The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced a gift from Bayer’s Crop Science division to support the revitalization of the Morrow Plots, the oldest experimental agricultural fields in North America. Established in 1876, the plots have become a national symbol of agricultural innovation and remain a National Historic Landmark. The revitalization project will coincide with their 150th anniversary, with completion timed for sesquicentennial celebrations in 2026.
College of ACES Dean Germán Bollero announced the plans at Celebrate Food and Ag Day on Sept. 13, 2025, marking the beginning of a transformative effort to reimagine this historic site.
“This revitalization honors the extraordinary legacy of innovation that has defined the Morrow Plots for 150 years,” Bollero said. “We are deeply grateful to Bayer for investing in this project and for joining us in ensuring these fields remain a source of discovery and inspiration for generations to come.”
Overgrown shrubs that had surrounded and obscured views of the plots have been removed to make way for a new landscape design by Cliff Garten Studio in collaboration with Site Design Group. A live webcam will be set up to document progress.
The Morrow Plots are stewarded by the Department of Crop Sciences in the College of ACES — under the leadership of department head Adam Davis and Andrew Margenot, associate professor of soil science and director of the Morrow Plots — to ensure the fields remain both a living laboratory for research and a symbol of Illinois’ enduring contributions to agriculture.
Read the full article from the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.