The Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (WAAESD), one of five such regional associations, is comprised of 13 western states and the 4 Pacific trust territories which make up the western region.  The 1890 universities (historically black-serving institutions) also have a similar association of research directors.

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The Research and Marketing Act of 1946 set aside 25% of Title 1, Section 9 (Hatch funds) for regional research.  The WAAESD was subsequently organized in 1948 in part to aid in the planning and management of research activities important to the region.  The Congressional requirement that all agricultural experiment stations spend 25% of the Hatch formula fund allocation on regional research also contributed to the formation of the association.  This regional commitment was redefined in the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 as “multistate research”, the multistate research fund (MRF) was created, and there were new requirements for integrated multistate research and extension activities.