MSU – Western Agricultural Research Center

Western Agricultural Research Center (WARC), situated on 29 acres of irrigated farmland in the Bitterroot Valley in Western Montana, is one of seven MSU Agricultural Experiment Stations (MAES). The MAES mission, established in 1893 by state statute, is “to conduct and promote studies, scientific investigations and experiments relating to agriculture, natural resources and rural life, and to diffuse information thereby acquired among the people of Montana.” Each center focuses on regionally specific aspects of Montana agriculture, providing evidence-based and unbiased outreach and education to Montana producers.

WARC is the only center focused specifically on horticulture, specializing in high-value specialty crops, fruit and vegetable production, local food security and increasing sustainability and economic returns for small acreage operations. The station also conducts important research on row and forage crops, labor and labor efficiency, the complexity of the small business aspects of value-added products and start-to-finish operations.