Agricultural Experiment Station
About AES
The Agriculture Experiment Station is Colorado’s leader in agricultural research, extension, and education programs. Our work uses a multifaceted approach to nurture partnerships and outcomes for agricultural producers in Colorado. Our work centers around making growth sustainable for Colorado-based agricultural industries and producers, while contributing to food safety and nutritional security. Ultimately, our efforts work to improve human health and share our knowledge globally.
Research and Engagement
Our Research Centers
Agricultural Research, Development, and Education Center
ARDEC is an off-campus farm, working livestock facility and horticulture field research center located just 4 miles north of Fort Collins. The Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station oversees the ARDEC’s 1,065-acre operation including acreage dedicated to ARDEC-South, the Horticulture Field Research Center and the livestock facility.
Arkansas Valley Research Center
The Arkansas Valley Research Center is our oldest running center, founded in 1888. Our work serves the southeast irrigated farming area associated with the Arkansas river and its tributaries. Our research focuses on optimizing livestock and agriculturally important crop production. We also collaborate with the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in our on-site Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Eastern Colorado Research Center
The Eastern Colorado Research Center is a 3760-acre livestock and rangeland research operation centered between Akron and Sterling, CO. We work on over 35 native and seeded rangeland pastures with a 22-feedlot pen capacity. The Center also has bunk space, enclosed working areas, chutes, and scales for working and weighing livestock.
Plainsman Research Center
The Plainsman Research Center is in Colorado’s historic dust bowl region in the far southeastern plains. Our primary work stems from those bygone days, finding strategies to optimize crop yields with limited water resources. Our primary crops of interest include wheat, grain sorghum, forage sorghum, corn, sunflower, bean, and canola. And we are always testing alternative crop plants for new applications.
San Luis Valley Research Center
The SLVRC is one of the oldest centers in our Ag history. Established in 1888, the primary research focus migrated toward selecting and optimizing potato varieties certifying seeds for Colorado growers. The potato breeding program later began in tandem with the potato variety selection program. The SLVRC catalogued historical cultural practices used for disease and pest management to enhance modern techniques.
Southwestern Colorado Research Center
The Southwest Colorado Research Center is a 155-acre, high-elevation research station in southwest Colorado. Our research investigates dryland and irrigation techniques and the beneficial effects on crop and soil health. We are actively engaged with regional community development and promote food systems and natural resource projects in the area. We also partner with CSU Extension on a research and demonstration orchard with over 75 fruit tree varieties.
Western Colorado Research Center
The Western Colorado Research Center comprises three research stations in Mesa County on Colorado’s Western Slope. WCRC facilities include greenhouses, laboratory space, and certified organic acreage. Our research focuses on high-elevation tree fruit and wine grape production, ornamental horticulture, organic agriculture, seed production and water conservation.
Metro Agricultural Research Center
The latest addition to the AES network, the Metropolitan Agricultural Research Center specializes in research and education at the urban-rural interface. Its current primary focus is Controlled Environment Agriculture, utilizing enclosed structures like greenhouses and growth chambers to optimizes plant growth conditions like water, energy, space, and labor for efficient and eco-friendly high-value crop production. This applied research will extend to broader socioeconomic challenges and align with local producers, consumers and communities to promote a more locally based, self-reliant food economy.
Plant Growth Facilities
The PGF is a multidisciplinary Institutional Core Research Facility overseen by the Agricultural Experiment Station. Our operational research footprint is over 60,000 square feet including greenhouses, growth chambers and biocontainment facilities. The PGF community of over 600 faculty students and staff work on a wide variety of plant material. Our conservatory houses our tropical and desert plant collections used for hands-on education in our Biology, Botany, and Horticulture labs.