LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, US — The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is building a new research center at the University of Nebraska (UNL) that will focus on innovation promoting sustainable, resilient and highly efficient agriculture practices to meet a full range of contemporary challenges.
A ground-breaking ceremony on May 6 kicked off construction of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture, which will be located on the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska, US.
Construction will begin with greenhouses that will allow ARS to perform research on wheat, barley, sorghum, forage and bioenergy grasses and other crops. Scientific research on how these plants respond to emerging pests and pathogens under a full-range of environmental conditions will support the goal of developing climate-resilient crops for the US agriculture industry.
“There is a long history of scientific innovation and collaboration between ARS and UNL, typical of the USDA–Land-grant University partnerships across the country,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA chief scientist and undersecretary for research, education, and economics. “Updated facilities ensure our best and brightest scientists work in the environment and with the tools they need to successfully meet the challenges agriculture faces.”
When fully completed, the 120,000-square-foot agriculture research complex will be the central hub for multidisciplinary experts, scientists and engineers who will collaborate with industry and producers to improve water and food security, increase the resilience of agricultural landscapes, and enhance agricultural profitability.
The establishment of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture will further strengthen over a century of collaboration, the ARS and UNL said, advancing research on sustainable bioenergy crops and production systems. The Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research Unit and the Agroecosystem Management Research Unit are currently located on UNL’s campus.
“This project is a testament to the long history of innovation, ingenuity and adaptability of agricultural producers across the United States and right here in Nebraska,” said Mike Boehm, vice president, University of Nebraska, and vice chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UNL. “It celebrates an incredibly productive 120-year partnership between USDA-ARS and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and it exemplifies the passion and dedication of agricultural, state, and federal leaders.”
