A new 31,000-square-foot building has officially begun construction at University of Georgia’s Tifton Campus in Athens. The $26.9 million project is part of a long-standing partnership led by UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the university reported.

“The project will bring the researchers together into one facility, providing updated workspaces and enhancing collaboration across disciplines to benefit farmers, producers, industry and communities,” UGA said.

The facility will house the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory and the Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit to promote multiple avenues of agriculture-related research.

Watersheds are specifically defined areas of land that create a “basin” in which water drains to a common point. They not only provide ecosystems with water, but also clean air and soil. This makes them crucial for agriculture.

The USDA’s chief scientist, Chavonda Jacobs-Young, said the facility will boost innovation and help recruit talent to U.S. agriculture.

“Cutting-edge research keeps American agriculture competitive and helps farmers and ranchers stay ahead of emerging threats like climate change and emerging pests and diseases,” Jacobs-Young said. The main topics to be addressed at the new facility include water conservation, insect pest management, pollinators, and sustainable cropping and foraging.