The American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) announced Sept. 11 its new partnership with the Oxford University Press (OUP) to provide production, distribution and marketing services for the three journals in the ASAS Animal Science Collection.

This agreement, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2018, fits directly within the new ASAS strategic plan to enhance the visibility of journal portfolios, to continue emphasizing global expansion and to increase revenue to enhance membership services, ASAS said in its announcement.

Driven by the need to enhance journal visibility, ASAS reviewed its current publications and publishing platform and determined that the ASAS journal portfolio would be better served by a larger publisher with robust global marketing resources. The society’s decision to choose OUP followed intensive evaluations and negotiations. Ultimately, the ASAS publications committee and board of directors selected OUP because it presented the best understanding of the overall ASAS mission and strategic directives, it could immediately impact and enhance the visibility of ASAS journals in 2018 and the OUP business model aligned with the ASAS business model, according to the announcement.

Beginning in January 2018, the OUP platform will host all of the ASAS journals, including Journal of Animal Science, Translational Animal Science and Animal Frontiers, ASAS's review magazine with partners the European Federation of Animal Science, the Canadian Society of Animal Science and the American Meat Science Assn.

OUP will lead all sales and marketing efforts for the animal science publications suite, including institutional programs, digital promotion and brand development of the journals.

“Oxford University Press is honored to become a publishing partner to the American Society of Animal Science. With their high-quality, innovative approach and mission to foster scientific knowledge concerning animal and human health and well-being, the Journal of Animal Science, Animal Frontiers and Translational Animal Science are ideal additions to the OUP publishing portfolio,” said Niko Pfund, president of OUP USA.

“ASAS and I formally thank the Alliance of Crop, Soil & Environmental Science Societies (ACSESS), with special thanks to Ellen Bergfeld, Emily Mueller, Matt Nilsson and Bill Cook, for serving as our publishing partner from 2012 through 2017," said ASAS president and former Journal of Animal Science editor-in-chief Dr. Steve Zinn. "ASAS will continue to partner with ACSESS on several other initiatives to facilitate collaborations across agricultural disciplines. We are very excited about our new partnership with Oxford University Press, and the new opportunities this presents."

ASAS fosters the discovery, sharing and application of scientific knowledge concerning the care and responsible use of animals to enhance animal and human health and well-being.