GOAL 1: AN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM THAT IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE
IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Program 1: Competitive and Profitable Crop Production

Statement of Issue

North Dakota agricultural production is important to the domestic vitality of the United States and to its position as a leader in the global economy. North Dakota leads the nation in production of durum wheat, hard red spring wheat, oats, barley, flaxseed, navy beans, pinto beans, all dry edible beans, dry edible peas, sunflowers, and canola. The state ranks second in production of all wheat and lentils; and third in rye and sugarbeets. Exports of North Dakota commodities and products are valued at $1.2 billion. The lead export is wheat (and wheat products) at $620 million, followed by soybeans and products ($146 million), feed grains ($114 million), and sunflower and oils ($102 million).

Crop production is critically important to the economy of the Northern Great Plains. Cash receipts from crops provide more than $3.54 billion to the economic base of North Dakota, primarily from wheat (33%), oilseeds (22%), feed crops (19%), dry beans and potatoes (8%) and sugarbeets (6%). A short growing season (120 frost-free days) and low rainfall (12 inches in the northwest corner to about 16 inches in the southeastern corner of the state) limits crop yields and rotations. However, North Dakota is one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the nation. More than 40 different crops are grown in the state. Ninety percent of the state is in farmland or ranches, and North Dakota growers realize efficiencies from scale of operations (farms are three times larger than the national average of 441 acres). The human resources engaged in farming are now older (average age 54.4 vs. 51.4 in 1997) and 79.5% are male).

Issues facing agriculture on the Northern Great Plains were articulated in the report of the 1998 North Dakota Commission on the Future of Agriculture: 1) make (our) agricultural products synonymous with high quality, dominating the premium markets; 2) increase value-added agricultural processing; 3) diversify and increase the value of agricultural production; 4) increase farm and non-farm cooperation that supports thriving rural communities and enhances our natural resources; and 5) create a political, regulatory, economic, trade, financial, and natural resource environment in which (our) producers can compete in the global marketplace.

Performance Goals

Following extensive statewide, multi-source inputs, the North Dakota 1998 Committee on the Future of Agriculture identified the following items as important in crop production: establish quality standards for crop commodities, produce high quality products, determine needs for commodity improvements; reduce the impacts of weeds, plant diseases, and insects; produce commodities with characteristics for value-added processing; diversify and increase the value of crop production by evaluating new crops and appropriate technologies for food, fiber, fuel, and other industrial uses; develop and conserve water resources through efficient irrigation, drought-tolerant crops, and moisture conserving farming practices.

Output Indicators

• Release of adapted and improved crop varieties
• Workshops, meetings and schools for growers
• Publications, computer programs and videos on crop production
• Refereed journal articles and regional research reports

Outcome Indicators

• Adoption of techniques, technologies, or practices by growers and scientists
• Acceptability of products by processing industries
• Adoption of IPM strategies by growers

Key Program Components

I. Genetic improvement of major crops

A.     Introgression, selection, and testing for genetic characteristics of crop plants that improve adaptation to the agroecosystem of the Northern Great Plains.

1.     Use traditional breeding methods to develop a menu of improved varieties or germplasms that are released to constituents for their agronomic, industrial, conservation, or other purposes.

a. Resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors.
b. Improved agronomic, handling, or industrial characteristics.

2.     Use novel methods, including molecular procedures, to increase genetic diversity of major crop species and/or introduce genes for specific purposes.

3.     Describe and diagnose the genetic and physiological mechanisms of weed resistance to improve weed control practices and cost-effectiveness.

4.     Reciprocally share genetic stocks with regional, national, and international partners, especially other land-grant institutions and the USDA-ARS, for the purposes of describing the range of adaptation of potentially useful materials, and for increasing genetic diversity.

B.     Determine the fundamental characteristics of crop plants, their competitors (weeds), predators (insects), parasites (diseases) and beneficial symbionts.

1.     Describe important genetic, physiological, biochemical, or morphological features of plants, plant products, and foods/feeds/fuels from plants.

2.     Describe life cycles, behavioral characteristics, biological adaptations and population dynamics of insects; fungal, bacterial, viral and phytoplasma plant pathogens, and weeds

3.     Develop methods for improving and evaluating natural dinitrogen fixation and nutrient availability for crop plants.

C.     Assess Problems

1.     Catalog and map the nature and magnitude of problems.

2.     Determine impacts of problems (losses and/or restrictions).

3.     Develop useful predictors for problems.

4.     Chronicle introduction and spread of emerging crop pest problems.

II. Assessment of minor crops

A.     Test for adaptation and assess feasibility for commercial production of new crop species that may capitalize on export potential, fill niche or developing domestic market demands, or provide benefit to other crops in cropping systems.

B.     Identify and characterize useful industrial products from minor crops that may enhance their value in crop systems.

C.     Describe and ameliorate production problems (nutrients, diseases, insects, weeds, harvest losses, storage problems) that would discourage or limit economic production of new crops.

D.     Annually increase the research and knowledge base available from CSREES partners and cooperators on new and value-added commodities and products in U.S. agriculture.

III. Develop management strategies to sustain crop productivity

A.     Describe nutritional and other edaphic factors that influence sustainable crop production.

B.     Describe and assess the biological interactions that affect the cycling of nutrients, viability of beneficial and harmful organisms in the soil, or that result in benefits (nitrogen fixation biological controls, mycorrhizae) to individual crops or sustained production.

C.     Evaluate pesticide chemistries, application methodologies, modes of action, timing, or other attributes for efficiency and compatibility with integrated pest management and reduction of harmful impacts to the environment while reducing input costs to the maximum practical extent.

D.     Evaluate the agronomic, pest management, and consumer desired characteristics of transgenic and non-transgenic traits introgressed into local crop cultivars through traditional breeding methods.

E.     Evaluate traditional and innovative farming practices including tillage, irrigation, rotation, and pest management strategies that affect the physical, biological, and economic sustainability of crop production.

IV. Annually increase the agricultural producer, consumer, government and social sector awareness, understanding, and information regarding agricultural systems.

A.     Describe new commodities, products, practices, and problems to client groups.

B.     Increase understanding of global competitiveness and opportunities in crop-based resources.

C.     Introduce new understandings of agricultural production, consumer practices, policy changes, and social changes into university classes or curricula.

Internal and External Linkages

Growers are a major linkage as they continually evaluate, use, accept/reject varieties, technologies and management techniques and give feedback directly or indirectly to NDSU researchers and extension staff. Some growers participate in "on-farm" trials. Seedstocks, county crop improvement associations and the State Seed Department are the primary conduit for increasing and making public varieties available, and insuring a reliable supply of quality seed. All provide feedback to researchers. USDA-ARS provides important germplasm and fundamental understanding of genetics/pathogens/insects for cereals, sunflower, sugarbeet and provides resources for interactions of cultivated and native species. U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative is a multi-state consortium of universities and other units dedicated to management of cereal scab disease. Collaborative studies on weeds, insects, and disease pests of sugarbeet, canola and sunflower as well as joint publications with NDSU on sugarbeet production and pest management guidelines are conducted with the University of Minnesota Crookston. Joint positions in Potato Extension, Sugarbeet Extension, weed control, soybean and corn extension are funded with the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. Joint efforts in sugarbeet pathology in the Yellowstone River Valley are conducted in cooperation with Montana State University. The Montana Experiment Station at Sydney, MT, and the NDSU Research Extension Center at Williston are headed by a single individual. A common data base for diagnostic laboratories is held in conjunction with South Dakota State University and barley, wheat and other crops are exchanged and evaluated, some for joint release.

Target Audiences

The target audiences are crop producers, consultants and other agri-business who work with crop producers and industries which utilize crops produced in the state. Particular attention will be given to the needs of small and mid-sized crop producers as these producers are being affected the most by the structural and technological changes taking place in agriculture. Basic and applied scientific advances are targeted to scientists in a number of disciplines. Emphasis will also be given to working with minority producers on the Indian reservations.

Program Duration

This program will continue for the five-year life of the plan plus the two year extension.

Education and Outreach Programs

A major extension program is presently underway on new and alternative crops such as juneberry and onion. This program was initiated in response to crop producers searching for new or alternative crops to increase the profitability and diversity in their present cropping system. Crop disease problems, low market prices, changes in the farm bill and fluctuations in world global markets are driving forces behind this interest. The research base for this educational program is generated by the NDAES, both at the main station in Fargo and at six research extension centers . The research base is also generated in cooperation with the Land Grant Universities in neighboring states. A second major extension program is focused on improving profitability from the production of major crops. These involve information on varieties developed by NDSU and other Land Grant Universities as well as the research base developed from variety trials of public and private varieties. This program includes instruction on improved crop pest management techniques, much of which is developed through applied research at the NDSU main station and six research extension centers.

Program 2: Competitive and Profitable Animal Production

Statement of Issues

The economies of North Dakota and the Northern Great Plains are very dependent on agriculture, and the region's agricultural productivity is an important component of American agriculture. Livestock agriculture is currently a critical portion (about 1/3 of the total) of the agriculture in the state and region. Livestock agriculture offers great potential for adding value to the crops that are produced in the region and in adding diversity to existing agriculture operations. Both activities will add stability to the state's and region's agricultural economy and will allow agricultural producers to cope better with the twin problems of fluctuating commodity markets and extreme annual fluctuations in weather.

Performance Goals

The goal of NDSU's animal production program is to increase efficiency and profitability of livestock production and to improve conservation management of the private (95%) and public (5%) range resources in North Dakota. This includes beef, dairy, lamb, wool, and swine production and includes improvement and utilization of the state's rangeland resources for livestock production and for long-term conservation goals.

Output Indicators

Scientific journal articles, experiment station bulletins, extension circulars, workshops and programs for producers, training sessions for extension specialists, release of computer software to aid in animal agricultural decision making, and outreach through popular media (print, radio, TV).

Outcome Indicators

Acceptance and implementation of new and improved livestock, forage, and range management practices by producers and land managers that will lead to efficient and profitable production of livestock in North Dakota and add stability to North Dakota 's agriculture industry as a whole.

Key Program Components

Increased efficiency and profitability of animal production will be realized through several activities: improved disease management, improved reproduction management, improved nutrition management, improved genetics management, increased usage of low-cost range and domestic forages in ruminant production systems, increased uses of crop processing and production coproducts and byproducts in growing and finishing animals, improvement of livestock product marketing capabilities, improved animal source food safety, improved animal waste management, and improved integration of all production factors in livestock production systems that will result in producer profitability.

Internal and External Linkages

This program involves the Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, Department of Agricultural Economics, Department of Plant Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Carrington Research Extension Center, Dickinson Research Extension Center, Central Grasslands Research Extension Center, Hettinger Research Extension Center, USDA/ARS/Northern Plains Research Center, Mandan, USDA/ARS/Human Health and Nutrition Center, Grand Forks, USDA/ARS/Biosciences Research Laboratory, Fargo. In addition, the program involves several private livestock producers and private companies that cooperate in our research programs.

Target Audiences

Results of the animal production program will be shared with all producers of mammalian livestock in North Dakota and the Northern Great Plains and with the livestock industry as a whole. In addition, the results of the range and forage research will be shared with all private and public land managers. And all of the results will be shared with researchers and educators in other parts of the country and world.

Program Duration

This program will continue for the five-year life of the plan plus the two year extension.

Education and Outreach Programs

North Dakota's animal agriculture research and extension programs are closely linked within the academic departments on campus (includes researchers, teachers, and extension specialists) and the research and extension centers distributed throughout the state. Additionally, the departments and centers work closely together. Nearly all of the animal production and range science extension specialists devote a portion of their time to research and all work closely with scientists that have research appointments. To a large degree, the specific topics for research in animal production originate from needs identified through extension and outreach programs and through the interaction of the departmental scientists with the scientists at the research centers.