Sturm returns to Dakota Lakes Research Farm as next farm manager

Natalie Sturm first learned about the Dakota Lakes Research Farm as part of an undergraduate cropping systems class. She was so inspired she emailed the farm manager, Dwayne Beck, asking if he was hiring.

Now, six years after the initial email and four years after completing her master’s degree by conducting research on the farm, Sturm is returning as the new manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm.

“Toward the end of my Ph.D. program, the opportunity to be the new manager at Dakota Lakes Research Farm arose — and I knew I couldn’t turn it down,” Sturm said. “There are very few places like Dakota Lakes: a research station where my job is to be both a farmer and a scientist.”

Sturm’s role will be overseeing the daily operations for the 1,200-acre research farm, which includes research on farm practices impacting more than a dozen different types of plants. The entire farm is no-till, a passion project for Beck, Sturm’s former mentor who retired after more than 35 years of service to the station.

“My passion for systems-based agronomy and soil research only continued to increase during my master’s program, and I am so excited to continue the no-till crop rotations work of Dwayne while also expanding my research program to continue tackling new challenges and ideas,” Sturm said.

Sturm completed her bachelor’s degree in sustainable food and bioenergy systems at Montana State University, her master’s in plant science at South Dakota State University and her doctorate in soil science at Washington State University. In her first few months on the job, she plans on learning as much as possible about the farm’s daily operations and meeting the local farmers, scientists and stakeholders that support the Dakota Lakes mission.

The Dakota Lakes Research Farm is a unique partnership between the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the Dakota Lakes Corporation, a nonprofit, farmer-led organization that owns the farmland and provides input on how research performed on the farm can best impact farmers. The research is conducted by SDSU faculty and staff through South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station funding. Both entities are committed to conducting research that allows South Dakotans to make more informed decisions on their operations.

As manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, Sturm is responsible for bringing together scientists from across the state to use these resources in ways that help farmers become more economically successful while also strengthening environmental sustainability.

“I am always open to talking with South Dakota farmers, researchers and the general public about the work we do at Dakota Lakes to improve farming systems, the environment and rural communities,” Sturm said. “I hope to meet many people at our annual field day and throughout the coming year. I look forward to serving South Dakota agriculture through the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, and I’m ready to hit the ground running.”

Annually held on the last Thursday in June, this year’s Dakota Lakes Research Farm Field Day is on June 25, beginning at 3 p.m. More details will be made available closer to the event.

More information is available on the respective websites of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the Dakota Lakes Research Farm Corporation.