SDSU Field Stations
As a land-grant institution, South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć State University, home to the South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć Agricultural Experiment Station, has an enduring mission of practical, responsive research to help improve the farms and ranches, businesses and lives of South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šćns. Research often starts on the SDSU campus, but for the science to ultimately reach out to real-life needs, researchers also work on SDSU research stations strategically located across the state.
Learn more about the 2025 Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days below:
West River Research Farm Field Day
13370 Alkali Road, Sturgis
June 11, 3-8 p.m., dinner provided
Attendees at this field day will see a number of integrated technology demonstrations including using virtual fencing for sheep grazing, thermal and multispectral drones for crop monitoring, and precision livestock feeding and monitoring along with a farm tour.
ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć Lakes Research Farm Field Day
21310 308th Ave., Pierre (17 miles east of Pierre on Highway 34)
June 26, 3 p.m.-dark, dinner provided
This field day will feature a tour of the popular oats/wheat variety trials, winter wheat breeding area and pulse crop evaluation area along with presentations on a number of agronomy topics.
Southeast Research Farm Grain Crops Field Day
29974 University Road, Beresford
July 8, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Grain crops are the focus of this field day with specific topics including weed management, precision agriculture, conservation and nutrient management. Ice cream from SDSUās Davis Dairy Plant will be provided to all attendees, and SDSU Extension is hosting an evening for families after the field day.
Northeast Research Farm Field Day
15710 455th Ave., South Shore (2.5 miles west of Interstate 29 off exit 193)
July 10, 4 p.m.-dark, dinner provided
Weed management, small grains breeding, disease and pest updates and management and soil health are among the presentation and tour topics for this field day.
Oak Lake Field Station Field Day
19862 483rd Ave., Astoria
July 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., lunch provided
Topics including the effect of pollinators on the plant community, using native plants to restore tall grass prairies, small mammal conservation in South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć, and looking at the changing flowering time over 120 years at Coteau des Prairies.
Cottonwood Field Station Field Day
23738 Fairview Road, Philip
Aug. 13, 9 a.m.-noon
This field day will feature a hands-on demonstration of virtual fencing precision technology among other topics. All attendees will receive ice cream from SDSUās Davis Dairy Plant!
SDSU West River Research and Extension provides a West River home for SDSUās teaching, research and extension programs. Its mission is to enhance the profitability of agriculture and the quality of life for South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć citizens by conducting research relevant to western South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć and by delivering educational programs for young people and adults. Staff members conduct research at the SDSU Cottonwood Field Station, SDSU West River Research Farm and on individual cooperator operations throughout western South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć. They also provide a constant SDSU presence in support of events at the Black Hills Stock Show, Central States Fair, Western Junior Livestock Show and other West River events.
711 N. Creek Drive
Rapid City, SD 57703
605-394-2236
Contact: Kristi Cammack
Rangeland accounts for 59% of South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šćās land area. The SDSU Cottonwood Field Station is in the heart of our stateās rangeland. For nearly 100 years, work at this station has focused on cow-calf management and range research. Recently, scientists addressed water quality issues during persistent drought. SDSU scientists now use this 2,640-acre facility as a heifer development station. Heifer care and management during the first year of production have great impact on the lifetime productivity of the ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć, and this research will help future generations of ranchers increase the overall profitability of their herd.
23738 Fairview Road
Philip, SD 57567
605-386-4445
Contact: Katie Grott
The ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć Lakes Research Farm focuses on both irrigated and dryland crop research. The farm is managed as a no-till farm, with 240 of the 840 acres devoted to irrigation. Irrigation allows scientists to compare and evaluate varieties, as well as comparing and evaluating management practices. It also allows scientists to do breeding work in both high- and low-moisture environments at the same location in the same year. The farm's field day, held the last Thursday in June, has been listed as one of the ā10 most exciting field days in the nationā by a major farm magazine.
21310 308th Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
605-224-6357
Contact: Sam Ireland
The Oak Lake Field Station is a 570-acre facility located in the heart of the Northern Plains on the Coteau des Prairies. Grassland, oak forest, wetland and lake environments located at the field station display the natural variety of the prairie pothole region. The field station hosts university research focused on biofuels development, the variety of life in prairie communities, fire ecology, prairie pothole and stream ecology. Facilities on site also service environmental education, university field courses, conferences, colloquia, retreats and community service events.
19862 483rd Ave.
Astoria, SD 57213
Contact: Charles Fenster
605-688-4453
The Northeast Research Farm is the smallest of SDSUās research facilities. Size, however, is no measure of the importance local farmers place on the research results from this 80-acre farm. Research here has always emphasized crop breeding and solutions to pest-related problems. Throughout the growing season, local producers stop by regularly to judge the side-by-side performance of small grain, row crops and alfalfa varieties and to check the effectiveness of numerous herbicide and fertilizer treatments and other agronomic practices. Most of the research at this farm is of an applied nature ā science that can quickly be put to work on neighboring farms.
15710 455 Ave.
South Shore, SD 57263
605-882-5140
Contact: David Karki
The Southeast Research Farm focuses on production agronomics in the heart of South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šćās corn and soybean country. It consists of 550 acres of dryland row crops, small grains and forages and annually feeds nearly 1,000 head of beef cattle and swine. The combination of crops and livestock makes this research farm unique among the SDSU research stations, allowing scientists to take a systems approach much like those on varied farms in the area. For example, field peas studied by agronomists looking for alternative crops may also be fed to cattle and hogs by ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć scientists seeking new feed sources. This farm is often the final testing ground where producers see and evaluate new technology before adapting it to their operations.
29974 University Road
Beresford, SD 57004
605-563-2989
Contact: Peter Sexton
The West River Research Farm is comprised of 111 acres located northwest of Sturgis. The station was acquired by South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć State University in 2018. It focuses on agronomic and livestock research for conditions similar to those in western South ą£ą£Ö±²„Šć. The combination of crops and livestock allows researchers to perform grazing, cover crop and variety trials. SDSU's statewide network of weather stations, called Mesonet at SDState, has a weather station located on the West River Research Farm that provides weather information to the surrounding community.
13304 Alkali Road
Sturgis, SD 57785
605-394-2236
Contact: Kristi Cammack or Christopher Graham