Welcome to the Hampton Roads AREC, located in Virginia Beach, Va.
The Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, formerly known as the Virginia Truck Experiment Station (1907-1967), Virginia Truck and Ornamentals Research Station (1967-1987), and Hampton Roads Agricultural Experiment Station (1987-1992), conducts research and extension programs that provide answers to the agricultural community of the eastern Virginia region.
Originally its focus was on vegetable production, but with the decline of the commercial vegetable industry, research activities were redirected in 1967 towards the nursery and landscape industries. The urbanization of the Hampton Roads area generated economic opportunities for the Tidewater agricultural community to shift their efforts to nursery production.
Research projects involve cultural production, pest management, plant selection and improvement, and environmental stewardship applicable to the commercial nursery and related service industries. Research with turfgrass, greenhouse crops, vegetable and annual flower evaluations, and alternative crops for niche markets are ongoing.
The emphasis on nursery crops is justified as the nursery industry in eastern Virginia is healthy and growing with the potential for becoming larger. To insure that the Virginia nursery industry remains competitive, it is essential that new research is conducted and that research-based information is made available to the industry. This remains the primary focus of Hampton Roads AREC activities.
