Parma R&E Center

The Parma Research and Extension Center, established in 1925, arose from the need for research and extension efforts to sustain and improve the productivity of the crops grown in southwest Idaho. Located one mile north of Parma, Idaho, the 200-acre center houses University of Idaho faculty members whose research and extension programs focus on production, storage, and related problems of vegetables, forages, cereals, hops, mint, fruit and seed crops. Farm land at the center is devoted to research on many of the crops produced in the Treasure Valley. Ninety acres at the main station are used for row crop and hops research. Two miles north of the main station is 80 acres of desert land, 25 of which are devoted to tree fruit and small fruit research programs. Ten acres are to remain as uncultivated desert land in perpetuity.

Ten faculty conduct research and extension programs at the center. These programs include entomology, crop management, soils, horticulture, pomology, nematology, plant pathology, and weed science. Helping to carry out the programs are 15 additional full-time support staff including research support scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and technical aides, farm and maintenance crew and office staff.

Research at Parma is not limited to the field. The facility provides 5,100 square feet of greenhouse space that is utilized year-round. There are 540 square feet of growth chamber rooms that are used for entomology research projects. There are approximately 7,500 square feet of office space and meeting rooms for faculty and support staff, and nearly 5,000 square feet of laboratory space.