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Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center

ID

AREC-70NP (AREC-284NP)

Authors as Published

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT

Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Cows grazing in field.
Heifers grazing stockpiled ‘Jesup MaxQ’ tall fescue at the Southern Piedmont AREC in fall 2021.

The Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center maintains 120 acres of research grazing land established in 2013 to focus research and extension programming on the needs of forage and livestock producers in Southside Virginia. The heart of livestock production in the region are cow-calf operations that rely on selection and development of replacement heifers to continue their herds. It is critically important for these young heifers to achieve proper growth and development to become a productive part of the producer’s operation, often being separated from the herd to focus on these goals.

With the available resources and interest in helping local producers, collaborative efforts among Virginia Tech faculty, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Amelia Area Cattlemen LLC, Dr. John Currin with Virginia-Maryland Veterinary School, and local veterinarian Dr. Rodney Cole, were combined to establish the heifer development program at the Southern Piedmont AREC to facilitate heifers through their first breeding season. The heifers will go through verification according to the Virginia Premium Assured Heifers standard. In the program’s first year, 42 heifers from local farms in Southside Virginia arrived at the Southern Piedmont AREC in September 2021 and will stay through early March 2022 when pregnancy is confirmed. We look forward to adding a research component to the program in the future.

David Reed

“Working at the Southern Piedmont AREC has been especially rewarding. Being located off-campus in the actual production area provides the opportunity for regular interaction with Extension agents and producers.”


DAVID REED
EXTENSION AGRONOMIST, TOBACCO

Richard Hite

SPAREC has been vital to my farming career. Their research in tobacco has been key to my success and helped me to evolve as a tobacco producer and to keep up with changes in the industry. The entire staff at SPAREC has been very accessible for any questions or information that arise during a growing season. With the information they provide me, I can fix or prevent a problem that could cause me financial loss. I also depend on their research in small grains and beef cattle. When I make decisions for the upcoming year, I use the information provided to me by SPAREC to direct my purchases.


RICHARD HITE
LUNENBURG COUNTY PRODUCER

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AREC AT A GLANCE

DISCIPLINES

  • Tobacco agronomy
  • Tobacco curing technology and efficiency
  • Tobacco disease management
  • Forage production and management
  • Ruminant livestock
  • Small fruit disease management

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

  • Tobacco curing, monitoring, and automation
  • Sucker control application technologies
  • Drones to assess crop development
  • Silvopasture

FACILITIES

  • 1,180-acre farm with 130 acres of crop research plots, 120 acres of research grazing, and a 40-acre silvopasture area
  • Specialized tobacco curing facilities
  • Extensive greenhouse facilities and high tunnels
  • 150-person auditorium
  • Cox Road Tobacco Laboratory

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

  • Tobacco industry and growers
  • Agrichemical industry
  • Forage and livestock industry
  • Virginia Farm Bureau, SWCD, NRCS, VDACS

ABOUTTHE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AREC

The Southern Piedmont AREC near Blackstone, Virginia was established in 1974 and conducts strong commodity-oriented research and Extension programs to provide information and technology to the agricultural industry. Programs enhance the economic viability and environmental stewardship of tobacco, forage crops, beef cattle, small fruit, and other field and specialty crops.

A COLLABORATIVE NETWORK

The ARECs are a network of 11 centers strategically located throughout the state that emphasize close working relationships between Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the industries the work with. The mission of the system is to engage in innovative, leading-edge research to discover new scientific knowledge and create and disseminate science-based applications that ensure the wise use of agricultural, natural, and community resources while enhancing quality of life.

A map of Virginia with the Southern Piedmont AREC location identified.

PARTNER WITH US

2375 Darvills Road Blackstone, VA 23824
(434) 292-5331
www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/arec/southern-piedmont
  VTSPAREC

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Publication Date

October 5, 2022