The Journal of Dairy Science (JDS) and JDS Communications (JDSC) will have a new publisher in 2027! We are transitioning from Elsevier to Oxford University Press (OUP) to better align with the needs of our authors, reviewers, editors, and the entire ADSA community.
ADSA continues to own both journals and to manage peer review, editing, and production. This change is in publishing partner only, our standards and author-centric service will remain the same.
We know a change like this raises questions, and we are committed to providing timely and transparent information as it’s available. Below is a detailed list of questions and answers on access, submissions, article publishing costs, timing, and more.
If your question isn’t here, please reach out to managing editor Laura Esterman (laurae@adsa.org), and we will keep this page current as the transition unfolds.
- Does ADSA still own the journals?
JDS and JDSC are the journals of the American Dairy Science Association; the only thing changing is that they will be published by OUP rather than Elsevier.
- What exactly does the publisher do?
The publisher disseminates the journals, collects revenue (such as open access fees), indexes the journals in major databases, and provides guidance on ethical, legal, and other matters.
- Why are the journals changing publishers?
Our current contracts with Elsevier will expire at the end of 2026, and we interviewed multiple publishers to identify the best choice to meet ADSA’s needs. After careful consideration, we believe OUP will be the best fit for the unique qualities of ADSA journals. OUP is a society-based publisher, more closely aligned with the values held by ADSA in particular. Thanks to our longstanding relationship with Elsevier, the journals have grown considerably throughout our partnership. With this growth, we believe that OUP will enable us to provide new pathways and service opportunities for our authors, editors, reviewers, and readers to better serve our dairy science community.
- When will this take place?
Both JDS and JDSC will officially begin publication with OUP on January 1, 2027. Until then, Elsevier will continue to be a trusted partner during our transition to maintain continuity.
- What is going to change?
Most of the changes will be behind the scenes. OUP will now host the journal websites (journalofdairyscience.org and jdscommun.org), invoice authors, and collect licenses. ADSA editors and staff will continue to manage the peer review, editing, proofreading, and layout processes.
- Will I be able to access the journals the same way?
The journals will still be available online at journalofdairyscience.org for JDS and jdscommun.org for JDSC, but they will be hosted on OUP’s site, so the designs may change. Elsevier has additional JDS and JDSC sites on their Science Direct website, and these will no longer show new journal content, but all articles published by Elsevier will remain accessible.
- Will the submission process change?
Authors, reviewers, and editors will continue to work within the ScholarOne peer review system. The look of the submission portal may change, but it will be the same underlying software. ADSA will provide clear instructions on navigating the OUP submission process.
- Will the cost to publish an article in either journal change?
The article processing charges (APCs) for JDS will increase slightly, with a comparatively higher increase for JDSC. In 2027, JDS APCs will be $1,730 for members and $3,605 for nonmembers. For JDSC, APCs will be $1,100 for members and $1,865 for nonmembers. We anticipate APCs will then increase at a rate of 3% across the board annually.
- Why is the cost to publish in JDSC increasing more than JDS for 2027?
This change was made independently of the move to OUP. When JDSC launched in 2020, its fees were set for a brand-new startup journal with fewer articles and no impact factor. Since then, JDSC has been indexed in every major database, earned a strong initial impact factor of 2.2 that has just increased to 2.4, and grown significantly in both submissions and articles published. This one-time adjustment brings its fees in line with the quality and standing the journal has reached, while still keeping them more affordable than comparable journals and maintaining our discount for ADSA members. As with JDS, your JDSC article charges allow us to reinvest in the resources that serve our authors, reviewers, and readers.
- Will there be a delay in papers being published during the switch?
There will be a short window when we will cease publishing with Elsevier and begin with OUP. We estimate this will be ~2 weeks during late 2026.
- What if an article is published as an Article in Press with Elsevier, but won’t appear in an issue until OUP takes over?
Articles are considered published when they first appear on a publisher’s website online. Thus, the publisher of record will be the one that publishes the Article in Press, even if the article publishes in an issue with another publisher. So, any articles that publish online as an Article in Press in 2026 will be officially published with Elsevier, even if the article appears in an issue in 2027 that is published by OUP.
- I subscribe to Elsevier’s new issue or new Articles in Press alerts. Will I stop receiving those, and will I have to resubscribe with OUP?
We will contact everyone who subscribed to Elsevier’s alerts to see whether they’d like to transfer their alerts subscription to OUP. As a reminder, you can sign up to receive new customized journal issue alerts called JDS | JDSC Selects from ADSA directly by clicking here.
- I have more questions—whom can I ask about this?
We are still early in the transition process, and the signing of the agreement is only the first step. The next stage will be working through the transition between Elsevier and OUP, and we will keep everyone apprised of how things progress. We are looking forward to a January 1, 2027, kickoff with our new publishing partners, and hope you are as excited as we are. Reach out with any questions to managing editor Laura Esterman (laurae@adsa.org).