Celebrating the Hatch Act and Agricultural Experiment Stations

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture supports this network of Agricultural Experiment Stations through Hatch Act funding as well as the Multistate Research Fund. This funding enables State Agricultural Experiment Stations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. insular areas to conduct research on all aspects of agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and human nutrition as well as other areas important to farmers and consumers. 

A Legacy of Innovation 

This type of research has a storied history in the United States.  

The Morrow Plots at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will celebrate their 150th anniversary this year. Established 11 years before the Hatch Act, they are the oldest continuously running agricultural experiment in North America. Research there showed practices like crop rotation and fertilizer use improve yields, soil health and farm profitability. 

In 1888, the University of Missouri began work at Sanborn Field, the oldest, continuous experimental field west of the Mississippi River. Originally designed to demonstrate the value of crop rotations and manure in grain crop production, many of the 38 plots have the same crop rotation today. Sanborn is most famous for its role in the discovery of aureomycin, an antibiotic.  

Rounding out the oldest three U.S. experiment fields is the “Old Rotation” at Auburn University. Begun in 1896, it is the oldest continuous cotton experiment in the world. Research there demonstrated the value of rotating cotton with other crops and including nitrogen-restoring legumes in the system. This research proved that rotation with legumes could sustain and improve yields of cotton and corn in Alabama soils. 

Recent Experiment Station Research Highlights 

• Utah State University scientists identified forage species and grass–legume systems that can reduce reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers while maintaining forage productivity and animal weight gains. These systems support efficient nutrient use and reduce nitrogen losses to air and water. Results indicate that legume-based grazing systems can help producers' lower fertilizer input costs without sacrificing livestock performance.  
• Work done at the Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center shows insecticide-treated nets placed outside of orchards are effective in controlling spotted lanternfly and other pest insects. Penn State scientists are experimenting with combinations of chemical attractants on the nets to keep insect pests away from the fruit and to determine the effective contact time for pest killing. They are also helping the manufacturer register these nets with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Placement of insecticide-treated nets outside of orchards should allow growers to reduce pesticide sprays in orchards.  
• Virginia Tech scientists are developing a non-destructive imaging system that can detect critical safety and quality parameters in seafood in seconds rather than days. This advanced technique monitors histamine levels, an indicator of spoilage and bacterial counts in seafood. This technology could significantly reduce processing delays and spoilage, boosting Virginia's seafood industry. 
• Montana State University researchers studied crop rotations preceding winter wheat on dryland farms. Rotations with lentil, field pea, barley and canola improved wheat yields and demonstrated that intercropping cereals with pulse crops enhances forage quality in favorable moisture years. 
• University of New Hampshire researchers are pioneering the use of internal sensors to continuously monitor cow health in small-scale dairy systems. These small, nondigestible sensors track body temperature, hydration, feed intake and activity—without added labor. This remote sensor technology will help small-scale dairies monitor cow health more effectively, reduce labor demands and improve herd management outcomes. 
• Plant breeders at South Dakota State University have developed four new and improved oat cultivars that are expected to increase profit for farmers in South Dakota and the surrounding region. Scientists are hopeful the new cultivars will boost oat production in the Northern Great Plains, increasing supply, which is crucial to oat-based food products’ affordability.