Finding Aid for the SD Agricultural Experiment Station Records
Collection Summary
Identifier
UA 5.3
Title
College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Records
Creator
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, South Dakota State University
Dates
1887-2019
Extent
55.42 linear feet (56 record boxes, 1 document case)
Language
English
Access note
This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.
Preferred Citation
Name of item . College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Records, UA 5.3. South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.
Abstract
The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station's mission is one of the cornerstones of a land grant university. In addition to enhancing the quality of life in our state, our research directly supports the teaching programs offered by the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, the College of Education and Human Sciences, and the educational program delivered by SDSU Extension. The collection is composed of material generated by the stations and includes financial reports, general office records, research, institutional reviews, and publications, including some bulletins and circulars. Also included are files related to station biochemistry.
Historical Note
The Hatch Act of 1887 established the Agricultural Experiment Station. This act required all of the colleges established under the Morrill Act of 1862 to establish a department to be known as an "Agricultural Experiment Station." This station was to acquire and diffuse practical and useful information on topics related to agriculture for the people of the United States. Promotion of scientific investigation and experimentation was also a requirement of the act. An annual report was to be provided from all stations and periodic bulletins or reports of progress were to be distributed. Federal funds were provided for this venture, and in 1887, Dakota Agricultural College, as South Dakota State University was then known, established its Agricultural Experiment Station along these guidelines.
Today, much of the Agricultural Experiment Station research is done at Brookings, however, a considerable amount is conducted at six field stations and at the West River Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Rapid City. Field stations are maintained to conduct research designed to solve local or special purpose problems. Beyond this, research on farms and ranches, in wildlife areas, in streams and reservoirs, and with cooperating business and institutions results in research being conducted in nearly every county of the state.
The research function of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences results from carefully designed experiments providing a base of new knowledge and service to the citizens of South Dakota. This new knowledge is effectively used by farmers, ranchers, homemakers, industry, in the campus classroom, and in extension education programs throughout the state.
Research may be grouped in the following subject matter areas: livestock, crops and soils, community and public affairs, animal health, fertilizers, garden and orchard, home and consumer, water resources and irrigation, forestry, insects, farm machinery, marketing, business management, farm buildings, pollution, range and grass, fisheries, plant diseases, wildlife, sociology, and biostress in plants, animals and humans. Research is financed by state and federal appropriations, industry grants, and federal and state grants. Research results are published in Experiment Station or Extension bulletins, journals of scientific societies, and a quarterly publication, Farm and Home Research.
Contents Note
The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Stations Records is composed of material generated by the stations and includes financial reports, general office records, research, institutional reviews, and publications, including some bulletins and circulars. Also included are files related to station biochemistry.
The administrative files are composed of general office records generated by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Folders contain newsletters, committee files, task force files, correspondence, brochures, programs, and financial data. In addition, the series contains reports of the Agricultural Experiment Station during the time period of 1907-1916. This information should also appear in the published reports of the Agricultural Experiment Station.
The research is composed of research conducted by Experiment Station staff. Folders consist mainly of final reports, but may also include some correspondence. Material for inactive and terminated projects is also included.
Publications consist of bulletins, circulars, leaflets, and pamphlets published by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station on research conducted by staff of the Experiment Station and are meant for distribution like a periodical. Some cross-over in subject and title may occur between bulletins and circulars. This is an incomplete collection of Agricultural Experiment Station publications. Items are added to this collection only after it has been determined that the library's collection is complete. It is suggested that, when conducting research, the library catalog be search for a particular title, author or number. Various other South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station publications can be found in this collection. Folders consist mainly of report or preliminary reports. Also included are leaflets and pamphlets and a video cassette on manure management. Leaflet or pamphlet numbers were included if present on the publication.
Records related to seed releases and station biochemistry can also be found here. The seed releases material is comprised of information regarding various seeds that have been developed through the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment station. Records related to South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Biochemistry consist of are administrative files, research, and publications.
Key Words
- South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
- Research, Agricultural