The Center was established in 1911 near the City of Florence and was reestablished in 1985 at its present location on the border of Florence and Darlington Counties on 2,300 acres - 800 acres for research plots, 1,000 acres forest and 500 acres in buildings, roads, ponds, and swamps.  It is an integral part of Clemson University's Public Service Activities including the Agricultural Research and Forestry System and the Cooperative Extension Service with 9 resident faculty and 40 support personnel.

MISSION

The mission of the Center is to conduct applied research that focuses on the agricultural cropping systems of the region which include tobacco, cotton, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, corn, flax, lawn and golf course turf, and conservation tillage along with environmental, wildlife, and ecological studies.  Educational programs are then conducted at the Center and throughout the region and state via County Extension Agents, publications, mass media, newsletters, etc.  In cooperation with the USDA, two scientists are also located at the Center with research programs in cotton breeding and utilization of cover crops in a cotton production system.

FACILITY

The administration building consists of 50 offices, 30 laboratories, a library, a 350 seat theater style auditorium, 2 classrooms (seating capacity - 50 each), 1 seminar room (seating capacity - 60, may be subdivided), and 1 conference room (seating capacity - 30).  Normally several thousand visitors hold seminars, meetings, tours, field days, and other events at the Center each year.