A new road will soon be constructed through CAFNR’s South Farm Research Center, but disruption to operations will be minimal and visibility for the research center will be increased, according to Tim Reinbott, South Farm superintendent and assistant director of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station.

Discovery Parkway will soon extend from the Discovery Ridge exit off of Hwy 63 north to the intersection of Rolling Hills and New Haven roads, passing through South Farm from the south. The effect on the Research Center will include removing the portions of Sugar Grove Road that would intersect Discovery Parkway. Sugar Grove Road currently bisects South Farm east to west. With the abandoning of parts of the road, South Farm can reclaim some of the land for use, Reinbott said. The construction of Discovery Parkway will not impact any current research or demonstrations at the research center.

With the closure of portions of Sugar Grove Road there will be no public access to South Farm Lake. As this lake is used for research, it has already been taken off of the Missouri Department of Conservations management list and hence no impact is expected. There will be spots to turn around on the portions of Sugar Grove Road that will soon dead-end.

This road project is being undertaken by the City of Columbia and is scheduled to begin in spring 2021. If you have any questions about how this change might affect projects or access you have to South Farm Research Center, please contact Reinbott at reinbottt@missouri.edu or 573-882-4450.