Skip to main content
Disaster Recovery Portal 
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Research Facilities

The important work we do extends beyond every lab and classroom wall.

Our research is found in every corner of the state. We partner with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at our 18 research stations to test research in real-world scenarios under natural conditions.

We strive to make farming more efficient, productive and profitable, while maintaining a sound environment and providing consumers with safe and affordable products.

Our physical facilities – both on- and off-campus – provide a window into our research programs and accomplishments.

On-Campus Research Facilities

State of the art research facilities lead to cutting edge science right on campus.

Off-Campus Research Facilities

Scientists must have access to real-world conditions to validate their research. Our off-campus facilities provide that access.

North Carolina State University, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), operates 18 research stations across the state where scientists and students test research in real-world scenarios under natural conditions.

Visit our Research Stations 

North Carolina State University leads the country in many agricultural disciplines. This leadership role is dependent on a partnership formed between Research and Extension faculty and staff in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the University Field Laboratories (UFL).

Each member has a different responsibility in the partnership. For instance, research faculty write grants to financially support their area of basic or applied research. Extension and teaching faculty and staff rapidly turn today’s research results into tomorrow’s reality for farmers. But CALS faculty and staff can’t conduct research or showcase new ideas without land for crops and livestock. Land, facilities, and routine maintenance are the responsibility of UFL.

UFL maintains large tracts of land suitable for livestock and crop experiments. These land tracts are true laboratories in the field. If the experimental unit is an animal, UFL employees feed and maintain livestock for the duration of experiments. If the experimental unit is a crop, UFL employees prepare the site and maintain the crop. UFL maintains, renovates, and even builds, barns and other buildings required for specific research projects. In short, UFL assists wherever possible to ensure that the goals of the research projects are met and that extension and teaching demonstrations successfully transfer information to students and the community.

Each field laboratory maintains specific livestock breeds, or crops, or both. Please visit each of our websites to familiarize yourself with current and past research at your local Field Laboratory. If visiting via the web is too tame for you, come out and visit us on one of our many field days.

Pesticide Storage & Safety Complex
Candy Orr, Safety Officer & Pesticide Storage Complex Manager
candy_orr@ncsu.edu
P 919-513-2580

Operations
Curtis Powell, Operations Superintendent
curtis_powell@ncsu.edu
P 919-515-2823

Shop Operations
3941 Dr. Bill Gilbert Way Raleigh, NC 27603
P 919-515-5346

Breeze Farm

Raleigh Area Agricultural Units

Innovative research doesn’t end in laboratories.

  • Animal Health Building (BSL2 Containment) Managing Department: Animal Science Contact: Dr. Jack Odle 3900 Mid Pines Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-515-4050
  • Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center Processing Facility Managing Department: Poultry Science & Animal Science Contact: Dr. Carm Parkhurst 4051 Chi Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-515-5385
  • Aquaculture Educational Unit (Fish Barn) Managing Department: Applied Ecology Contact: Allison Culbreth 3903 Inwood Road Raleigh, NC 27603 tpnether@ncsu.edu 919-513-2106
  • Bee Research Facility Managing Department: Entomology Contact: Dr. David Tarpy 4325 Inwood Road Raleigh, NC 27603
  • Beef Cattle Educational Unit Managing Department: Animal Science Contact: Rick Kern 4505 Mid Pines Road Raleigh, NC 27603 rick_kern@ncsu.edu 919-513-7287
  • Dairy Educational Center and Creamery Managing Department: Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences Contact: Mike Veach 301 Dairy Lane Raleigh, NC 27603 anthony_chesnutt@ncsu.edu  919-515-2674
  • Equine Educational Unit Managing Department: Animal Science Contact: Lawson Walston 5100 Reedy Creek Road Raleigh, NC 27607 lbwalsto@ncsu.edu 919-515-3049 (office)
  • Feed Mill Education Unit Managing Department: Poultry Science Contact: Shawn Bradshaw 4001 Chi Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-513-2619 scbradfo@ncsu.edu
  • Method Road Greenhouse Facilities Managing Department: Crop Science Contact: Wayne Holder 840 Method Road Raleigh, NC 27606 919-515-2642
  • Metabolism Educational Unit Managing Department: Animal Science Contact: Tabitha Wilson 2005 Trenton Road Raleigh, NC 27607 tabitha_wilson@ncsu.edu 919-851-1803 (office)
  • Poultry/Chicken Unit Managing Department: Poultry Science Contact: Ryan Patterson 4108 Lake Wheeler Road 919-515-7130
  • Poultry/Turkey Unit Managing Department: Poultry Science Contact: Stephen Hocutt shocutt@ncsu.edu 4601 Mid Pines Road 919-515-3446
  • R&D Animal Air Quality Bldg. Managing Department: Biological and Ag Engineering Contact: Li-Wang 3964 Parametric Road 919-513-3158
  • Small Ruminant Educational Unit Managing Department: Animal Science Contact: Brandon Roper 2022 Trenton Road Raleigh, NC 27607 bill_knox@ncsu.edu 919-815-2940 (office)
  • Swine Educational Unit Managing Department: Animal Science Contact: Clay Byrd 3901 Inwood Road Raleigh, NC 27603 clay_byrd@ncsu.edu 919-515-2750
  • Air Quality Unit Managing Department: USDA-ARS Contact: Kent Burkey 3908 Inwood Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-515-3728
  • Agroecology Education Farm Managing Department: Crop Science Contact: Dr. Michelle Schroeder-Moreno 4400 Mid Pines Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-513-0085
  • Breeze Farm Extension and Research Facility Contact: Dr. Carl Maytac, Director, Orange County Extension Service 4909 Walnut Grove Church Road Hurdle Mills, NC 27541 919-245-2051
  • Fike Agronomy Teaching Field Lab Managing Department: Crop Science Contact: Allison Reeves 3014 Mid Pines Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-513-0085
  • Horticultural Field Laboratory (site of the JC Raulston Arboretum) Contact: Bradley Holland 4301 Beryl Road Raleigh, NC 27636 919-515-3144
  • Small Grain Research Area Managing Department: USDA-ARS Contact: David Marshall 3512 Mid Pines Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-515-6819
  • Soil and Water Technology Center/Land Application Facility Managing Department: Soil Science Biological & Agricultural Engineering Contact: Dr. Mike Hoover & Joni Tanner 4000 Chi Road Raleigh, NC 27603 joni_tanner@ncsu.edu 919-513-1678
  • Structural Pest Training Facility Managing Department: Entomology Contact: Dr. Mike Waldvogel 3996 Chi Road Raleigh, NC 27603
  • Turfgrass Field Laboratory Managing Department: Crop Science Contact: Marty Parish 3920 Dr. Bill Gilbert Way Raleigh, NC 27604 bwpease@ncsu.edu 919-515-3909
  • Engineering Office Contact: Richard D. Currin, Jr., PE Facilities Engineer 3720 Lake Wheeler Road Raleigh, NC 27603 richard_currin@ncsu.edu P 919-513-2900
  • Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory Contact: Curtis Powell Operations Superintendent 4201 Inwood Road Raleigh, NC 27603 curtis_powell@ncsu.edu P 919-515-2823
  • Pesticide Storage and Safety Complex Contact: Candy Orr Safety Officer & Pesticide Storage Complex Manager 4021 Chi Road Raleigh, NC 27603 candy_orr@ncsu.edu 919-513-2580
  • Lake Wheeler Field Lab Shop Operations 3941 Dr. Bill Gilbert Way Raleigh, NC 27603 P 919-515-5346

Where City Meets Farm: The True Value of a Landmark Field Lab

In the midst of Raleigh’s urban sprawl, the Lake Wheeler Road Field Lab remains an active research farm for NC State and a critical resource for North Carolina’s largest industry.

Explore Lake Wheeler
lake wheeler road field lab aerial photo