This center was originally established as a 278 acre agronomy center in 1978 on rolling deep-loess soils (primarily Hapludalfs, Ochraqualfs and Albaqualfs) near Perry in Pike County, of which 95 acres were suitable for agronomic plot work, and the remainder devoted to permanent grassland and forest. The University acquired an additional 191 acres adjacent to the original tract and has developed an Animal Sciences component, resulting in the reassignment of some acreage between the two units involved. This reassignment resulted in a total of 120 acres of usable agronomic plot land.