North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is proud to announce the expansion of its Agriculture department with the introduction of new AAS degrees in Precision Agronomy and Precision Agriculture Technician.

These programs are crafted to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in the agricultural industry and to support the CHS Foundation mission of developing a new generation of ag leaders. CHS and the CHS Foundation recently awarded $96,000 to NDSCS to help reach these goals. That grant will help NDSCS purchase and implement a variety of GPS receivers and field displays; purchase and install John Deere AutoTrac and ActiveYield; and purchase and implement a planter row unit test table.

“The CHS partnership is invaluable to the Precision Agriculture Technician program at NDSCS. The high-tech equipment provided by this grant will provide innovative, real-world training. NDSCS students will now be even better prepared to take on the challenges ahead in their ag careers,” shared Craig Zimprich, Program Director at NDSCS Agriculture.

The new Precision Agriculture Technician program is meticulously designed to train students in the latest technological advances in agriculture equipment. It prepares students for careers where they will sell, troubleshoot, and repair precision equipment, a critical need identified by major precision equipment dealers. The program offers extensive hands-on experience, including a paid internship and the opportunity to operate state-of-the-art machinery at the NDSCS Kosel Family Land Lab.

“Training in precision agriculture and experience with precision agriculture equipment are essential skills for today’s graduates,” says Megan Wolle, president, CHS Foundation. “Through this partnership, NDSCS students will be ready to tackle new precision ag challenges and pursue careers in the agriculture industry.”

NDSCS's commitment to diversity and inclusion is integral to its vision, fostering a respectful and supportive environment that celebrates individual differences and promotes cultural appreciation. Chandra Langseth, a program instructor on the CHS Dakota Plains Ag producer board, exemplifies this commitment, enhancing program development and workforce diversity in collaboration with CHS.

“We are fortunate to have Chandra lead our Precision Agriculture program. She is very talented and provides valuable insight coupled with practical knowledge for the students here at NDSCS,” shared Zimprich.

The college's innovative strategies include interdisciplinary teaching, leveraging expertise from NDSCS's diesel and manufacturing faculty to ensure that graduates possess comprehensive technical skills. The program's success is already anticipated, with the North Dakota Legislature allocating approximately $20 million for facility enhancements to advance precision agriculture education at NDSCS.

The program's SMART goals are ambitious and well-defined, focusing on equipping students with practical skills in data management, equipment calibration, and troubleshooting. The long-term impact is clear: NDSCS aims to be a national leader in precision agriculture training, providing students with the knowledge and practical experience needed for immediate career success.

NDSCS's strategic partnerships and collaborations with industry leaders, including CHS Foundation, ensure that the curriculum remains cutting-edge and relevant. The program is set to be sustainable, with funding strategies involving the reinvestment of proceeds from the NDSCS Kosel Family Agriculture Land Lab and ongoing support from industry partners.

The college plans to promote the program through various channels, including opportunities for high school students and active engagement with FFA organizations in North Dakota, Minnesota, and throughout our region.

Learn more at NDSCS.edu/Ag.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is partnering with North Dakota State College of Science and eight other Midwest community colleges to support hands-on student learning in the field, to develop future conservation-minded farmers and ranchers, and to cultivate more graduates interested in pursuing careers with NRCS.

Today, NDSCS President John Richman, together with representatives of the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3) and NRCS, held a virtual ceremony to formally sign a national memorandum of understanding to develop a cooperative framework to enhance and accelerate training and adoption of technologies and best practices for improved agricultural productivity and natural resources stewardship.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with NRCS to provide access for our students to new soil management and agronomic practices, resources and technical expertise,” said NDSCS Vice President for Academic Affairs Harvey Link. “This partnership recognizes the important role NDSCS plays in providing technical education in multiple agricultural areas. It will allow us to partner with other two-year colleges throughout the Midwest to share resources and best practices that will benefit our students, while also helping the NRCS further its mission.”

All C2A3 member institutions, including NDSCS, have land labs or college farms and are able to utilize their land resources for the implementation of conservation practices on the ground to help educate and inform students and producers. The goal of the cooperative agreement between the entities is to not only accelerate the adoption of conservation practices through the education of current, two-year agriculture students, but to also disseminate information to the broader community through field days and other college events and partnerships.

In addition, the colleges are utilizing the network to share resources, knowledge and expertise. Collectively, they are working on a grant through USDA’s North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which seeks to increase awareness, knowledge and skills related to soil health, cover crops and no till agriculture. The development of content such as videos and case studies for the classroom is a critical component to help illustrate concepts of profitability, sustainability and productivity. These assets will be shared across the network for the benefit of all member institutions.

“Community colleges educate nearly half of all undergraduate students in this country and yet, our agriculture programs have been an under-utilized resource within USDA,” said Dr. Tracy Kruse, C2A3 board chair. “A majority of our students are the producers in fields. They are technicians in our local co-ops and implement dealers; and they are our agronomy and seed sales professionals. Through these efforts, we hope more of them will also become the soil health specialists and conservationists for local NRCS offices.”

The C2A3 collaboration was born out of a mutual desire to provide more ongoing education, training and demonstration projects to future farm producers and agricultural service providers with the goal of improving the health, and therefore the long-term productivity, resilience and sustainability of the soil.

“We hope that this pilot will grow over time to include more partners and more institutions,” said Jimmy Bramblett, deputy chief of programs for NRCS. “The more successful we are, the more likely we are to drive further innovation and adoption of practices and impact the long-term sustainability of our nation’s resources.”

In addition to NDSCS, C2A3 member institutions include Central Lakes College (Staples, Minn.), Clark State Community College (Springfield, Ohio), Illinois Central College (Peoria, Ill.), Ivy Tech Community College (Lafayette, Ind.), Northcentral Technical College (Wausau, Wis.), Northeast Community College (Norfolk, Neb.), Northeast Iowa Community College (Calmar, Iowa), and Richland Community College (Decatur, Ill.).

For more information about C2A3, visit the organization’s website at agalliance.net.