Berglund receives award for valuable agricultural work
Duane R. Berglund, professor and Extension Agronomist of plant sciences, received recognition for his lifetime of influential agricultural work in July.
Berglund was nominated as the representative of North Dakota, receiving the distinguished service award.
County agents made a nomination last spring based on his credentials and past agricultural influences and work.
He was recognized along with 67 other people throughout the United States.
“ Dr. Berglund has had an outstanding career with the NDSU extension service,” Duane Hauck, director of extension service said. “His leadership in the area of crop diversity was invaluable in the development of North Dakota economy and agriculture.”
Berglund has dedicated 29 years of innovative work to NDSU, providing leadership in agricultural education.
He also offers teleconferencing to farmers, government agencies and the public.
“ This is very good communications with what’s happening without having to drive all about the state of North Dakota,” Berglund said.
Berglund also does many guest lectures on biotechnology, specialty crops, new crops, food soybeans and organic production.
The National Sunflower Association 2006 product survey, spanning from Texas to Canada, has been a recent project.
Berglund is involved with 12 different cash crop boards including the Soybean Growers Board and Crop Improvement Board.
Before coming to NDSU, Berglund worked with the University of Minnesota for around seven years.
“ When coming from Minnesota, this [North Dakota] was a small grain wheat and barley state, with around 80,000 acres of soybeans,” said Berglund. “North Dakota is currently producing four million acres of soybeans.”
Berglund explains North Dakota has seen a significant increase in the production of sunflowers, canola, and soybeans.
“ This award was proper recognition for his leadership and expertise,” said Hauck. “The nature of his work is very important and complex, not only to agriculture, but to the economy of the entire state.”
Berglund’s research efforts are posted on his Web site. For more information visit http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/plantsci/rowcrops/main.htm