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