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Carbon programs in the region will pay farmers to adopt "climate-smart" farming techniques — like no or reduced tillage, cover crops and nutrient management — but recent studies have found that only a small percentage of eligible farmers choose to enroll in these programs. A new study from ������Ƶ's Ness School of Management and Economics — led by associate professors Tong Wang and Hailong Jin — examines the barriers to enrolling in these carbon programs.

By the narrowest of margins — two points out of more than 2,000 — the ������Ƶ Quarter Scale Tractor Team came up just short of winning its third consecutive national title. Competing at the 27th annual International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition at the Expo Gardens Fairgrounds in Peoria, Illinois, the South Dakota State University team placed third out of 21 teams.

Twenty-four students from South Dakota State University’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences traveled to Vietnam in May through an agriculture-focused education abroad program.

In the heart of the Midwest, South Dakota State University is guided by the leadership of President Barry Dunn. He brings expertise from his time as a farmer, rancher, researcher and academic to the state’s land-grant university.

The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station hosts research station tours for the public every summer. Each station, part of South Dakota State University and supporting programs in several colleges and ������Ƶ Extension, will be the site of field days with guided tours and presentations showcasing research being conducted there. These tours are led by ������Ƶ research and Extension staff.

A Spearfish couple has endowed the Cal and Mary Hayenga Department Head of Animal Science at South Dakota State University. Cal, a 1969 agriculture major, and his wife, Mary, a 1967 sociology major, utilized a gift of land to make a difference at their alma mater. By investing in the department head position, the Hayengas are fueling opportunities and resources for staff and students alike.

South Dakota State University leaders and faculty were among the honorees as the South Dakota FFA Honorary State Degrees and Distinguished Service Awards were presented at the 96th annual South Dakota State FFA Convention on April 19 in Brookings.

Students and faculty at South Dakota State University with support from Lake Area Technical College participated in the second annual “Drone Day” on the ������Ƶ campus April 25, learning more about current uses of the technology and potential career paths available across industries and disciplines.

South Dakota State University's Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering has recently been exploring the viability of automated controlled drainage systems in eastern South Dakota. The systems would allow farmers to maximize the available water and potentially improve their yearly crop yields.

Graduate students make up about 10% of the student population across 57 graduate programs and 29 graduate certificates offered at South Dakota State University. Each graduate student is immersed in research and scholarship with the support of their advisor and the Graduate School staff.