Red Rock Agricultural Center
Supporting animal science and ecological restoration research and education.
At the intersection of animal and holistic ecosystem science.
Located just 35 miles north of Tucson, the Red Rock Agricultural Center is positioned to support research in zoonosis, native vegetation, and agricultural pests.
About
The Red Rock Agricultural Center is located approximately 35 miles north of the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. The facility sits on roughly 4,600 acres of state land administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences under an institutional lease from the Arizona State Land Department.
Operated by the Southern Arizona Experiment Station, the center is home to three full-time employees who provide research support and generate commodity income for the Arizona Experiment Station.
Large Scale Agricultural Production
The convenience of conducting large-scale field research projects within a half-hour's drive of the main campus is invaluable for research scientists based in Tucson. With 190 irrigable acres, Red Rock is well equipped to support a variety of field research related to traditional row cropping, precision and arid adapted agriculture. In addition, the Red Rock Agricultural Center provides opportunities in ecological restoration, wildlife ecology, targeted livestock grazing, agricultural technology, engineering and innovation.
Current use and future plans
The facility is largely used for hay cultivation to support the University of Arizona School of Animal Comparative Biomedical Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, but currently provides 10-acre pilot for cultivation of native perennial grasses for use in regional ecological restoration projects and animal feed trails.
We have big plans for the future. We're working towards providing a research area for large commercial scale replicates in crop production, and ongoing entomological research in variety of corn pests. We're also developing a collaboration with the USDA and the Arizona Department of Agriculture to provide a home for rapid response training for first responders in the handling and disposal of animal products to prevent zoonosis.
Immediate facilities to be built include: 160-acres of flood irrigated fields, 128-acres of pivot irrigated fields, irrigation infrastructure, an electrical distribution system, a domestic and irrigation water supply, septic system, two residences for supervisory personnel, a maintenance/office/ shop facility and support buildings. Future facilities may also include a 1,500-animal dairy research center.
Ecological Restoration
In the summer of 2024, the Red Rock Agricultural Center started a small-scale (10-acre) cultivation project with five species of perennial grasses endemic to Arizona’s semi-arid uplands. This initiative serves as a resource for native plant species restoration and production of native range hay to be used in targeted feed trails and research. This project is expanding rapidly and harnesses the geographic potential and scalability of the Red Rock Agricultural Center to serve as a critical resource in the development and cultivation of numerous native plant species for natural resources, livestock feed, and native crop production.
