Extension Programs
Extension Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
North Dakota State University
The Farmstead Assessment Program is a voluntary educational program designed
to assist farmers and ranchers in assessing the risks to groundwater contamination
at their farmstead. A checklist guides participants through the assessment
process. The questions in the checklist identify potential sources of groundwater
contamination. Supplemental publications provide background information
to help reduce the contamination risks.
The Agricultural Safety and Health Program is responsible for developing
and conducting statewide educational programs relating to aspects of safety
and health for a primary audience of North Dakota agricultural producers.
Issue areas include safety and health promotion in using or working with
mechanized equipment, high electrical voltage, livestock, and potentially
toxic materials.
The Oakes North Dakota (ND) Management Systems Evaluation Area (MSEA)
was initiated in 1991 as a satellite site of the Northern Cornbelt Sand
Plain MSEA (NCSP MSEA) centered in Minnesota. The NCSP MSEA joins with
MSEA sites in Ohio, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska to address concerns about
the potential for ground water contamination by agri-chemicals in the Midwest
Region. Specific objectives are to:
1) Investigate the impacts of ridge-till practices in a corn and soybean
cropping system on ground water quality and on the rate of transport of
atrazine, alachlor and metribuzin in saturated and unsaturated zones.
2) Determine the effects of nitrogen management by soil test and plant
analysis.
3) Characterize ground water flow through sand and gravel aquifers and
relate their characteristics to the transport and storage of agri-chemicals.
4) Determine the relationship between ground water recharge rates and
rates of agricultural chemical loading to ground water.
In cooperation with the ND Dept. of Agriculture, an educational program
that relates to assessment and BMP selection for groundwater protection
in North Dakota has been developed. NDSU bulletins ER-18 "An Assessment
System for Potential Groundwater Contamination from Agricultural Pesticide
Use in North Dakota" - Technical Guideline", EB-63 "An Assessment System
for Potential Groundwater Contamination from Agricultural Pesticide Use
in North Dakota" (producer's version); and EB-25 "Best Management Practices
for Groundwater Protection from Agricultural Pesticides: Technical Paper"
have been prepared as basic documentation for this program. A series of
fact sheets that explain the BMP process to North Dakota producers have
also been prepared. Program content and delivery will be tested in a 5
county area in southeastern North Dakota in 1996-97. Documentation related
to surface water, pesticides, and BMPs is nearly complete and will be used
to expand the groundwater educational program.
Related Pages:
Protecting ND Water from Pesticides |
Nutrient Management
Program efforts related to water quality and nutrients have been part of
other on-going Extension programs such as residue management, sustainable
agriculture, fertility maintenance, irrigation management, and on-site
septic system design. Educational materials including circulars, videos,
slide sets, and teaching packets have been produced as a part of this effort.
Preparation of a more focused program that relates specifically to BMPs
for water resource protection in North Dakota will begin in the near future.
Documentation and experience from the pesticide/BMP programming efforts
will be used as a template to design and deliver the nutrients/BMP program.
Wellhead Protection
These program efforts include a variety of subjects that have the common
denominator of a well. Educational materials have been developed that address
water testing and treatment; assessment of potential for contamination
of the farm-well; and proper well abandonment. Programming efforts are
being placed on delivery of farm-well assessment as both a separate program
and also incorporated within the BMP educational programs.
Post Harvest Engineering
With about $2.4 billon of crops produced annually in North Dakota, 79%
of farm marketing receipts, the safe and efficient post harvest handling
of these crops are critical to both farm and state income. Efforts will
continue to provide educational and engineering assistance to producers
and agri-business. As a USDA program, the extension efforts expands beyond
North Dakota to many states. South Dakota, Montana and other states in
the North Central Region do not have post harvest engineering extension
specialists, so people from those states turn to North Dakota for educational
and assistance. Even residents of northwest Minnesota, a state with a specialist,
request assistance from NDSU due to proximity, service provided, and similar
crop production environment. There are only about three post harvest engineering
specialists in the United States actively providing education and assistance
in potato and other vegetable storage. About one-third of requests for
assistance are from outside North Dakota. Grain characteristic assessment
will be a future focus of educational efforts. This is becoming more important
as financial margins decrease and the customers demand higher quality.
Educational topics include grain sampling, moisture measurement, protein
measurement and other important grain characteristic measurements. Demand
for carrot storage information is increasing due to farmers raising more
of this high value crop. Storage is essential for marketing carrot production.
Research will be required to develop design criteria. Field evaluation
will be needed to verify information. Extension educational methods will
need to include development of publications, lectures and one-on-one education.
Structures
Current staff size does not permit conducting an appropriate educational
program in the structures area. Educational efforts consist primarily of
providing engineering assistance and educational programming upon request.
Many people seeking structures and environment engineering expertise are
referred to Extension Agricultural Engineering due to the void of expertise
in the geographical area. People are unable to get this expertise from
contractors and lumber dealers. Calls to the Land Grant University for
assistance are referred to Extension Agricultural Engineering. The assistance
requested is that which consulting engineering firms do not provide and
are unable to financially provide. Participation in the MidWest Plan Service
(MWPS) is vital for Extension Agricultural Engineering to provide assistance
on structures related topics. MWPS educational resources are distributed
and administered. NDSU has one of the best USDA Cooperative Farm Buildings
Plans Exchange archieves of plans. These plans are distributed nationally
upon request. The requests for assistance can be divided into three categories;
residential (25%), livestock (18%), and general (57%). The livestock questions
are handled by supplying materials and referring to people with the expertise
in the region.
Machinery
This program studies, evaluates, and interprets problems and research pertaining
to farm power and machinery developments, tillage, weed control, chemical
application, farm power and machinery management, crop harvesting, site-specific
farming, materials handling and new crop and livestock production methods
in order to provide leadership in Extension educational programs on farm
power and machinery.
This page is property of the NDSU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department.
Last Modified on November 05, 1997