The St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota is unique in the fact that it has research plot land available in a major metropolitan area for conducting outdoor field research. The fields provide a critical extension of classroom and laboratories for research and teaching. It is the Ag Services Department that is responsible for managing this resource.
There are approximately 160 acres of land available on the St. Paul campus for plant research. This land is divided into 93 individual plots, ranging from 1/2 acre to 5 acres. This land may only be used by University research faculty and students. To request space, researchers must use the online form.
Ag Services prepares the research plots, applies fertilizer, herbicides, and does the required tillage. Maintenance of fence lines, grass, and gravel roadways are also responsibilities of the department. Requests for services are managed by Andrew Scobbie ([email protected]). Ag Services also manages the animal waste from the livestock research on campus. Hauling livestock, grain, and supplies are also jobs that can be completed by Ag Services.