The Office of the Texas State Chemist, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, is expanding its headquarters at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, adding more than 10,000 sq. ft. of laboratory testing facilities and an underground containment system, agency officials said.

"This expansion will broaden our ability to not only protect the feed and fertilizer that supply our livestock and crop industries here in Texas, but also gives us the capability to work with new hazards defined within the Food & Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act," Dr. Tim Herrman, Texas state chemist, said.

Herrman said the expansion will bring the facility “up to full capacity.”

"When we moved from our old location on the main campus of Texas A&M, our new facility was designed with future expansion in mind. With this addition of 10,000 sq. ft., our entire headquarters will encompass 30,000 sq. ft. This will make our facility one of the most state-of-the-art facilities of its kind," Herrman added.

Klunkert Construction Inc. of Bryan, Texas, is the contractor, Herrman said, noting the expansion will take place on the west side of the headquarters building.

“The expanded capabilities will enable the office to address an ever evolving marketplace and new or emerging risks. It also positions the agency to better compete for grants to fund research that helps protect consumers and enhances the competitiveness of Texas feed and fertilizer industry,” he said.

For more information, visit http://otscweb.tamu.edu.