AG WEEK: Educating future agriculturalists

Agriculture is the cornerstone of our economy and our way of life, and Lake Region State College is at the forefront.

 The new 20,000 sq. ft. Hofstad Ag Center opened for classes in January 2021, and students were welcomed back from the holiday break into a space where they can immerse themselves in all the agricultural industry has to offer.

 Preston Sundeen is the Director of the Precision Ag Program, and one of two faculty members who instruct the students. Dr. Oybek Turayev also provides instruction. They are accompanied by Program Coordinator Mylee Kenner, who organizes outreach events, schedules special guests and industry representatives and helps students with internships and career placement, among other things.

"Ag is a great place to be for someone who wants to be outside, but can work both indoors and outdoors sometimes within minutes of each other," Sundeen said, with a nod to the unpredictable nature of the weather and the importance of planning, data analysis and marketing in this technological age.

 In the new 100-by-100 foot shop, students work with the latest equipment, taking it apart, learning how it operates and performing the maintenance that is needed to keep it running. Although in-person interaction has been suspended due to the pandemic, a key part of the program is working with industry representatives, using products that are familiar to the students. Ultimately, Sundeen says he wants all students who graduate from the program to have the background needed to merge into the world of precision agriculture, a world that changes ever so quickly.

 Lowry Engineering, in accordance with Icon Architectural Group, developed the site plan for the facility, taking into account the distinctive terrain.

 Another key benefit of the new ag center is its proximity to the college's test field. In the 40-acre field, adjacent to the center, they can immerse themselves in agriculture without having to cross the highway. They have grown corn the past two years, which students plant, manage, harvest and sell. On any given day during the growing season, students scout and conduct yield assessments, collect soil samples, and engage in trials of different populations and varieties. Then they use datasets from the field in their state-of-the-art classroom area, in which the data is projected wirelessly to them for management, manipulation and marketing. They even take to the sky, learning how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and studying satellite imagery.

 Sundeen said the ultimate goal of the precision ag program is to provide both undergraduate instruction and hands-on training for those who want to pursue careers in the agricultural industry by utilizing the technology that is available on the market. Whether students are going back to their family farm or starting a career elsewhere in the industry, LRSC aims to prepare them for real world situations, with education in agronomy, data analysis, prescription writing and mechanical aptitude.

 During the 2019 session, the North Dakota Legislature authorized construction of the $3 million ag education building at LRSC. The legislation provided a direct appropriation of $1 million along with some matching fund opportunities and named the building for Curt and Annette Hofstad, long-time Lake Region residents and friends of LRSC.

 The Community College Foundation, which supports Lake Region State College, launched a capital campaign in 2019 to raise $1.5 million. The campaign, when combined with the state appropriation and other state match programs, will bring the college to its $3 million goal.

 Area agricultural businesses have contributed generously to the Hofstad Ag Center project, with sizable donations coming from CenDak Cooperative, Fessenden Cooperative Association, Leading Edge Equipment and Butler Machinery, as well as several others.

 Lake Region State College held a groundbreaking ceremony for the center on July 22, 2020, with more than 100 people in attendance. Students, faculty and staff began using the building at the beginning of the spring semester, which started in January.

 Inside the Hofstad Ag Center, LRCS offers a 2-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in precision agriculture. Students earn 65 credits through the program, which transfer into one of NDSU's bachelor's degree agricultural programs or the agribusiness program at Mayville State University.

Students who complete their AAS degree also can move right into careers in the agricultural industry and/or go back to the family farm to apply their knowledge and skills to their operation.

 The precision ag program has been offered at LRSC for 8 years. Currently there are 32 students enrolled in the program. Sundeen said that with registration coming in early April, they plan to register 24 incoming freshmen for the fall 2021 semester.

 Most students in the precision ag program live within a 150 mile radius of Devils Lake, although some relocate from the Fargo-Moorhead area, Minnesota or South Dakota.

 Established in 1941, Lake Region State College is a comprehensive community college based in Devils Lake, ND. LRSC offers education in a variety of career and technical programs and associate arts (transfer) degrees for those planning to transfer and pursue a bachelor's degree.

 Hofstad Ag Center is LRCSC's first new campus building since it was built in 1941. To learn more about LRSC's precision ag program, go to lrsc.edu.