RALEIGH- Work has started on a new Plant Sciences building at NC State University which aims to increase crop productivity in North Carolina.

Construction began with a groundbreaking September 6, and the new facility will be unveiled in 2021 as a part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The 185,000-square-foot building will house studies with a goal to increase crops yields, extend growing seasons, and create sustainability for farmers worldwide. The structure itself is a part of a greater N.C. Plant Science Initiative created by farmers and agribusiness experts to improve local and global plant sciences with a hope for discoveries regarding crop efficiency.

Randy Woodson, University Chancellor, says that “we’re developing the science here that feeds the agriculture industry.” According to school officials, North Carolina is known as the 'global hub' for plant science innovation, and this state-of-the-art building could foster much growth for the global agriculture industry as well.

Woodson says the building is in close proximity to both the biotech training facility and the College of Engineering. It is part of a larger plan to strengthen cooperation between various sciences and incorporate different viewpoints regarding plant studies. The building’s position on Centennial campus, Woodson projects, will unite the University’s various scientific fields to advance North Carolina agriculture.

The Plant Sciences building will open its doors in 2021 as a hub for plant studies.