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By Red River Farm Network

Last fall, the North Dakota State College of Science Agriculture Program received nearly 100 acres of land. With support from several businesses and organizations, corn, soybeans and wheat are now growing at the college’s Ag Land Lab. NDSCS Agriculture Program Chair Craig Zimprich says students will return this summer for spraying, scouting and precision agriculture training. “They’ll learn from experts in sprayer technology about why different nozzles are used and new technologies,” says Zimprich. “Agronomists will be on hand, helping students scout crops. Also, we know there are salinity issues in the fields. So, the students will look at variability in the different crops, weed pressures and make recommendations.” Students in the program come from a variety of backgrounds. About half plan to return to the family farm, while others will go into agribusiness careers such as agronomy or marketing. Hear more about the Ag Land Lab from Zimprich in the interview below.

Listen to the interview online at www.rrfn.com. 

The North Dakota State College of Science and North Dakota State University have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement to better serve the research, service, educational and workforce needs of North Dakota. The two institutions share a unique combined presence in eastern North Dakota, and a cooperative spirit through which the educational interests of the state and local area are served.

“This agreement paves the way for NDSU and NDSCS to strengthen education across North Dakota by working together in areas including academic programming, operations and campus resources,” said NDSU President Dean Bresciani. “It enables us to explore additional opportunities to create academic partnerships and operating efficiencies.”

“NDSCS and NDSU have a history of cooperation and collaboration,” said NDSCS President John Richman. “This memorandum of agreement formalizes and expands that partnership, and will help us to work together to meet the area’s educational and workforce needs.”

The institutions have previously partnered in specific areas to enhance student success. Previous agreements have been outlined for:

• Pathway Program – NDSU directs appropriate students denied admission to NDSU to consider the Pathway Program, which provides an avenue for students to complete developmental coursework at NDSCS while living on NDSU’s campus and taking selected courses collaboratively at NDSU.
• Reverse Transfer – In cases where students transfer from NDSCS to NDSU before completion of their associate’s degree, the reverse transfer process allows students to transfer credits back to NDSCS for the purpose of attaining the associate’s degree.

Through this new Memorandum of Agreement, the institutions will develop transfer guides and processes to facilitate seamless transfers from NDSCS to NDSU, as well as collaborate to identify new and modify existing career and technical programming.

NDSCS and NDSU each serve a unique niche in providing educational programming to meet workforce needs, with NDSCS serving as the principal provider of sub-baccalaureate programming and NDSU providing baccalaureate and graduate programs. With a growing need for degree programs at all levels delivered in the Cass County region, the institutions recognize the need to collaborate to provide educational opportunities for students.

In addition to collaboration in academic programming, the new Memorandum of Agreement creates a path to explore collaboration for operational efficiencies and shared services.