East Texas A&M University (formerly known as Texas A&M University-Commerce) is set to become a major destination for agricultural education, thanks to a new Agricultural Education Multipurpose & Training Center currently under construction. The center promises to bring exciting new opportunities to students and the East Texas community.
A Dynamic Facility
Projected to open in 2026, the facility will occupy 190,000 square feet along State Highway 24, just south of Commerce. The complex will house the university’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and serve as a dynamic hub for agricultural research, teaching, economic development, international student exchange, and knowledge transfer initiatives.
East Texas’ Hub for Agricultural Education
The new facility is expected to become a major regional center for agricultural (ag) education. It will feature event spaces, including a sizable arena for livestock shows, rodeos, conferences and educational fairs. It will also feature labs, stables, classrooms, and accommodations for up to 200 RVs, allowing visitors to stay on the premises.
“The ag center will allow us to not only better educate the current students in our growing college but also perform outreach to potential students as we provide state-of-the-art facilities for FFA contests and other events,” said Dr. Byron Housewright, interim associate dean of CASNR.
The East Texas A&M Rodeo team is especially excited to host events at its new home base. The team, which is entering its 11th year and already boasts multiple National Championship titles, will bring in many visitors, including other college teams, fans and business partners.
“It’s no secret that these facilities will be tremendous for recruitment,” said Rodeo Head Coach Dameon White. “The new ag center will provide four times the amount of animal stalls we currently have access to and other elite amenities that will make this an exciting destination for rodeo athletes and fans at our competitions.”
Enhanced Ag Programs
The upgraded ag facilities will benefit several innovative degree programs, including Equine Studies, Agricultural Science and Technology, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, and Animal Science.
Education will take center stage with laboratory spaces equipped with multimedia resources and the latest lab equipment. In addition to existing care facilities, the new ag center will expand on facilities dedicated to animal husbandry, veterinary care and humane animal handling techniques.
Housewright emphasized that the new facilities will also become a driving force in faculty recruitment, elevating the educational experience for East Texas A&M students.
“We have world-class faculty in our college, and the new center will allow us to be more competitive in securing great educators, which will, in turn, benefit the students,” he said.
Expanding Ag Research
The complex will also create the necessary infrastructure to perform groundbreaking research and secure more considerable research funding, a high priority as East Texas A&M pushes to reach R2 (High Research Activity) status as determined by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Housewright stated that forthcoming research projects could include equine joint research and animal behavior studies. Other proposed equine studies include research into stress response and feeding.
Looking Toward the Future
In 2021, Texas Senate Bill 52 provided nearly $45 million to fund the new ag facilities at East Texas A&M. The university seeks supplemental funds to complete the project during the next legislative session in early 2025.
“This facility will be a game-changer for us as we will be able to immerse students in their chosen field of study,” Housewright said. “We can’t wait to showcase this complex upon its completion.”
Learn more about the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at East Texas A&M at tamuc.edu/Ag.