Carvel Research and Education Center
Welcome
UD's 347-acre Agriculture Research Experimental Station and Sussex Cooperative Extension
Poultry Health
Agronomic Crop Tour 2024
Research + Extension
Sharing the latest research with our community
Crop Research
Creating Partnerships
Reaching across programs and institutions for efficient solutions
The Elbert N. and Ann V. Carvel Research and Education Center
The Carvel Center campus, located in Georgetown in Sussex County, fulfills the tripartite mission of our land-grant university — teaching, research and Extension outreach. The Carvel Center serves as the southern agriculture experiment station for the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and encompasses the Thurman Adams Jr. Agriculture Research Farm (347 acres) with a focus on agronomic, vegetable and horticulture crops, the Warrington Irrigation Research Farm (120 acres) in Harbeson, Lasher Laboratory for poultry diagnostics, and the Jones Hamilton Environmental Research House. Our campus is also home to Sussex County Cooperative Extension providing programing in 4-H Youth Development, Poultry, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Lawn and Garden.
With an overall staff of 50 full-time administrators, agents, faculty, and specialists, assisted by 50 to 70 seasonal part-time employees and student interns, the Carvel Center paves the way in serving the needs of the agricultural industry, youth and families, students and residents of our great state. Learn more about our history.
Our research and educational facilities
Our facility continues the strong tradition of serving our agricultural clientele and their families as well as the citizens of Delaware.
Carvel REC director
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO AGRICULTURE
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse surprised Dr. Mark Isaacs with the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture during the State Fair Awards presentation on Governor’s Day...
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from Secretary Scuse. As a fourth-generation Delaware farmer, Director of the UD Carvel Research and Education Center, and Department of Plant and Soil Sciences faculty member, my roots run deep for the love of Delaware agriculture,” said Mark Isaacs.
Read all about Mark Isaacs' award on the Delaware Department of Agriculture website.
Montage of Extension Staff in Action in Delaware: youtube.com/watch?v=UHPYhBIWRj0
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Spring Garden and Landscape Sanitation: A Fresh Start for Your Plants
March 10, 2025 | Written by: Jill Pollok, Plant DiagnosticianSpring is here, and that means it’s time to breathe new life into your garden! But before you rush out to plant, there’s one important step to take–cleaning up. Spring garden sanitation might not sound as exciting as picking out new flowers or veggies, but it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent pests and diseases from taking over your landscape later in the season. Here’s how a little spring cleaning can make all the difference. -
Saltwater intrusion leads farmers near Chesapeake Bay to ponder ‘switch’
March 07, 2025 | Written by: Jeremy Cox, Bay JournalSwitchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has the potential to help with both issues, said Jarrod Miller, a soil expert and agricultural consultant with the University of Delaware. He’s part of a multi-university team of researchers that is racing to develop salt-tolerant crops for farmers losing land to saltwater intrusion. -
How to Save Money on Field Crops This Year
March 06, 2025 | Written by: David Owens, Agricultural Entomology Extension Specialist. Photos by: Jackie CzachorowskiI’m sure many of us are more than happy to close the 2024 season and pray for more timely rains in 2025. This year, margins are looking to be just as, if not tighter, than last year. Over the last couple of months, talking with many farmers and sending and receiving insect pest loss surveys, I think I can find ways to save a little bit of money in 2025.
Upcoming Events
History of the Agriculture Research Center in Georgetown
A Delaware General Assembly act provided the establishment of an agricultural substation for southern Delaware. The first structure at the new "Substation" opened in 1942, which is still in use — now as storage space.
A more thorough, published history written by former Extension specialist and former Delaware Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Kee, is now available in the fall of 2019.