University of Georgia officials broke ground Friday on a research farm next to the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry.
The 250-acre Grand Farm will serve as a hub for research, education, and sustainable farming practices. Innovative technology including precision agriculture, robotics, and data analysis will be used to increase productivity while conserving resources.
Grand Farm will partner with UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on the project. The roots of the partnership go back five years, when University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue helped launch a Grand Farm project in North Dakota while serving as U.S. secretary of agriculture. The farm’s first field projects are expected to roll out this year.
