PARMA, IDAHO — The University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences cut the ribbon and opened the doors of its new state-of-the-art plant health research facility in Canyon County
- This was a $12 Million project funded by many local farmers, The University of Idaho, and the state of Idaho.
- The facility will focus on plant disease research and invasive insect species.
- The facility will test soil samples as well as controlled crop samples grown on facility grounds.
- Faculty are hoping this center will help grow a larger reputation for their agricultural research department as well as bring in more new members.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
People often think of agriculture as cows, sows, and plows. But modern-day agricultural research takes place in cutting-edge laboratories like the brand-new facility out in Parma. I am your neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston at the University of Idaho's brand-new Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health.
"It's hard to be a farmer. It's hard to be a good farmer," said Margaret Watson.
After many years, the doors were officially opened Tuesday night for the new revolutionary Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health in Parma.
Watson went on saying, "Research facilities are really important to farmers and should be really important to everybody because everybody eats."
Margaret Watson of the JC Watson company and many other farmers have been pushing for this new facility since the 2008 recession that almost closed the old research center. However, with time comes many changes.
"We have less land. We have climate change. There are still bugs out there. There is all those things that will attack our food and we have to protect it," explained Watson.
According to many faculty members in order to protect our food we must adapt.
"This building is really that adaption," said one of the postgraduate students showcasing the receiving room.
"There are a lot of different doctors here helping out with not just soil, but roots, trees, and fruits," explained another.
With this state-of-the-art center, the department hopes to bring the best of the best to extend the lengths of their research.
Michael Parrella, the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Science explained, "Talk about hops production. We are the second-largest hop-producing state. One of the largest onion-producing states, we are the largest potato-producing state, and we are the tenth largest apple-producing state as well. All these things I don't think people understand."
Another student went on to say, "The center itself, having new infrastructure here provides more of a draw for scientists to come work with us."
"We need to have state-of-the-art facilities so we can keep farming, and keep being good farmers," finished Watson.
Dean Parrella says this state-of-the-art research facility is made to last for generations providing research and answers to any crop-growing issues.
