Arkansas State University is expanding its capacity for agricultural and animal-health research through a $2.6 million project supported by a $1.3m award from the US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The university is one of 36 institutions in the United States to receive funding through the research facilities programme. The project began in September 2026 and is expected to run until 2030, with work focused on bringing additional diagnostic and analytical capability together on the university’s campus.
Facilities planned for veterinary and animal science work
A new space is planned on the university farm to support the work of Arkansas State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the animal science curriculum delivered by its College of Agriculture. The aim is to strengthen the facilities available for agricultural research and to support studies involving animal health and production.
The investment will also provide new equipment for the Ecotoxicology Research Facility within the Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics. That equipment is intended to support research into animal feed quality, described by the university as an important part of large-animal research.
- The overall project value is $2.6m.
- $1.3m is being provided through the US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
- Construction and development began in September, with completion expected by 2030.
- The programme links veterinary medicine, agriculture and ecotoxicology research.
“This grant provides an exciting opportunity for the Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics, the CoA and the CVM to collaborate on innovative research initiatives both within and across the three colleges.”
The comment was made by Dr Jennifer Bouldin, dean of the Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics at Arkansas State University. The project will allow researchers from the participating departments to work across facilities rather than relying on external analytical provision for every investigation.
Testing contaminants, metals and nutrients
The expanded analytical capability is expected to support testing for organic contaminants, metals and nutrients. These tests will be relevant to research carried out by the College of Agriculture and the College of Veterinary Medicine, including work connected with animal feed and large-animal health.
Arkansas State University said that conducting more analyses on campus should reduce costs for researchers and make it easier to carry out studies requiring diagnostic or analytical services. The university also said the development would improve research efficiency by placing the relevant capabilities at one institution.
The project forms part of a wider effort to increase research capacity at a university serving a region with a substantial agricultural sector. Its stated focus is on infrastructure and equipment rather than a single disease, species or published research finding, so the eventual scientific results will depend on the studies carried out through the new facilities between now and the planned completion date.
