Increased costs associated with facilitating applied research coupled with limitations in state funding has created financial challenges for Purdue Agricultural Centers (i.e. research farms) in the College of Agriculture at Purdue University. In addition to increases in crop input costs, infrastructure maintenance, utilities, and changes in regulatory requirements have all lead to increased budgetary pressure at the Centers, both departmental and regional. Discussion will involve outlining actual plot costs with various crops and study requirements, sources of Center funding, and current and possible compensation from project investigators.