About the Agricultural Research Development and Education Center
ARDEC was founded in 1993 to support cooperative research and engagement on soil, crop and water resources as a facility offering integrated teaching and research under shared management. After early success, a second ARDEC was added in 1999, using the same multidisciplinary research format to include animal sciences. Now, we are a fully operational off-campus research and teaching farm, working livestock facility, and horticulture research center operating under the direction of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. Our goals include:
- Coordinated and integrated scientific investigation on agricultural problems.
- Facilities designed to enhance multidisciplinary on-site work among faculty, staff, students, producers, processors, Ag-industry, government.
- Educational outreach and student involvement on new agricultural technologies and the value of sustaining U.S. agriculture.
What We Do
ARDEC supports multidisciplinary agricultural research, education, and outreach programs. Our programs enable campus-based faculty and students to work on real-world projects with multiple stakeholders, offering enriched hands-on experience. We currently engage with all college departments, as well as multiple government agencies including:
- Food Science and Human Nutrition
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Agricultural Research Service
Our Staff
We are a diverse group working toward our common goals. Learn more about who we are and what roles we play in the ARDEC.
Facilities
ARDEC
Stats
ACRES
FARMABLE & IRRIGATED ACRES
- ARDEC Conference Center
- CoBank Center for Agricultural Education
- General Purpose
- Staff Offices
- Conference Room
- Covered Picnic Area
- 34 Workrooms
- Drying
- Processing
- Scale Rooms
- Shop
- Foundation Seed
- Machine shed
- Pesticide storage and bulk storage
Livestock Unit
Cattle Stats
Resident ARDEC cow/calf herd – 100 head of purebred Hereford and Angus cows and replacement heifers.
FEED INTAKE UNIT CAPACITY
FEEDLOT CAPACITY
- Sheep barn
- Swine units
- Cow/calf barn
- Heifer and bull development center
- Metabolism barn with individual pens
- Feed intake unit
- Palpation chutes
- Feedlot pens
- Central mix area
- Temple Grandin designed working facility
ARDEC South
ACRES
FARMABLE IRRIGATED ACRES
certified organic acres.
Buildings
- Horticulture Field Research Center facility
- House/office area
- Machine shop
- Research building
- 1 greenhouses
- 7 hoop houses