Prosser

Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center

The Washington State University, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (WSU-IAREC) is the focal point for the University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) research, extension, and plant certification programs that address the concerns of irrigated agriculture. An estimated two-thirds of the agricultural production in the state comes from irrigated land, making such research of vital interest to Washington’s economy, both for intrastate distribution and exportation.

In many respects, IAREC functions like a large academic department, but one that includes faculty and staff trained in a variety of disciplines. Seven academic departments from WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences have faculty members or important programs located at the Center. Interdisciplinary research develops rapidly in this environment, as does interagency work among representatives of the USDA-ARS, WSDA, EPA, and the WSU Agricultural Research Center and Extension. This focus on cooperation in developing solutions, a valued characteristic of IAREC researchers, extends to work with their colleagues on college campuses, at other experimental stations, and within national and international organizations, agencies, and programs.

With the demands of a growing population, especially in the Pacific Northwest, there will be an ever increasing need for greater productivity from the land, diversity in disease resistant crops, and efficiency in the use and conservation of chemical and water resources. As such, the role of IAREC will be significant as the agricultural research arm of the developing WSU presence in the region.