Research and Outreach Centers
Grand Rapids | The NCROC is the northernmost plant cold hardiness evaluation site in the continental United States and is characterized by the diversity of its research programs. In addition to agronomy, beef cattle, and forest genetics and economics research, the 1,000-acre center leads applied research efforts in horticulture for northern climates and wild rice breeding and conservation.
Waseca | The SROC is located on 900 acres at the northern edge of the Corn Belt in an area with a high concentration of swine producers. Research emphases include innovative bio-based products and renewable energy technologies, sow and farrow-to-finish swine research, dairy calf nutrition, corn and soybean rotation nematology, horticulture crops, and environmental and economic impacts of cropping systems.
Cloquet | Located in the Lake Superior watershed at the southern edge of the boreal forest, this 3,500-acre experimental forest is the primary research and education site for researchers, practitioners, students, and members of the public to understand the complex systems of forest management, ecosystems reliance, and sustainable management of forest and natural resource-based systems. The center is home to the Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative, which offers continuous education opportunities for foresters and natural resource managers in the Minnesota region.
Becker | The Sand Plain Research Farm is located on 400 acres in the heart of Minnesota on the Anoka Sand Plain. With the sandy soils and precision irrigation infrastructure, it is the primary location of potato research, irrigation/water management, and agronomic research for low fertility or droughty soils. Research focuses on many different agronomic and horticultural crops, mirroring the local cropping landscape grown by producers in the region.
Crookston | The NWROC is located on 1,400 acres in the Red River Valley. It is a unique area in Minnesota as its soils are derived from the ancient Lake Agassi. Research at the NWROC focuses on the cropping systems in the region that include small grains, sugarbeets, potatoes, pest and pathogen management, and emerging agronomic practices.
Lamberton | Research at the 800-acre SWROC is dedicated to the long-term economic and environmental viability of crop production in the region. Faculty members work directly with agricultural producers and industry professionals to provide research and educational programming in the management of water, nutrients, pests, and cropping systems. SWROC’s soil type is characteristic of 60% of the cropland in southwest Minnesota and the center also includes a 120-acre certified organic farm.
Chaska | The Horticultural Research Center is on 230 acres adjacent to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The HRC is the primary site for the University’s fruit and woody landscape plant breeding and conservation of rare and threatened native plants. Research is focused on breeding plants and new varieties that are cold-hardy for growing in Minnesota's climate, work that benefits both northern gardeners and commercial growers.
Rosemount | The RROC is located about 25 miles southeast of the University’s St. Paul campus. This close proximity to campus provides an easily accessible research site to the college’s faculty, students, and staff. It is the system’s largest site with almost 5,000 acres directly under University management, with nearly 300 acres utilized for research and 3,500 acres for crop production. An additional 2,800 acres is managed jointly with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Morris | The WCROC research effort focuses on reducing the carbon footprint of agricultural production systems, including dairy, swine, and crop production. Conventional and alternative swine facilities and an organic dairy are the focus of animal science research at the 1,100-acre site. WCROC’s horticultural program has strong research connections to campus and their public Horticulture Display Garden is a local highlight for the community and region.
Ely | The 365-acre HWRC is a passively managed, diverse mixed boreal forest with many of the attributes of the adjacent Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely, Minnesota. The combination of the HWRC and the Cloquet Forestry Center, about 115 miles to the south, provides opportunities to evaluate responses in both actively and passively managed forest settings in a region of forest biome transition.
