Body Farm: What and Where are They?
Forensic Research Facilities also known as "Body Farms" are where an university offers forensic professionals, students and researchers the opportunity to study the various stages of decomposition. Through the university's scientific body donation program, once the cadaver is collected and prepped, it will be placed in their private field laboratory in a specific scenario in order to be studied. Unfortunately NO public tours are available. Scenarios include (but not limited to): shallow grave, cadaver dog training, exposure burial, body in a trunk or garbage bin, body wrapped in a tarp, etc. it mostly depends on the curriculum or research project.
These facilities help advance the scientific field of forensics which may offer investigators an upper hand at a crime scene and through out their investigation.
If you are interested in donating yourself to a Forensic Research Facility, find one near you and contact them before it's too late and they may also have a waiting list.
Body Donation at University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN)
https://fac.utk.edu/body-donation/
865-974-4408 , donateinfo@utk.edu
Body Donation Packet:
http://fac.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Body_Donation_Packet_2017.pdf
Whole Body Donation Program at Texas State University (San Marcos, TX)
https://www.txstate.edu/anthropology/facts/donations/Body.html
FACTS@txstate.edu , 512-245-1900
Donation Forms: https://gato-docs.its.txstate.edu/jcr:8a4d29e7-ab3b-4399-be2d-68675a21a10b/Donation%20Info%20Sheet%20(100%20miles).pdf
Body Donation Program at Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)
https://www.shsu.edu/~stafs/body.html
936-294-2310 , STAFS@shsu.edu
Anatomical Donation Program at Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL)
https://www.siumed.edu/anatomy/anatomical-donations.html
(618) 453-8438 , (317) 372-6836
Donation Forms: https://www.siumed.edu/sites/default/files/form-file/anatomical_gift_form_2018_2.pdf
Body Donation Program at Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, CO)
https://www.coloradomesa.edu/forensic-investigation-research-station/donations.html
970.248.1219 , 970.248.1049 , mconnor@coloradomesa.edu , ajsmith4@coloradomesa.edu.
Donation Forms for Living Donors: https://www.coloradomesa.edu/forensic-investigation-research-station/documents/2019-body_donation_packet.pdf
Donation Forms for Deceased Donors: https://www.coloradomesa.edu/forensic-investigation-research-station/documents/2019-firs-body_donation_packet-for-donating-deceased-individual.pdf
Body Donation Program at Northern Michigan University (Marquette, MI)
https://www.nmu.edu/frost/general-information
(906) 227-1144 , frost@nmu.edu
Self Donation Form: https://www.nmu.edu/frost/sites/DrupalFROST/files/UserFiles/SELF_Packet_website_2020.06.11.pdf
Next of Kin Donation Form: https://www.nmu.edu/frost/sites/DrupalFROST/files/UserFiles/NOK_Packet_website_2020.06.11.pdf
Human Donation Program at University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)
http://forensics.usf.edu/humandonation/
813.974.4219 , gmgoad@mail.usf.edu
Living Donor Packet: http://forensics.usf.edu/data/living-donor-packet.pdf
Body Donation Program at Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, NC)
828-227-2817 , wcubodydonation@wcu.edu
Donations forms are located on their website.