New Plant Facility Takes Root
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a new plant improvement facility at North Carolina State University’s Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory.
The state-of-the-art building will house approximately 30-40 scientists from NC State and ARS who will conduct research on maize, soybean, wheat, cotton and peanuts. When completed, the 51,296 square-foot, single-story structure will feature processing areas as well as office and research spaces organized in wings corresponding to their respective crops.
CALS Dean Garey Fox called the groundbreaking, which took place on Sept. 6, a “great day,” noting that it means the university is “one step closer to having a plant improvement facility become a reality.”
The new facility will be critical in addressing challenges impacting agriculture.
“When we get this completed, these facilities are going to be a prize asset for agricultural science and critical to the long-term success of plant science research,” said Fox.
NC State University Chancellor Randy Woodson added, “The impact of agriculture and agribusiness in North Carolina exceeds $100 billion. We’re excited to partner with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service on this facility and its solutions-driven approach for crops that are important economic drivers of the state’s economy.”
Construction of the plant improvement facility is projected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The USDA Plant Improvement Facility will be located at NC State’s Lake Wheeler Road Field Lab. 
NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson shares a light moment with Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. 
Shovels stand ready for groundbreaking of the plant research facility, projected to be finished in late 2026. 
Chancellor Randy Woodson signs an agreement with, from left, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary Chavonda Jacobs-Young, ARS Administrator Simon Liu and ARS Location Coordinator Muquarrab Qureshi. 
NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, left, shakes hands with ARS Southeast Area Director Archie Tucker.
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