Megan's Story: Ag Building

New Agricultural Sciences Building/Utah State Agricultural Complex
By Megan Peterson

Out with the old, and in with the new. Utah State University's College of Agriculture students will be enjoying a brand new, state of the art Agricultural Sciences Building that will be located on the East end of the Quad where the old Merrill Library once was.

The 50,000 square foot, five-level building will house the College of Agriculture, Utah Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension administrative offices, advanced technology classrooms, laboratories and offices for faculty and support staff.

The new building is set to begin construction in September of 2009 to replace the current facility, the E.G. Peterson Building.

Built in 1953, the current facility has never had a renovation. The building is in great need of replacement for various reasons. Asbestos, inadequate air handling systems, an overburdened electrical system, and lack of services for students with disabilities are among the major reasons for the new facility.

The $100 million project is dually funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Services.

Interest in Utah State's outstanding research have aided in the support by the USDA-ARS. One of the various reasons that the USDA-ARS is so supportive of the new facility is because Utah State is home to one of the nations only bee research facilities.

A sophomore majoring in animal science said, "it will be so nice to have a new building. It seems like a lot of other colleges get new facilities, and now it's our turn. The reason Utah State is the way it is, is because we are Aggies, an agricultural school, and the better agricultural facilities we have, the better."

Another benefit of the new building will be the opening up of much needed space in the George S. Eccles Business Building where the faculty for applied economics, or agricultural economics is now housed. This will also facilitate closer cooperation among researchers.

Not only will the College of Agriculture be gaining a new building on the main campus, construction of Utah State's Agricultural Complex has been completed and is located south of Logan.

The new complex is facilitating several high profile animal genomics, cloning and nutrition research projects.

The new complex is replacing 77 structures north of the university's main campus and is built on land associated with the university's existing South Farm and Caine Dairy Teaching and Research Center near Wellsville.

The new complex capitalizes on the university's investments in the dairy and existing animal care and research facilities and helps local communities maintain a desired agricultural presence along the valley's main traffic corridor.

It will also allow for greater integration of classroom, laboratory and field work to enhance educational opportunities for students, and will also allow for improved security and will move critical support functions closer to animals, land and research projects.

According to a recent press release, “Providing education that helps agriculture to survive and to thrive is central to Utah State's land grant mission and heritage. The new Utah State Agricultural Complex and a new agricultural sciences building on the main campus will provide unprecedented teaching and research opportunities.”

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