NDSU distinguished professor named President-Elect of the American Society of Agronomy

Tom DeSutter, University Distinguished Professor of soil science and associate director of the School of Natural Resource Sciences at NDSU, was recently elected to serve as President-Elect of the American Society of Agronomy. He will begin serving as president in 2028.

“I am honored to represent the 6,000 members and more than 12,000 certified crop advisers of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA),” DeSutter said.

The American Society of Agronomy is a leading scientific and professional organization dedicated to advancing agronomy and sustainable agricultural practices. The organization was established in 1907 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It offers a range of programs and services in the areas of agronomic production, biometry and statistical computing, climatology and modeling, education and extension, environmental quality, global agronomy and land management and conservation.

DeSutter first joined NDSU as a faculty member in 2006. His research focuses on the reclamation of disturbed soils associated with energy development, particularly improving soil function and agricultural productivity in salt and sodium-affected soils across the Northern Great Plains.

Prior to DeSutter’s election, only one other NDSU-affiliated faculty member has served as president of one of the three major United States agricultural societies. In 1972, Jack F. Carter served as president of the Crop Science Society of America.

This is the first time a faculty member from NDSU has been elected President of the American Society of Agronomy. The distinction highlights the growing national impact of NDSU’s soil and agronomic sciences programs.

“ASA represents the past, present and future of agriculture by ensuring strong connections among research, extension and outreach, linking farmers, ranchers, Certified Crop Advisors and the businesses that support innovation in agriculture. I look forward to engaging more deeply with our stakeholders to better understand how ASA can serve their needs, while also bringing those perspectives back to inform and strengthen our membership,” DeSutter said.