LINCOLN, Neb. (COLOGNE) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday opened a new facility in Lincoln that will house offices for several agricultural agencies and a new soil research laboratory.
Located just west of 11th and Lincoln Mall at the State Capitol, this facility brings together some of the nation’s best agricultural and soil technology resources.
It also includes the National Soil Archive, which contains more than 400,000 samples from across the United States and 70 countries. Workers said the samples date back more than 80 years, and some predate the atomic bomb.
Terry Cosby, director of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, said it took the past 10 to 15 years to get everyone at the facility up and running.
He said the goal is to use the data collected in the Midwest to help farmers.
“We’re looking at drought and drought mitigation, but how can we help with that?” Cosby said. “We’re looking at efficiency in irrigation and water management, but how can we help with that?”
He also said that part of the funding for the facility will come from the Biden administration’s efforts to tackle climate change and protect the environment.
“This investment that President Biden has made in conservation will help with all of this, making sure we keep producers on the farm and making sure they have good profit margins,” Cosby said.
At Friday’s ribbon cutting, officials also remembered Dr. Luis Tupas, an NRCS employee who passed away last year.
Cosby said Tupas dedicated his life to making the facility a reality, and in his honor the memorial library in the building is named after him.
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