While the science community continues to ask how its responsibility to society needs to be expressed in the modern world, higher education grapples with issues of its own, including issues embroiled in the perennial tug-of-war between principle and economic pragmatism. In this paper, the authors give an account of the origins and development of a new undergraduate course in "ecological agriculture" at a regional Australian university campus. In this story, the tug-of-war is dragged strongly back to central issues of purpose and philosophy. Supplementary pragmatic information included are summaries from the feedback from students who have undergone the course and members of the relevant industry obtained through the course evaluations done in the years 2002-2005; moreover, a brief explanation as to how the obstacles faced were met in launching the programme has also been included. Course aims and outcomes are appended. (Contains 3 figures, 2 tables and 2 notes.)