculture and chemistry. Grimm had broad interests and training as evidenced by the fact that he taught chemistry, botany, practical agriculture and fruit culture.  Many of these studies would take place in the Departments of Soils, Crop Science, Horticulture, and Botany.  Grimm also supervised agricultural test plots of legumes, grasses and other forage plants on two acres of ground with the aid of his students.

As Oregon agriculture expanded and diversified, the study of agricultural chemistry also grew in order to effectively solve new agricultural problems, expanding to include environmental chemistry and toxicology sciences.

In the early 1960s the research capability of the department expanded through a grant from the National Institute of Health.  The grant provided for the establishment of the Environmental Health Sciences Center under the direction of V. H. Freed. Freed remained  director until he stepped down in 1981, at which time Dr. Donald Reed became director.

Today the study of agricultural chemistry is housed in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, where it has been since 1998.