Ä¢¹½´«Ã½

Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ faculty members are fighting back against the state's most challenging invasive species.

How Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s Animal Disease Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and Diagnostic Laboratory plays a critical role in keeping South Dakota's food supply safe.

Weed management, virtual fencing and variety trials are just some of the topics that will be covered during the 2025 slate of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Station Field Days presented by the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Events will be happening at locations across the state from June to mid-September, with each one focusing on local topics of interest.

Lifetime dreams of Hayley (Leibel) Bentz, Lauren Larson and their 16 classmates were fulfilled when they graduated May 11 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. This historic group of 18 was the first cohort to graduate from the University of Minnesota through the 2+2 Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine established with Ä¢¹½´«Ã½. A group of 20 started classes on the SDSU campus in fall 2021 and after two years moved onto the University of Minnesota campus.

A Brookings-based animal health company, Medgene, is leading a revolution in the development of veterinary vaccines that is turning the tide in the endless battle against animal disease.

Avian metapneumovirus is a highly contagious virus causing respiratory and reproductive disorders in poultry, leading to significant animal welfare concerns and economic losses. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ is providing Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ a $150,000 Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ grant to develop a diagnostic tool and vaccine for the virus. SDSU is providing matching funds for a total investment of $300,000.

Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ers in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s Department of Dairy and Food Science are improving the shelf life of strawberries and raspberries using biodegradable packaging material.

Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ers in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s Animal Disease Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and Diagnostic Laboratory were the first to identify a new strain of avian metapneumovirus — a highly contagious disease that is currently causing significant problems for the U.S. poultry industry — and are now working toward developing a safe and effective vaccine.

A new project from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s College of Natural Sciences looks to improve the soybean plant's ability to naturally fix nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Rachel Short and Gazala Ameen, two assistant professors in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½'s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, have each received one of the National Science Foundation's most prestigious grants for early career faculty to pursue biology research projects.