The South Dakota Corn Endowed Chair in Precision Agriculture has been created at South Dakota State University’s new Raven Precision Agriculture Center
The investiture was held on the Brookings campus Saturday (February 12, 2022) and was bestowed upon Dr. David Clay.
With over 30 years dedicated to advancing knowledge related to precision agriculture and soil health at South Dakota State University, Dr. Clay has trained more than 2,000 undergraduate students and over 50 graduate students, in addition to earning industry accolades throughout his impressive career. During the ceremony, he shared that his students are making a positive impact on agriculture within South Dakota, surrounding states, and even globally. “My goal with the endowment that South Dakota Corn has so generously provided is to empower precision farming to reach new heights and use the funds to attract the hardest-working students that we can,” said Dr. Clay.
Precision-ag practices help move the agricultural industry forward to benefit both urban and rural communities, including corn growers and their families, now and for future generations.
Mike Jaspers spoke on behalf of the SDCUC. “Our state’s corn farmers never had a doubt that SDSU is the right place for the nation’s first four-year degree program in precision agriculture,” said Jaspers. “Ask anyone who has invested their life’s work in production agriculture in the western corn belt and you will quickly learn why precision technologies are not only needed here, but also embraced here, and at higher utilization rates than anywhere else.”
Dr. Clay joins Dr. John Killefer, current holder of the endowed dean position in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, and SDSU President Dr. Barry Dunn, former holder of the endowed dean position, in achieving this distinct academic honor.
Dr. David Clay is awarded the newly established position of South Dakota Corn endowed chair in precision agriculture at South Dakota State University’s Raven Precision Agriculture Center in Brookings on Saturday, February 12, 2022. Pictured L-R: Jim Burg, Jeff Burg, Dr. David Clay, SDSU President Barry Dunn, Dr. Sharon Clay, Dave Ellens, Mike Jaspers, Keith Alverson, Dr. John Killefer, Ron Alverson.
Photo credit: Emily Weber.
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