SDSU Field Stations
As a land-grant institution, Ģý, home to the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, has an enduring mission of practical, responsive research to help improve the farms and ranches, businesses and lives of South Dakotans.
Ģý often starts on the SDSU campus, but for science to ultimately meet real-life needs, researchers also work on SDSU research stations strategically located across the state.
Learn more about the 2026 Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days below:
Cottonwood Field Station Field Day
23738 Fairview Road, Philip
June 12, 9 a.m.-noon
Come see the newly completed updates to the Cottonwood Field Station’s research facilities and hear about ongoing cattle and range research, drought monitoring and management tools, and the expanding potential of virtual fencing technology. As the morning sessions wrap up, all attendees will receive SDSU ice cream.
Dakota Lakes Ģý Farm Field Day
21310 308th Ave., Pierre (17 miles east of Pierre on Highway 34)
June 26, 3 p.m.-dark
Hear from SDSU experts about research taking place at the research farm involving integrated livestock systems, innovative grazing technologies and a variety of no-till cropping systems. Updates will also be given on the SDSU wheat and oat breeding programs. Dinner and SDSU ice cream will be provided for all attendees. Continuing education units will be available for certified crop advisers.
Southeast Ģý Farm Grain and Horticulture Crops Field Day
29974 University Road, Beresford
July 7, 1:30-8 p.m.
The field day will begin with tours on topics such as nutrient management, weed management, horticulture and small grains. Agronomy tours will leave at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., and horticulture tours will leave at 3:30 and 6 p.m. All field day attendees will receive SDSU ice cream. Continuing education units for certified crop advisers will be available for certain sessions. Beginning at 4:30 p.m., SDSU Extension will host a with additional topics and activities.
Oak Lake Field Station Field Day
19862 483rd Ave., Astoria
July 9, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Topics including using native plants to restore tall grass prairies, small mammal conservation in South Dakota and the effects of pollinators on plants will be covered at this conservation-focused field day. Lunch and SDSU ice cream will be provided for all attendees.
Northeast Ģý Farm Field Day
15710 455th Ave., South Shore (2.5 miles west of Interstate 29 off exit 193)
July 9, 4 p.m.-dark
Several agronomic topics will be covered during this field day, including herbicide trials and general weed management, soil health research, a 2026 disease and pest update and reporting on the small grains variety trials. Dinner and SDSU ice cream will be provided for all attendees. Continuing education units will be available for certified crop advisers.
West River Ģý Farm Field Day
13370 Alkali Road, Sturgis
Sept. 9, 3-7 p.m.
Attendees at this field day will see a number of integrated technology demonstrations, including using virtual fencing for cattle grazing, thermal and multispectral drones for crop monitoring, and precision livestock feeding and monitoring, along with a farm tour. Dinner and SDSU ice cream will be provided for all attendees.
Southeast Ģý Farm Forage and Livestock Field Day
29974 University Road, Beresford
Sept. 10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
More details about specific topics covered during this field day will be made available closer to the event. Lunch and SDSU ice cream will be provided for all attendees.
SDSU West River Ģý and Extension provides a West River home for SDSU’s teaching, research and extension programs. Its mission is to enhance the profitability of agriculture and the quality of life for South Dakota citizens by conducting research relevant to western South Dakota and by delivering educational programs for young people and adults. Staff members conduct research at the SDSU Cottonwood Field Station, SDSU West River Ģý Farm and on individual cooperator operations throughout western South Dakota. 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 Dakota’s land area. The SDSU Cottonwood Field Station is in the heart of our state’s 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 animal, 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: Amanda Blair
The Dakota Lakes Ģý 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 “10 most exciting field days in the nation” by a major farm magazine.
21310 308th Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
605-224-6357
Contact: Natalie Sturm
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
605-688-4453
Contact: Charles Fenster
The Northeast Ģý Farm is the smallest of SDSU’s research facilities. Size, however, is no measure of the importance local farmers place on the research results from this 80-acre farm. Ģý 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 — 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 Ģý Farm focuses on production agronomics in the heart of South Dakota’s 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 animal 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 Ģý Farm is comprised of 111 acres located northwest of Sturgis. The station was acquired by Ģý in 2018. It focuses on agronomic and livestock research for conditions similar to those in western South Dakota. 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 Ģý, has a weather station located on the West River Ģý Farm that provides weather information to the surrounding community.
13304 Alkali Road
Sturgis, SD 57785
605-394-2236
Contact: Kristi Cammack or Christopher Graham
