South Farm Facility
South Farm aquaculture research facility, is an on-campus aquaculture facility that provides opportunities to faculty, graduate students and undergraduates to conduct aquaculture related research here at Mississippi State University. South Farm has close collaborative ties with the USDA-APHIS wildlife services unit as well as the Hill County Initiative through the USDA-ARS.
South Farm facilities include:
- 86 ponds occupying 15 acres
- 9 large (4,000-L) recirculating systems
- 4 large raceways, 2 small raceways
- a temperature controlled experimental room
- 2 recirculating systems, each with ten 400-L tanks
- 2 general use labs
- a mesocosm facility: 30, 3,500-L tanks
- 2 large walk-in coolers
- staff preparation/meeting room
- on-site housing for 1 staff member for 24-hour facility oversight
- 2 wells that serve as supplies for water at a capacity to provide flow rates of 1,600 gallons/minute and 400 gallons/ minute
The facility is maintained by a staff of 5 including 1 facilities coordinator, 3 farm assistants, and 1 farm laborer.