A groundbreaking ceremony on campus for the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory and a dedication ceremony for the newly constructed Peltier Complex are scheduled for Wednesday, June 12.
The Bolley Agricultural Laboratory groundbreaking and program will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Peltier Complex dedication at 11:30 a.m. Lunch and tours begin at 12:30 p.m. Event location details, including event parking, can be found online.
The Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will serve as NDSU’s new agricultural research laboratory and will be one of the largest capital construction projects in NDSU history housing a variety of agricultural research programs, including plant pathology, plant breeding, weed science, agronomy, soil science and horticulture.
The laboratory’s namesake, Henry L. Bolley, was one of the first faculty members at North Dakota Agricultural College, now NDSU. The laboratory will be located on the western edge of NDSU’s campus and will overlook agricultural plots immediately adjacent to campus. It will replace many of the current field lab facilities constructed decades ago, providing NDSU scientists with the space, equipment and technology to drive innovation in several key areas related to the state’s agricultural industry and biggest economic sector
The North Dakota Legislature appropriated $87 million for the construction of this facility during the 2023 legislative session, which has been matched with $3.6 million in philanthropic funds. Construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2024.
The Peltier Complex is a state-of-the-art agricultural facility designed to better serve NDSU students and faculty, as well as the industry across the state, region and beyond, and will support research involving food science, meat science, muscle biology, food safety, nutrition, consumer sensory traits and the development of new agricultural products.
The complex will bring together NDSU’s food science, meat science and cereal science laboratories along with the Northern Crops Institute, a four-state-focused agency committed to promoting, developing and marketing crops grown in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Montana. Located in the southwest corner of NDSU’s campus, the facility will be uniquely positioned as a cornerstone of the university.
In 2021, the North Dakota Legislature approved $70 million for the completion of a new combined facility and authorized an additional $15 million in fundraising to expand and enhance research and teaching capacity at NDSU.
The complex is named after the Peltier family, one of the region’s most longstanding supporters of teaching, research and extension in agriculture, who gave a naming rights gift to support the private fundraising portion of the project.
In addition to the Peltier family, numerous gift commitments were made by several commodity groups, alumni, businesses and friends of NDSU and the NCI as part of NDSU’s $455 million In Our Hands fundraising campaign.
Please RSVP if you plan to join for lunch. To find more event details, go to the event webpage.