ARS researchers in Department of Plant Sciences will move to new facility

A new facility to be built east of the UC Davis campus highlights the partnership between the university – including the Department of Plant Sciences – and national agencies to confront challenges faced by consumers and the agriculture industry.

Nearly 70 years of collaboration between the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service predated the groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 29 celebrating the new facility. 

The USDA’s Agricultural Research and Technology Center will feature specialized labs, greenhouses and research space. It will be built on Second Street, two miles east of campus and next to the central offices of the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources.

The 59,000-square-foot building will house four ARS research units currently embedded in CA&ES departments, including the Department of Plant Sciences. The ARS units cover fruits, nuts and grapes; crop pathology; invasive species and pollinators; and water systems.

The new center will help scientists “continue to work together to advance the goals and missions of both institutions,” CA&ES Dean Helene Dillard said at the ceremony. Joint research projects already underway include enhancing disease resistance in fruit and grape cultivars, using satellite and drone technology and tackling pest management. UC Davis faculty, postdoctoral scholars and students will continue collaborating with ARS scientists to address issues in sustainable agriculture, invasive species, water management, soil health and food safety, she added.

Scientists at UC Davis “are working closely with the USDA and other institutions to turn ideas into real-world solutions that farmers and the ag industry can use,” Dillard said.

Rep. Mike Thompson, whose 4^th Congressional District includes parts of Yolo and Solano counties, called UC Davis “the greatest agricultural college in the world” and highlighted the fruitful collaboration with ARS, which started with wine grapes in 1956. He pointed to the urgency of finding scientific solutions to the threats posed by climate change. 

“This new center and the fantastic scientists here at UC Davis will strengthen that collaboration and expand on the work,” Thompson said.

Partnerships to meet challenges

Continued collaboration and expanded partnerships will help overcome challenges in agriculture that affect food, health and economic prospects, said Glenda Humiston, vice president of UC ANR.

USDA-ARS Administrator Simon Liu flew in from Washington, D.C., to participate in the groundbreaking. “I’m looking forward to another 70 years of collaboration with UC Davis,” Liu said. 

Read more from USDA-ARS here.

Read more from CA&ES here.