Farmers, ranchers, crop advisors, horticulturists and others will have the opportunity to see cutting-edge agricultural research come to life through a variety of tours and demonstrations at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC) Field Day on July 22. Topics of tours include beef production, agronomy, organic and sustainable agriculture, and horticulture.

The center’s 66th annual field day begins at 9 a.m. with registration, coffee and a welcome address by NDSU leaders and special guests. At 9:30, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from four tour options that run concurrently. Lunch will be served at noon with an afternoon tour featuring a spray drone demonstration, kochia management in soybean, biofumigation in soybean and a cover crop demonstration from 1:15 to 3 p.m.

“This is the premier summer event to showcase what is new and trending in agriculture and see and hear directly from the topic experts,” says Mike Ostlie, the center’s director. “The best part is that the information is generated locally, which gives people a chance to see and hear real-world solutions that work in our region.”

Morning tours include beef production, agronomy, horticulture and organic and sustainable agriculture.

Beef Production Tour

Research results, feedout project results and composting livestock mortalities highlight this year’s beef production tour.

Topics and speakers include the following:

• Feedout project updates: Dakota Feeder Calf Show and Angus University – Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at the CREC
• Dried distillers grains or canola meal for feedlot cattle – Colin Tobin, CREC research animal scientist
• Proper growth stage to cut for quality hay – James Rogers, interim assistant director and Extension forage crops production specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center
• Using probes for testing hay – Madison Bierman, CREC livestock research specialist
• How much should we pay for a bred heifer? – Jason Fewell, farm management associate professor, Lake Region State College
• Winter feeding cattle on crop land effect on nutrient management – John Stables, graduate research assistant, NDSU Department of Animal Sciences

Demonstration:

• Composting livestock mortalities – Mary Keena, Extension livestock environmental management specialist at the CREC

Agronomy Tour

Crop disease management, carbon markets and agronomics are among the topics that will be covered during the morning agronomy tour.

Topics and speakers include the following:

• Corn disease management – Andrew Friskop, Extension plant pathologist
• Carbon markets – David Ripplinger, Extension bioenergy/bioproducts economist
• HRSW varieties – Andrew Green, hard red spring wheat breeder, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences
• Hybrid HRSW – Martin Hochhalter, AgriPro Hybrid Wheat
• North Dakota soybean diseases – Wade Webster, Extension soybean pathology specialist; Michael Wunsch, CREC research plant pathologist
• Canola production practices and diseases – Venkata Chapara, plant pathologist, Langdon Research Extension Center (LREC); Anitha Chirumamilla, Extension cropping systems specialist at the LREC

Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Tour

This year’s tour will highlight research, innovations and best practices in organic farming.

Topics and speakers for this year’s organic/sustainable agriculture production program are the following:

• Introduction and program overview – Lindy Berg, Extension program coordinator
• Organic research program at CREC – Qasim Khan, CREC organic cropping systems agronomist
• Equipment for organic research – Steve Schaubert, CREC organic research technician

• Understanding and enhancing soil health, how to assess it using key indicators, and practical ways to improve and sustain it – Carlos Pires, Extension soil health specialist. A mobile soil health unit will be on-site for demonstrations.
• Considerations for using manure and compost in organic farms – Mary Keena, Extension livestock environmental management specialist at the CREC

• Foster County Soil Conservation District introduction and services – Dionn Schaaf, Foster County Soil Conservation District
• Regenerative and agricultural sustainability incentive programs for organic producers – Paul DuBourt, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service

• Farm risk management: Strategies to safeguard your organic operation – Jason Fewell, farm management associate professor, Lake Region State College
• Precision agriculture for organic farming: Demonstration of emerging smart technologies for organic crop production – Ahmed Rabia, precision agriculture research assistant professor, NDSU Ag and Biosystems Engineering

• Current and future organic research initiatives, including soil health, crop rotation, intercropping, weed management, variety trials and more – Qasim Khan, CREC organic cropping systems agronomist

• Organic production support network: NDSU research and Extension, nonprofit organizations, commodity groups and industry – Lindy Berg, Extension program coordinator; Jeff Gale, NDSU Extension – Foster County agent; Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at the CREC; Marisol Berti, professor, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences; Stephanie Blumhagen, Foundation for Agricultural and Rural Resources Management and Sustainability; Krysti Mikkonen, Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society

An afternoon training will run from 1 p.m. to approximately 3 p.m. and will feature a soil health education workshop by FARRMS and NPSAS.

• Dig In: Leading Soil Health Demonstrations and Telling Your Farm's Story – Stephanie Blumhagen, executive director, FARRMS
• Organic Transition: Procedures and Soil Health – Krysti Mikkonen, executive director, NPSAS

Horticulture Tour

Ostlie will guide visitors through the center’s orchard. This orchard has the largest collection of fruit tree species in the state. These fruits include apples, aronia, cherries, currants, grapes, haskaps, honeyberries, Juneberries, pears and plums.

Emerald ash borer has been found less than 100 miles from Carrington. Joe Zeleznik, NDSU Extension forester, will teach visitors how to protect their trees from this devastating pest.

Xinhua Jia, professor, NDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Tom Kalb, Extension horticulturist and Mary Keena, Extension livestock environmental management specialist, will share information on irrigation systems for home gardeners, selecting the best vegetable varieties, and making compost to improve garden soil. Free seeds of fall vegetables will be shared with horticulture tour participants.

Afternoon Agronomy Tour

After lunch, participants have the opportunity to attend an afternoon tour. The afternoon crop tour will run from 1:15 p.m. to 3.

• Spray drone demonstration – Rupak Karn, Extension precision agriculture specialist
• Kochia management in soybean – Jeff Stachler, Extension cropping systems specialist at the CREC
• Brassica biofumigation for pathogen control in soybean – Sergio Cabello-Leiva, director of research, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council
• Cover crop demonstration and utilization – Ezra Aberle, CREC agronomy research specialist

The noon meal is free of charge. Event sponsors include the Northern Canola Growers Association, North Central Sustainable Ag Research and Education and the Carrington Research Extension Center.

The CREC is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.

For more information, contact the center at 701-652-2951 or visit ndsu.ag/crecfieldday25.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – July 2, 2025

Source: Mike Ostlie, 701-652-2951, mike.ostlie@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu