MSU/EARC Extension Facility

The Roundup has included the new EARC and Extension facility as part of this year’s Top Ten. The new facility will be an asset to the community.

This summer, the Montana State University’s Eastern Ag Research Center (EARC) staff and the Richland County Extension Services personnel moved to the new 12,000 foot facility at 1499 N. Central Ave., Sidney. The Extension portion of the building has three offices and a meeting room, and the MSU-EARC portion contains five offices, two large labs, two smaller labs, two greenhouses, a head house and several maintenance rooms to house heating equipment and internet hookup cables and equipment.

It all started with the 2007 Montana legislature, who appropriated $1.68 million for construction on a new facility, as the old EARC buildings were beyond repair. In 2009, the EARC also received approval to combine the EARC with the Richland County Extension service, a move designed to enhance the facility and improve research for the MonDak region. The facility centralizes research-based information for the region by combining the services of the research center and the Richland County Extension service.

Fisher Construction, Billings, did a tremendous job on this structure. Weather hampered the construction crews from Day 1, but in spite of a rainy, windy summer and a cold, snowy winter, they finished the work on time. It took approximately ten months for Fisher Construction to build the new facility.

The building looks great and should meet every expectation.

The new facility enhances research, extension services and outreach efforts. “This is a modern research facility that will move us into the 21st century,” says Dr. Jerry Bergman, EARC director. “The conference room will allow us to have a video conferencing network for speakers from anywhere in the world, and it will enable us to hold Ag producer meetings. The integration of research and extension in one building will allow direct communications with staff members from both EARC and Extension. The extension staff can get research information from us and we will get information from them.”

The new Research and Extension facility has an open door policy.Visitors are ALWAYS welcome to just walk in, visit with Extension and/or research staff, and ask questions or make comments. Doors are not locked during normal working hours, making access easy for visitors. Both extension and research staff look forward to meeting, greeting, visiting and maintaining good relationships with area agricultural interests and the community.