Southwest Michigan research center tests crops and farming innovations.
Michigan State University’s Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (SWMREC) plays a vital role in advancing agricultural research and supporting farmers across the region. Located near Benton Harbor, the 350-acre facility is known for its ability to grow a wide variety of specialty crops, earning southwest Michigan the nickname of a “little California” due to its agricultural diversity.
The region’s unique climate is heavily influenced by nearby Lake Michigan. The lake helps regulate temperatures, reducing the risk of spring frost damage and extending the growing season into the fall.
These favorable conditions allow farmers and researchers to successfully grow apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, chestnuts, and numerous vegetable crops.
According to Mike de Schaaf, Farm Manager at MSU’s Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center, researchers use the center as a place to evaluate new varieties, farming practices, and technologies before they reach commercial farms. He said, “We are like the little California of Michigan.”
The center serves as a safe location for agricultural experiments that may be difficult to conduct on working farms. Researchers test crop diseases, study disease-control methods, and evaluate how new crop varieties perform under Michigan’s environmental conditions. Discussing the importance of such work, de Schaaf said, “Most growers don’t like having someone come to their farm to do trials in which you are deliberately infecting the plants.”
One major research focus at SWMREC is Michigan’s pickling cucumber industry. As the leading producer of cucumbers for pickling in the United States, Michigan benefits from ongoing studies of new cucumber varieties. Researchers are particularly interested in parthenocarpic cucumbers, which can produce fruit without bee pollination and provide growers with greater flexibility during harvest.
Ben Phillips, Station Coordinator and Vegetable Specialist at SWMREC, studies cucumber performance, disease management, and production challenges. The research aims to develop varieties that meet both grower and processor needs.
The center also evaluates emerging agricultural technologies. Researchers have conducted trials comparing drone-based grape spraying with traditional tractor-operated sprayers. Other innovations include autonomous sprayers and laser weed-control systems. Describing one such technology, de Schaaf said, “It’s lasers on turrets. And it just sees a weed and pew, pew, pew, pew — destroys the weeds. It’s essentially weed warfare.”
Industry partners and growers regularly collaborate with SWMREC to test equipment, farming systems, and crop varieties under real-world conditions. The findings help farmers make informed decisions while reducing financial risks associated with new investments.
Through research, education, and outreach, SWMREC continues to deliver practical solutions that improve crop production, support sustainability, and strengthen Michigan’s specialty crop industry for the future.
Photo Credit: michigan-state-university-msu