HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.a. U of M Development 4 '
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SLT�vIlV1ARY FOR DISCUSSION
COMIVIITTEE OF THE WHOLE
DATE: JCJNE 16, 1997
AGENDA ITEM: U OF M DEVELOPMENT AGENDA NO. 2. A.
PREPARED BY: THOMAS D. BURT, CITY ADNIlNISTRATOR
ATTACffiV�NTS: LETTER _ Q�,�
Qy
Dr. Richard Levins, Professor of Applied Economics and Coordinator for Planning and Programming at the
Rosemount Agricultural Experiment Station will give an overview of the proposed future plans for the University
of Minnesota land in the Rosemount area.
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RECONIMENDED ACTION NOTES:
,
C I TY O F RO S E M O U N T Za75-`;TMth"`��,�est
Rosemount,MN
Everything�S C01771(lC� Up ROSe1710Uf1i�� 55068-3997
Phone:612•-�23•�411
Hearing Impaired}23-6219
Fax:612•d23-5203
May 27, 1997
Dr. Richard Levins, Professor of Applied Economics
Coordinator for Planning and Programming
Agricultural Experiment Station
1605 160�' Street West
Rosemount, MN. 55068
Dear Dick:
Thank you for accepting my offer to spea.k at an up coming Committee of the Whole meeting
with the City Council. The meeting is on Monday, June 16, 1997, and begins at 6:30 p.m. in the
City Council Chambers at City Ha11. I have shared a copy of the draft document"Agricultural
Research and Education at Rosemount" with the City Council. I know the Council will
appreciate an overview of the plan with an explanation of what currently takes place at the
Research Center and what is proposed for the future.
If you have any questions or a change in plans, please let me know.
Sincerely, ',
/ ��
Thomas D. Burt ',
City Administrator
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EXECUT/VE S(1MMARYFOR
AGR/C[1L TURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCA T/ON
A T ROSEMOUNT
The USDA facility at Beltsville, Maryland, is commonly thought of
as the premier agricultural research center in the United States.
But the University of Minnesota's 7,500 acre property in
Rosemount is slightly larger. And, like Beltsville, it is located near
a major land grant university, a major airport and other transportation
facilities, and a large urban area. Viewed this way, Rosemount has
potential as a regional, a national, and an international resource.
In 1996, the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental
Sciences began a year-long project to capture the full value of the
Rosemount resource. We were guided by a broad-based faculty
group, the Rosemount Advisory Council, and by friends too
numerous to mention. Our efforts resulted in a plan to do two things. I
First, we anchor and enhance our core research and education �,
programs that have served the state so well for 50 years. Second,
we expand into new areas that will position us for leadership well
into the next century.
Co/%ge of Agricu/tura/, Food, and En vironmenta/Sciences
University of Minnesota
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CORE RESEARCH AND TEACH/NG PROGRAMS
The Rosemount Agricultural Experiment Turkey faci/ities are unique to an
Station serves as the essential "outdoor important industN
laboratory" for 37 project leaders from six
departments and several other University Rosemount has the only turkey research �
units and private partnerships. These facility within the Minnesota Agricultural
scientists conduct what we call our"core Experiment Station. Our work at �
programs" at Rosemount. Our core Rosemount supports Minnesota's rank as
research and teaching at Rosemount second in the U.S. in turkey production
involves work in the general areas of and as one of the major technology
crops, atmospheric sciences, soils, and leaders in the U.S. turkey industry.
animal sciences.
We have compiled a list of some
completed and continuing core research Swine faci/ities are critica/to an
projects conducted at Rosemount. These importantindustrv
projects illustrate the value of this research
to the citizens of Minnesota, the nation and Swine research facilities at Rosemount
the world. support a statewide swine research
program and are an essential component
for continued success and contributions to
A/fa/fa and other forage crops serve as the swine industry. Minnesota ranks third
the backbone of sustainab/e agricu/ture in the U.S. in swine production, and the
University of Minnesota is internationally
Over two million acres of perennial recognized as a leader in swine research.
forages, such as alfalfa, are grown in
Minnesota. The Agronomy Forage Hill
Farm at Rosemount has deep loess soils
that provide a rare opportunity for studying Potato diseases pose a serious threat
deep-rooted perennial forages. Because to the industrV
these forages often fix atmospheric
nitrogen, they restore soil fertility. They Rosemount, because of its isolation from
also prevent erosion and provide valuable seed potato acreage, is the only Minnesota
animal feed and biomass for fuel to foster experiment station where work with aphid-
sustainable agricultural systems. transmitted plant viruses can occur without
risk to the industry. Rosemount's isolation
from commercial potato acreage also
makes it the only Minnesota experiment
station where work with a virulent strain of
the late blight fungus of potato, A2, is
permissible.
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Bar/ey stem rust is a threat to the yields of our crops are due to genetic
industrv improvements. Rosemount serves as an
important location for breeding and testing
As with potato, isolation from commercial research for corn, soybeans, wheat, oat
acreage.makes Rosemount crucial for and forages.
research using virulent stem rust races. In
1991, Pqt-QCCJ (a new race of stem rust
of barley) was identified as a threat to
barley cultivars grown in the Midwest. Bio%gica/contro/ofinsects is a
Since then, Rosemount has been the ideal nationa/prioritv
location for barley nurseries in which
screening for resistance to this new race The expansive and diverse agricultural
can be done. landscape of the Rosemount station
makes it a model laboratory for research
on natural enemy-host interactions.
Microctonus aethiopoids, the parasitic
Sewage s/udge is recognized as an wasp that now effects nearly complete
asset rather than a/iabi/itv control of alfalfa weevil over all of
� Minnesota, was first established at
The Rosemount Sewage Sludge Project is Rosemount.
a major source of research information on
the beneficial utilization of sewage sludge
for agricultural crop production. It currently
has the oldest farm-scale sewage sludge Economic thresho/ds for/PMmustbe
research area in the U.S. This project determined
played a major role in establishing state
and national standards to protect the Reliable economic thresholds are essential
environment and increase agricultural to the implementation of most Integrated
productivity. This acreage remains an Pest Management (IPM) strategies. The
invaluable source of data for long-term intensive sampling required to establish
monitoring of sludge effects on soils and such thresholds requires daily access to
ecosystems. the experimental sites. Rosemount, with
its ready proximity and representative
agroecosystems, is ideal for such studies.
Thresholds developed for vegetable and '
Genetic improvement of agronomic forage crops at Rosemount are now used
crops enab/es Minnesota farm,ers to across the United States.
remain in business
The Rosemount Agricultural Experiment
Station makes a significant contribution to
the genetic improvement of our major
crops in Minnesota. Several studies have
shown that about one-half of the improved
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/nteQrated weed contro/resea�ch is Sustaining soi/qua/ity throu�
critica/to sustainab/e ag�icu/ture de ve%pment of qood ti/lage and
residue practices serves posteritv
Weeds are endemic to the soil and impact
every cropping system in the state. Field research at Rosemount is recognized
Integrated weed management tactics internationally for basic understanding of
include herbicides, mechanical practices, the changes in soil organic matter and its
crop rotation systems, and new and critically important role of maintaining soil
experimental biological control methods. quality for sustainable agriculture. The
The Rosemount Agricultural Experiment proximity of this site to the campus and the
Station is unique because its land area availability of long-term treatments has
provides buffer zones to allow research on allowed more infensive research here than
a diverse array of weed management could be undertaken elsewhere.
approaches.
The year-round c/imate database
co/%cted at Rosemount is an
inte�nationa/asset
Program coordinators at the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) have targeted
Rosemount as a primary data collection
site for testing surface-driven and satellite-
based weather and climate models. The
Rosemount site is unique from the �
standpoint of the amount of data available,
the combination of both soil and
atmospheric data, and, because of its size,
the suitability of the site for satellite
observations. �
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NEW D/RECT/ONS
In addition to continuing and strengthening • Soil compactors and quality
our core research and teaching at sustainability under heavy use
Rosemount, we also propose several new conditions
initiatives that position us for leadership�in
the 21 st century. • Environmentally friendly recreational
facility design and maintenance
Turf and grounds research and �
education -^� ,� Precision natura/resource management
The Turf and Grounds Research and For decades, the mechanization of
Education Center will be an important agriculture, use of agrichemicals and
springboard for an already excellent set of farming of progressively bigger fields have
programs the College carries out on the taken attention away from the variability
St. Paul Campus, at the Landscape existing within parcels of land. But when �
Arboretum, and at other sites around the there are substantial site condition
state. The proposed Center will have fully differences within a field, fertilizers and
functional playing fields and a golf course. chemicals should be applied at rates
These will allow for the study of various turf specific to the various conditions within the
uses under conditions encountered in the field. Doing so can increase farm
"real world". In addition, areas will be set profitability and minimize potential
aside for more traditional research environmental problems.
projects. Continuing education for
practicing professionals will be fostered The concept of precision agriculture was
through conferencing facilities at the site developed in Minnesota in the mid-1980's
and formal degree programs will be offered using new information technologies. We
through the College and in partnership with propose that a Center be established at
Dakota County Technical College. Rosemount to conduct further research
and education in these principal areas:
The Center will greatly expand our
capabilities to work in such areas as:
• Precision soil/crop management
• Turfgrass variety development, disease research program
control and management
• Precision turf and grounds
• Landscape plant development, disease management
control and management of irrigation
technology • Precision urban lawn management
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• Testing, calibrating, and certifying Bioremediation of contaminated soi/s �,
precision machinery
Private sector and regulatory authorities
• Precision grazing are looking at new technologies and
approaches to clean�ng up contaminated
• Environmental research on precision soils. Conventional clean-up approaches
management such as "dig-up and bury somewhere
else", soil washing, vapor extraction,
• Interpretive center: the farm of the 21 st chemical destruction, solidification, and
century � high temperature incineration are very
expensive and are sometimes ineffective
at addressing long-term environmental
concerns.
Aqricu/tura/research park
Bioremediation, the use of living organisms
We propose that our successful pilot to clean up contaminated sites, has great
efforts with private companies at promise from both economic and
Rosemount be expanded and formalized environmental perspectives. The use of
as an Agricultural Research Park. The sewage sludge, yard waste, compost,
Park would be a place at which our current wood fibers, food wastes and construction
partnerships could be continued and debris as a part of various bioremediation
enhanced. It would also allow us to techniques is an area filled with potential
provide other opportunities for scientists for new discoveries.
from the University and from private
industry to share information and work At Rosemount, we propose new research
toward our common goals of mission- initiatives focused on the areas of:
oriented research and education.
• New methods to identify and measure
The Agricultural Research Park would contaminated sites
include research and demonstration plots
on cropping practices such as tillage, • New methods to use living organisms
pesticides, crop rotation, and foundation to remediate contaminated sites
seed production. We are also discussing
the prospects for some of the many major
agribusiness companies in Minnesota to
establish a presence at the park to serve Landscape management and
common interests in education, training, community deve%pment
and research. In addition, the Park could
develop into an area where expensive Many researchers across the University
analytical equipment can be shared by are actively involved in research and
University scientists and those from many educational programs to develop systems-
private companies in order to increase based approaches to land management.
efficiency and reduce costs to all parties. But their efforts are severely hampered by
the lack of larger blocks of land available
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for research. The University of Minnesota
Rosemount property provides an
unprecedented opportunity for national
leadership in landscape management.
There is no other land parcel of this size in
the nation where researchers, educators,
planners, land developers,
conservationists, and citizens can work
together to carry out land use experiments
at a real=world scale and then learn from
outcomes as they unfold over space and
time.
The Rosemount property is an excellent
area in which lannin and develo ment
P 9 p
re r
sea ch could be conducted. For
example, Rosemount could be the site of
experimental clustered housing research
projects. Landscape architects and
ecologists could study how roads and
houses should be arrayed so as to
p
ositivel exist in con'unction with the
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natural characteristics. Conservation
biologists could research how collaborative
decision-making processes empower the
local citizens and foster more sustainable
communities. Fish and wetland ecologists
could study the effects these
developments have on surrounding
wetlands and streams. And, geographers,
planners, and economists could research
how we translate these innovative
development designs into policy and
practice.
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REG/ONAL, NA T/ONAL, AND/NTERNA T/ONAL LEADERSH/P
The College of Agricultural, Food, and Research requirinQ iso/ation
Environmental Sciences is a recognized
leader in agricultural research and The Rosemount property is large enough
education. The unique size and location of to allow research that requires isolation. In
Rosemount have some advantages that, many cases, this isolation must be from
taken together, are very difficult to provide neighboring homes. Other research
at other sites around the country. These requires isolation of a different sort --there
advantages play an important role in our can be no other crops or animals of the
plans to continue and strengthen our types being studied nearby.
leadership position.
G�aduate and under_q�aduate instruction "The Rosemount site is now regarded as the
premier site for screening bar/ey for resistance
to QCCJ and the nursery regu/arty screens
Because of its proximity to the St. Paul materia/sentfromNorthDakota, Canadaand
Campus and the variety of research thebar/eybreedersofBuschAgricu/tura/
conducted there, Rosemount plays a vital Resources.. The workcou/dnotbeconducted
role in the college's graduate and in the areas whe�e bar/eyis in commercia/
undergraduate teaching programs. production and the workneeded to be iso/ated
from other stem�ust nurseries(both wheat and
bar/ey)to prevent mixing of races."
Dr. Ruth Di//-Macky
"The Rosemount Expe�iment Station has Department of P/ant Patho%gy
a//owed me hands-on expe�ience th�ough class �
and project work, /was en�o/%d in an
introductory Entomo%gy c/ass that periodica//y
t�ave%d to the Rosemount Experiment Station Ecosystem diversity and stabi/ity
for insect identification co/%tions. The
Rosemount station p�o vided an exce/%nt
opportunity to studymany diverse insect Agricultural research must oftentimes be
species in theirhabitats inc/uding forested done in an overall ecosystem that is
areas, horticu/tura/crops,aqronomic crops,and representative of actual farming conditions.
anima/bui/dings, /n a soi/science course,a Rosemount is large enough to provide the
required fie/d trip to the Rosemount station -
supp�iedphysicaidata to he�p comprehendsoii ecological diversity and stability necessary
equations The station's vast acreage a//ows for research of this type.
students to observe and understand terraces,
residue amounts and s/ope g�adients by visiting
one/ocation." "Resea�ch on insect dispersa/and on the
behaviora/and popu/ation interactions of insect
Kim Hemmesch pests and their natu�a/enemies in vo/ves a
Undergraduate Student se�ies of sma//p/ots dispersed o ve�a/arge area.
For examp/e, we were ab/e to schedu/e the
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harvest of a/fa/fa fie/ds about a site where we "The need to ha ve a site/ike Hosemount can be
had re%ased a parasite of a/fa/fa weevi/on a i//ustrated in the fo/%wing examp/e, /had
schedu/e that favored estab/ishment of this contracted for/and use on a private farm. The
bio%gica/contro/agent, That parasitic wasp, p/ots were we//marked and we//used. The
Microctonus aethiopoides, not on/y became farmer was a reasonab/e man but as we neared
estab/ished, but now effects such a degree of the end of the season,his combine made th�ee
contro/o ver the entire state that a/fa/fa weevi/ turns in the p/ot a�ea, A//data was/ost to tire
has not been economica//y important in damage. Combine crews don't stop for
Minnesota during the past>5 years" anything. He was sor�y and/was withaut data
after spending the who%season taking notes."
Dr, Ted Radc/iffe
Department of Entomo%gy Dr. Ward Stienstra
Department of P/ant Patho%gy
Location
, Economic impacts
The vast rnajority of faculty and students in
the College are on the St. Paul Campus. Agricultural research at Rosemount is
Rosemount is close enough to offer intended to directly support the state's
relatively easy access from St. Paul. We largest and most important industry.
have no other such site with this important
advantage.
"The va/ue of the�esea�ch and education fo�the
State of Minnesota that occurs at Rosemount is
"Having the soybean lines in Rosemount means difficu/t to quantify. However, the impact of new
va�ieties atone is in the tens of mi//ions of
that the f�equent samp/ing can be accomp/ished do//ars per yea� /f we consider the impact of
as part of a typica/dai/y routine. Any of the
other p/ots around the state(apart f�om the St, other research on weed management, crop
Pau/Campus itse/f)wou/d cause each visit to manaqement, disease�esistance breeding and
/ast more than one day and a significant amount cooperative�esea�ch, the figures a�e/ike/y o ver
of overtime, Probab/y, some samp/ings wou/d ��00 mi//ion per year for the State of Minnesota.
/t is even moie difficu/t to put a monetary va/ue
ha ve to be e/iminated a/together." on the contribution the Rosemount Experlment
Dr. Nevin Young Station makes to the education of our students
Department of P/ant Patho%gy Suffice it so say that it is sure/y in the mi!/ions
of do//ars and rea/istica//y may exceed the va/ue
of the research cont�ibutions."
Dr.James Orf
Department ofAgronomy
Long-term contro/of resources and piant Genetics
The College has always used private farms
in its research and education programs
and will continue to do so. At the same
time, many research projects require long-
term planning and control that is simply not �
possible on private farms.
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A unique resource
Rosemount is more than the sum of its
research parts at any given time --the
overall integrity of the resource must be
our main concern. To this end, the
Rosemount Advisory Council unanimously
passed the following resolution on
November 12, 1996:
"The Advisory Counci/goes on�ecord to
recommend that the University proceed s/owty
in deve%ping/ong range p/ans for a research,
education and precision management
agriculture t'aci/ity, with the need to be
responsive to county and su��ounding
community issues, and to not se//the property
but keep a//of the 7,529 acres at Rosemount."
The continued development of Rosemount
into a Research and Education Center of
regional, national, and international
significance is a great challenge. The
College looks forward to working with its
many friends and partners in Minnesota to
make the most of this wonderful resource.
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Questions concerning this document should be directed to:
Dr. Richard A. Levins
Professor of Applied Economics and
Coordinator for Planning and Programming
Agricultural Experiment Station
1605 160th Street West
Rosemount, MN 55068
(612) 423-2455