Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Welcome to Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center located near the town of Blackstone, Va.

The center is dedicated to research and Extension programs for sustainable production of tobacco, forage crops, beef cattle, and grains.    

The Southern Piedmont AREC has five resident faculty, 15 full-time staff, and employs additional hourly people at various times of the year. The resident faculty members conduct research and Extension programs on tobacco, forages, and small fruits crops, and they cooperate with other faculty (from Virginia Tech and other institutions) to study alternative crops for Southside Virginia. Crops grown at the center include tobacco, Bermudagrass, crabgrass, annual ryegrass, corn, wheat, barley, soybeans, strawberries, and wine grapes. Faculty expertise includes agronomy, plant pathology, and animal science.