Texas District 13 Representative Ronny Jackson announced Wednesday that West Texas A&M University has been awarded $9.75 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support construction of a center for beef cattle research and innovation.
NIFA awarded the grant through its Research Facilities Act Program. The federal award requires a dollar-for-dollar match, with $4.875 million from The Texas A&M University System and another $4.875 million from Texas Cattle Feeders Association, its members, West Texas A&M University donors and other sources. Together, the federal grant and matching funds bring the total investment for the project to $19.5 million.
The Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences at WTAMU has established itself as a nationally recognized leader in beef cattle research. Approximately 25 percent of the nation’s fed cattle are produced within 150 miles of the university’s campus, placing WTAMU at the center of one of the nation’s most significant cattle-producing regions. The Texas Panhandle is also the third-largest milk-producing region in the United States, making the area a critical hub for both beef and dairy production.