PARMA, Idaho — Feb. 16, 2024
An artist’s rendering of new building in Parma.
WHAT: University of Idaho will celebrate the grand opening of the 9,600-square-foot Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health at the Parma Research and Extension Center on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
The state-of-the-art building replaces dilapidated facilities, some of which were more than a half a century old, and contains laboratory space for research in nematology, pomology, plant pathology, microbiology and hops quality.
Construction of the $12.1 million facility was made possible thanks to $3 million in donations from agricultural stakeholders, in addition to investment from the university and the state of Idaho.
The ceremony will include a ribbon cutting, a program celebrating the generous partners who made the accomplishment possible, speakers including Gov. Brad Little and self-guided tours of the laboratory.
WHEN: 3:30-5:30 p.m. MST Tuesday, Feb. 20
WHERE: University of Idaho Parma Research and Extension Center, 29603 U of I Lane, Parma, Idaho
ORDER OF SPEAKERS:
- Michael P. Parrella, dean and special assistant to the president for agricultural initiatives, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
- Jon and Margie Watson, J.C. Watson Company
- Chandra Zenner Ford, center executive officer for U of I Boise and Southwest Idaho
- Brad Little, governor of Idaho
RSVP:Carly Schoepflin, craska@uidaho.edu
Saad Hafez, a professor of entomology and an Extension specialist at the U of I’s Parma Research and Extension Center, stands outside of the new Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health.
Saad Hafez leads a tour of the new Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health