Grain and Forage Center of Excellence at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center, Princeton. July 2021. Photo by Matt Barton.

Logan County farmer Don Halcomb and UK extension soils professor emeritus Lloyd Murdock first envisioned the development of a world-class center focused on grain and forage research and located in the heart of Kentucky’s crop production. Farmers and commodity groups quickly lent their support. 

On July 15, 2016, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board awarded a $15 million grant for the renovation and expansion of the facilities at UKREC to house the new grain and forage research center. 

The Grain and Forage Center of Excellence officially opened on September 20, 2019. The dedication ceremony was attended by an estimated crowd of 7,800, far exceeding Princeton’s population of roughly 6,000.

The project was completed with help from the Kentucky Farm Bureau, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Kentucky Soybean Board, Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, and the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.

The Kentucky Corn Growers Association also purchased an adjoining tract of land for the center to lease, enabling the center’s faculty and staff to conduct more large-scale research on intensive agricultural production methods. 

The center’s newly constructed facilities at the time included new meeting rooms, laboratory space and offices. The center’s high-speed internet capabilities were enhanced to allow professors at the center to teach classes for students in Lexington remotely.

The center’s research focuses on both efficient production and long-term sustainability. The center’s faculty and staff also conducted Kentucky Agricultural Training Schools to provide educational opportunities for producers at key points throughout the growing season to help them increase crop yields and improve quality with minimal environmental impact. The center’s regionally focused grazing schools and the Kentucky Fencing School for livestock producers have been well attended. 

“The Grain and Forage Center of Excellence came about because we have been extremely focused on working with and helping producers grow crops and livestock more sustainably,” said Chad Lee at the center’s opening. “This new facility ensures that we have some basic tools to honor that commitment for generations to come.”