Property exchange with USDA benefits Auburn University, state of Alabama

A property exchange between Auburn University and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, or ARS, will allow for each to create new facilities, benefiting the university and state of Alabama.

Under the transaction, which received support from the Auburn Board of Trustees during a special called phone meeting Friday, Oct. 16, ARS will be able to relocate its soil dynamics research to a new facility in the Auburn Research Park and Auburn will regain property near the core of campus for future development.

ARS currently operates soil dynamics research in buildings on the 6.29 acres at the corner of West Samford Avenue and South Donahue Drive, which the university donated to ARS in 1961. U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., helped to secure $43.3 million in federal appropriations in 2019, allowing ARS to relocate and construct a new research facility.

“The property exchange with the U.S. Department of Agriculture accomplishes two priorities important for Auburn’s future,” said Wayne Smith, the board’s president pro tem. “First, it allows the university to reclaim more than six acres in a growing part of campus. Second, it clears the way for a new, state-of-the-art facility in Auburn Research Park that will advance agricultural science, technology and practices across the southeast to the benefit of consumers and rural economies. We’re grateful to Sen. Richard Shelby for his role in making all of this possible.”

ARS will develop the new modern office and research laboratory on five acres in the research park and maintain support operations, such as processing soil and plant samples, on Longleaf Drive.

“The soil lab will serve as an outlet for the USDA to complete research that will improve crop and livestock production for Alabama and the entire nation,” said Shelby in 2019. “I look forward to the work that will result from the partnership between Auburn and the USDA, and I am confident the project will continue to enhance our state’s thriving agriculture industry.”

Auburn will be able to utilize the former ARS property for future development of academic, research, administrative and housing facilities. Dan King, associate vice president for Facilities Management, called the location an “important gateway” for future growth of the university.

Also under the exchange, Auburn will convey 4.26 acres in the Longleaf Field Laboratory and 53.5 acres at the South Auburn Fisheries Research Lab to ARS, as well as provide ARS funding in an amount necessary to equalize the value of the parties’ offers and release covenants from the site in the research park.

In other matters, Smith announced that the board plans on meeting in person for its regularly scheduled workshop and meeting on Nov. 19 and 20, respectively.

(Written by Amy Weaver)