Precision ag facility a hub for sustainable, resilient practices

The next era of agricultural innovation and discovery is underway at Nebraska Innovation Campus.

Construction began in May 2024 on the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, UNL and NIC.

The state-of-the-art facility will promote sustainable, resilient and highly efficient agricultural practices – and offer research-based solutions that are effective in real-world settings.

Federal, state and university leaders launched construction of the USDA’s National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture with a groundbreaking at Nebraska Innovation Campus. From left: Chris Kabourek, then-interim president of the University of Nebraska; Rodney D. Bennett, chancellor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln; U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts; U.S. Representative Mike Flood; Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen; Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA undersecretary for research, education and economics and chief scientist; U.S. Senator Deb Fischer; Paul Kenney, University of Nebraska regent; U.S. Representative Don Bacon; Jack Stark, University of Nebraska regent; Simon Liu, USDA-ARS administrator; and Mike Boehm, vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The first stage of the $160 million USDA-ARS laboratory will feature 15,000 square feet of greenhouses and 10,000 square feet of headhouse space, all connected to the Greenhouse Innovation Center at NIC.

The complex will be a hub for interdisciplinary experts, scientists and engineers who will collaborate with industry and producers to improve water and food security, promote resilient landscapes and enhance agricultural productivity.

“I believe the work that will take place in this facility will usher in a new era of American agriculture, and I’m thrilled that what happens next in agriculture will happen first in Nebraska,” said Mike Boehm, vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Federal, state and university partnerships have driven the project’s momentum.

“There is a long history of scientific innovation and collaboration between ARS and UNL, typical of the USDA-land-grant university partnerships across the country,” said Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA chief scientist and undersecretary for research, education and economics.

The project also received strong support from Nebraska’s congressional delegation, led by Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Mike Flood, who secured $25 million in appropriations. In July 2024, the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Fischer is a member, identified an additional $16 million.

Associated content

An architectural rendering of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture