SDSU hosts taping of ‘AgDay College Roadshow’

With loud enthusiasm often reserved for athletic events, students, faculty and staff from South Dakota State University’s agricultural programs showed up in full force to welcome a live television taping of “AgDay College Roadshow” Oct. 30 on the SDSU campus. 

The high bay area of Raven Precision Agriculture Center was filled with students cheering and holding signs in support of agriculture, and specifically SDSU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The show’s corporate sponsor, Beck’s, was on hand with sign materials for those who didn’t make their posters ahead of time. 

The “AgDay College Roadshow” simulates the campus excitement of ESPN’s “College GameDay,” but instead of athletics, it visits college campuses to focus on the significance and importance of agriculture. ESPN broadcast its “College GameDay” from SDSU’s campus in 2019. 

“This was a great event for SDSU and a wonderful opportunity for our university’s impact on agriculture to be highlighted on a regionally broadcast TV show,” said Joe Cassady, South Dakota Corn Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. 

The show was hosted by “Farm Journal” editor and “AgDay” host Clinton Griffiths, who was joined by national reporter and markets expert Michelle Rook, an SDSU alum. Their first guest was SDSU President Barry Dunn, who welcomed the “AgDay” crew to campus and emphasized to those in attendance and the TV audience the role and importance of ag research for the university, and ultimately for more efficient and affordable food production. 

“Our response as a land-grant university is to be a research engine to create new knowledge and bring innovations to agriculture in South Dakota, and also this incredible region that we serve, the Northern Great Plains,” Dunn said. The president presented Griffiths and Rook with two flavors of SDSU ice cream, Cookies and Cream and Barry Berry, receiving a rousing cheer from the students. 

Rook moderated a panel discussion on ag market trends featuring SDSU and ag industry experts. Panelists included Joe Santos, academic director and professor in the Ness School of Management and Economics; Matt Elliott, associate professor and Extension specialist in agribusiness in the Ness School; and SDSU alum Mike Minor from Professional Ag Marketing, based in Luverne, Minnesota. 

“As a graduate of SDSU, I was proud to show off my alma mater and the students and cutting-edge research that are leading the nation and agriculture into a brighter future,” Rook said. “What a great day to be a Jackrabbit!” 

Other feature stories included a segment with two professors from the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science. Anne Fennell, Distinguished Professor, discussed her research with climate-resistant grapes, and David Clay, South Dakota Corn Chair and Distinguished Professor, explained research that measures and quantifies greenhouse gas emissions from farm fields. Another segment featured Warren Rusche, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science and SDSU Extension feedlot specialist, and Eric Weaver, Department of Animal Science assistant professor, explaining current research in the use of soy in beef and swine feed. 

“This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase some of the cutting-edge and industry-leading research happening at SDSU,” Griffiths said. “I was impressed, and I know our audience was as well, with the depth of expertise and innovation happening at SDSU. There is clearly a real desire to make discoveries that matter to America’s farmers and ranchers that will ultimately move the industry forward.” 

The show also included a visit from SDSU’s own mascot, Jack, who stopped by to share some time with President Dunn and the show’s on-air personalities. 

The program aired Nov. 1 on RFD-TV.

“AgDay” handed out a $250 gift card to the best sign created by a student, judged by those in the audience. The winner was Kyle Hagen, a junior from Glencoe, Minnesota, who is majoring in agricultural systems technology. Beck’s sponsored a contest for the student organization creating the best pre-show social media video, providing $1,500 to the organization that won. Five clubs entered the contest, which was won by the SDSU Quarter-Scale Tractor Club. The club's Instagram story is available online. 

“I loved seeing the students and their enthusiasm for agriculture and the university,” Griffiths said. “It’s a testament to the strong values and community mindset SDSU is building in Brookings through leaders like President Dunn and others.”