STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma State University Extension Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory on the OSU campus tests more than 58,000 samples each year to protect Oklahoma’s natural resources and support efficient agricultural production.
The lab in the basement of OSU’s Legacy Hall is a bustling center of test vials and specialty machines, serving producers, ranchers, homeowners, government agencies and researchers with vital information on soil, water, forage and animal waste profiles.
Following the retirement of director Hailin Zhang, OSU alumna Bee Khim Chim was selected earlier this year to lead the lab into a new era. Chim received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and a master’s degree in soil fertility. She earned a doctorate from Virginia Tech University and most recently worked for University of Maine Cooperative Extension as a potato agronomist.
“Dr. Zhang had been in this role for 28 years, and it’s an honor to serve as director,” Chim said. “Our mission is to provide scientific and reliable data for producers so they can make the best decisions in the field.”
The public is encouraged to submit soil, water, forage and feed, and manure and animal waste samples to OSU Extension county offices statewide, which are then shipped to the Stillwater lab for analysis. Results are available within two to five days, and testing costs are minimal.
“I recommend soil testing all the time,” said Bradley Secraw, Cleveland County Extension ag educator. “People will call describing a problem, and I ask them, ‘Have you done a soil test?’ I use it to rule out a defi-ciency, toxicity or pH imbalance. For the cost of two cups of coffee, you can get a test and know what’s going on with your soil.”
As Chim settles into the director role for the Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory, she meets with county educators, state specialists and Oklahoma producers to identify testing needs and new ways the lab can support the state’s agricultural economy.
“I want to collaborate with counties and producers to improve their agricultural technology and help them adjust management practices,” Chim said. “Some of our recommendations are from the 1990s and need to be updated since technology has advanced. On top of that, we’re modernizing equipment for faster services and more reliable data.”
Fall and spring are the lab’s busiest seasons for intake and analysis. Five technicians, a lab manager, a business manager and a small team of undergraduate students process soil, water, forage and animal waste samples five days a week.
“Our mission is not just to run samples – it’s to translate analytical science into practical decisions that improve production, protect the environment and build a stronger agricultural community,” Chim said. “The Soil, Water and Forage Analytic Laboratory is where science meets service.”
In May, the lab launched the new service Near-Infrared Refl ectance Spectroscopy, a rapid test for determining the nutritional value and quality of forage. Chim said the test is fast, cost-effective and widely available for measuring nutrient composition.
“We use light spectroscopy and don’t run the forage samples through wet chemistry analysis,” she said. “The process is smoother and provides more reliable data.”
Oklahoma cattle producer Jay Cervi attended his first OSU Extension pasture management seminar in 1979. Since then, he has brought samples to his local Extension office in Cleveland County for annual testing to keep his pastures in shape.
“It’s an invaluable way to improve plant roots,” Cervi said. “If your soil levels aren’t correct, then you’re wasting nitrogen. It’s beneficial to not only do the soil test but also get the knowledge.”
Chim said she plans to build on the lab’s reputation Zhang established three decades ago. She continues visiting county Extension offices and farms to meet with producers.
“The best part of this job is I get to solve problems directly,” she said. “I help farmers save money, improve the quality of their products and save the environment. I can’t get that same kind of satisfaction in any other career.”
OSU Agriculture plans to relocate the Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory to a new facility in the future. A fundraising initiative for a new Agronomy Discovery Center will allow for a planned upgrade to the existing Agronomy Research Station at OSU. The new center will house laboratory spaces for the Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory; the Wheat Quality Laboratory; and the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, in addition to a new headhouse, 12 research greenhouses and a dynamic and multipurpose Research and Education Center.
OSU Extension uses research- based information to help all Oklahomans solve local issues and concerns, promote leadership and manage resources wisely throughout the state's 77 counties. Most information is available at little to no cost.
