There was a time when barns and sheds were prevalent on Utah State University's main campus and cattle were sheltered and fed in places where classrooms, laboratories and libraries now stand. Over the years, campus expansion and the changing needs of agricultural education and research moved many agricultural facilities and activities to more suitable locations.

Now, prompted by expansion of the university's Innovation Campus and its growing role in state and local economic development, USU's College of Agriculture, Utah Agricultural Experiment Station and USU Extension have an opportunity to create facilities to serve agriculture in the 21st century. Plans are underway to develop a new complex of classrooms, offices, computing labs, indoor and outdoor laboratories, and animal handling facilities on land just south of Logan on land associated with the university’s existing South Farm and Caine Dairy Teaching and Research Center.  Click here to view live video of the construction.

"Constructing a new agricultural complex will allow even greater integration of our teaching, research and extension activities," says Noelle Cockett, vice president for University Extension and dean of the College of Agriculture. "We have an opportunity to assess which activities will be best served there or on the main campus. It is really an opportunity to improve the ways we serve people in agriculture and develop future leaders."

Research and teaching facilities currently on land north of the main campus–including animal stalls and barns, equipment sheds, laboratories, researchers' offices, a feed mill and an equestrian arena–are not suitable for moving, but will be replaced at the new complex.

"Consolidating facilities will allow us to easily transfer new knowledge from the lab to adjacent animal facilities and research plots, and increase the involvement of our students," says Paul Rasmussen, UAES director and associate dean of the college. "Faculty and students will have greater flexibility to work in classrooms, labs and in the field because the new agricultural complex will integrate all those activities." 

The university received funding from the Utah Legislature to move forward with the estimated $10 million project. Salt Lake City-based Robert Jacoby Architects and Associates developed plans for the new complex.

“We are fortunate that legislators understand the importance of supporting agriculture in the state by helping us replace some important facilities,” Rasmussen said. “Change is always challenging, but we see this as an exciting opportunity to create a complex that enhances our efforts in research, teaching and extension.”

The complex is scheduled for completion in early 2008.  Click here to view live video of the construction.