The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture plans to build a two-story, 55,000-square-foot research building on its research farm in Fayetteville.
The $16.3 million AgriSciences Building is expected to include eight to 10 laboratories and two greenhouses, according to documents from last week's University of Arkansas System board of trustees meeting.
"We envision this building will be the epicenter of agricultural research in Arkansas, providing the latest research advances by utilizing state-of-the-art technology to assist in that research," UA Division of Agriculture spokesman Mark Scott wrote in an email. "It's research that will ultimately touch all 75 counties in Arkansas and serve families and farmers in all corners of the state."
It will be built west of Garland Avenue and north of the UA Division of Agriculture's Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena. Funding for the project will come from UA Division of Agriculture reserves and private donors.
"We hope to break ground on the new building by next summer and anticipate having a full construction schedule available later this fall," Scott wrote.
The UA board last week approved the hiring of Little Rock-based WER Architects and Conway-based Nabholz Construction.
The capital project proposal for the research building states that the UA Division of Agriculture "has identified an urgent need to provide additional laboratory, multipurpose and administrative space to support the accelerated growth of our Research Programs."
The project is also proposed to include a 200-seat multipurpose room.
"Along with its significant research capabilities, the building will also be a community-friendly venue, with the opportunity for citizen groups to utilize the multipurpose room -- as well as the ability to be a part of public programs offered through the new facility," Scott wrote.
The UA Division of Agriculture is based in Little Rock. But its main research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, occupies 725 acres in Fayetteville. Main research areas include animal science, food science, crops and water resources.
The division operates other research stations and extension centers around the state.
In an interview, Scott said the new building will also be used by the UA Cooperative Extension Service, the other main component of the UA Division of Agriculture. He estimated that about a quarter of the cost for the project will be paid for with private funds, with the UA Division of Agriculture now better positioned to approach potential donors after the UA System board's approval.
Scott said water and crop research would likely take place in the building, with other research areas to be determined.
Arkansas ranked first among all states in rice exports in 2012, according to data compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture. The state ranked second in chicken-meat exports and fifth in cotton exports for the same time period, according to the USDA.
The state's agricultural sector output topped $10.3 billion in 2012, according to the USDA, up from about $9.2 billion in 2011. More recent data was not immediately available.
Asked about the urgency for the project, Scott noted the importance of agriculture in Arkansas.
"The urgency really comes from knowing we have a huge responsibility to continue that agricultural growth -- not just for years but for decades to come -- to sustain the economic growth of the state of Arkansas," Scott said.
Metro on 09/18/2014