The mission of the Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) is to conduct agricultural research to:

Improve the genetic diversity in dry bean and sorghum through the conversion of tropical germplasm into one adapted to temperate regions.

To introduce, preserve, evaluate, regenerate, distribute and develop cultural and management systems for tropical/subtropical crops that are of economic importance to the continental and insular U.S.

The current TARS research program consist of: