What is an Agricultural Experiment Station?
As defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, an Agricultural Experiment Station is a scientific research center that investigates potential improvements to food production and agribusiness. The Hatch Act of 1887 authorized the establishment of an agricultural experiment station in each state.
Each state has at least one land-grant college or university with a designated Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Federal and state governments cooperate in funding the research done at the stations, with additional income coming from grants, contracts, and the sale of products.
Established at Iowa State in 1888, the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station is not a building or location. It is a program of research supported by USDA NIFA and the State of Iowa. These public investments support research aimed at solving our state's most pressing concerns in the areas of food safety, food security, natural resource stewardship, and the economic health of Iowa communities.