About the Picture

The new US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Vegetable Research Facility will provide laboratory and office space for 20 research scientists--13 from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), US Vegetable Laboratory (USVL), and seven from ClemsonUniversity's Coastal Research and Education Center (REC).   This new 69,500-square foot laboratory/office building is the first phase of a 112,600 square foot federal research complex to replace the 1930s vintage USDA and Coastal REC facilities currently in use.   The modern research facility will accommodate the total staff of about 75 in addition to visiting scientists and graduate students. The Coastal REC was established in Charleston, SC, in 1934 to address vegetable crops research needs for South Carolina and the US Vegetable Laboratory was established in 1936 to develop solutions to vegetable crop production problems common to the southeastern region of the US.   There is a strong history of cooperation between these two research establishments, both of which have developed international reputations for the excellence of their research programs.   Drawing the research staffs together will optimize the sharing of equipment and other resources and stimulate further cooperative interaction between the USDA and University research teams. The mission of the USVL is: 1.  To improve populations of vegetable crops by combining genetic resistance to diseases
     and pests with desired quality and yield characteristics; and 2.  To develop knowledge on disease and pests that can be used as the basis for new, reliable,
     enviromentally sound control programs that do not rely on conventional pesticides. The mission of the Coastal REC is to develop efficient and economical systems for vegetable production in South Carolina.
 

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