Utah State University in Logan has announced a $41.25 million gift from the Bastian family in support of an agricultural center.

The largest single donation in USU history will create, in partnership with USU Extension, the Bastian Agricultural Center, which will be dedicated to educating the public about contemporary agriculture and inspiring future generations through programs in science, engineering, and technology as applied to agriculture.

To be located at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park and Event Center in South Jordan, the center will focus on four areas: a natural resources education center, amphitheater, wetland/ponds, educational trails, and youth programs; a STEM center that will host 4-H youth and volunteers for conferences, state contests, and other activities; a plant production and education component, including an area for a farmers’ market, classroom/workshop space, greenhouses, demonstration gardens, orchards, and dry farm demonstration plots; and equestrian, livestock, and animal production programs. The Bastian family—which includes sisters Mary Bastian and Emily Markham—previously contributed $6 million toward the creation of the center.

“The Bastian family has a proud history of farming the land in the Salt Lake Valley for more than seventy-five years. Our hope is that the new facility will serve as a fitting tribute to their agricultural legacy by not only providing education and experiences, but also a sense of community for those who visit,” said USU Extension vice president Ken White. “Being a successful farmer requires determination, hard work, courage, and a great love of the land. It also requires being a creator, an entrepreneur, and a scientist. These are all qualities that the Bastian family wishes to pass on for generations to come through the creation of the new Bastian Agricultural Center.”

(Photo credit: McKay Jensen/Utah State University Extension)