NDSU Extension/REC Fall Conference Schedule

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Research Extension Center (REC) Director's Meeting - Opal

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) Meeting - Gold

Noon - 1 p.m. - Registration - Rough Rider Center Lobby

1 - 1:45 p.m. - Welcome and Remarks

1:45 - 3 p.m. - Tradition with a Future - Arena
Karl Bradley

3:30 - 3:45 p.m. - Afternoon Break

3:45 p.m. Sessions

Arena | 50-minute session
Supporting A Community Conversation on Polarizing Topics
Understand your role as an Extension professional in hosting community conversations on challenging issues. Learn group processes that expand thinking and develop productive deliberation.
Jodi Bruns, Leslie Stevens

Emerald | 50-minute session
Observations and Lessons Learned From the Adverse Weather Conditions of 2026
This session is an open discussion on the observations and NDSU Extension responses to the weather conditions experienced in 2026. What did we learn that we can use to provide better materials and responses when weather adversity strikes again? What lingering effects and issues from the summer of 2026 should we be prepared for with the coming winter and following spring? At the end of the discussion, we’ll outline programming efforts that address the identified needs.
James Rogers, Jake Galbreath, Lisa Pederson, Miranda Meehan

Opal | 50-minute session
Coming Attractions: The New NDSU Extension Youth Pollinator Curriculum
Looking for new ideas to engage youth in science and natural resources? Explore the NDSU Extension Youth Pollinator Curriculum and learn how its flexible, investigation-based lessons can be adapted for 4-H, schools and informal education settings to build meaningful, hands-on learning experiences.
Esther McGinnis, April Johnson

Gold | 50-minute session
Understanding the Why of Suicide in Agriculture
The suicide rate among those working in agriculture is significantly higher than in other industries. Join us for a conversation on trends, contributing key factors and resources to address this challenge in the agricultural industry.
Sean Brotherson, Philip Estepp, Adriana Drusini

Silver | 25-minute sessions at 3:45 and 4:15
Fostering 0-5 Learning, Health and Development in Your Community
Most of a person's learning happens between ages 0 and 3. This session will focus on building community and community learning to set kids up for school success and overall developmental success. This program has raised test scores substantially for Mandan Public Schools. This session will discuss collaboration among community people and Extension and FCW's roles.
Jacey Wanner

>>5-minute transition: Participants may stay in this room or move to Diamond for another 4:15 session.

Growing Together
Therapeutic horticulture meets community building when older adults and elementary students team up to grow Amaryllis bulbs and an increased sense of community.
Kyla Sanders

Diamond | 25-minute sessions at 3:45 and 4:15
Cultivating Connections: Extension's Role in North Dakota's Local Food Economy
What opportunities exist for local food producers and small farms? Who is producing local food in North Dakota? How can Extension staff support local food producers? We will share what we've learned from the recent North Dakota Local Food Economic Contribution study, as well as from previous local food surveys and focus groups. This session will include time for discussion with attendees about how they are already supporting local food producers and how we can collaborate.
Stephanie Blumhagen and Felicity Merritt

>>5-minute transition: Participants may stay in this room or move to Silver for another 4:15 session.

Agricultural History and Present Food Systems Initiatives of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara People
This presentation will give a brief overview of the agricultural history of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara people of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and highlight current food systems initiatives being led by Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College.
Ruth De La Cruz

5 p.m. - REC Association Meeting - Opal

5:30 - 8 p.m. - NDSU Extension Professional Development Scholarship Banquet (Social, Silent Auction and Bingo)
The Social is hosted by the North Dakota Association of Agricultural Extension Agents and includes time to socialize with your colleagues, enjoy a meal, sponsored by agriculture industry partners, and have some fun playing Bingo and/or bidding on silent and live auction items.
Outlaws Bar and Grill
120 North Main Street, Watford City

Auction proceeds are split between Epsilon Sigma Phi (55%) and the ND Association of Agricultural Extension Agents, North Dakota Association of Extension 4-H Youth Workers, and North Dakota Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (15% each). Funds raised support staff professional development.

7 - 8 a.m. - North Dakota Association of Extension 4-H Youth Workers (NDAE4-HYW) Association Meeting - Gold

7:30 - 8 a.m. - Coffee and Connection

Experience western North Dakota through the people, places, industries, research, and partnerships shaping the region. Choose one immersive tour and spend the day exploring how research, extension, agriculture, communities, and health intersect beyond the conference room. Tour spots are limited.

Tour Lunches and Dietary Needs: Lunch will be provided during each regional tour, with menus varying by location. Because some tours will be dining in smaller communities with limited catering options, participants with food allergies or dietary needs may receive a boxed lunch or a different meal than the primary catered lunch. We will work with our tour partners to accommodate identified dietary needs as safely and appropriately as possible.

WILLISTON: From Field to Future: Agriculture, Research & Energy in the MonDak Region
Explore the connections among agriculture, research, energy, entrepreneurship, and regional development in the Williston area. Participants will visit ND Malting and Hops, explore research and Foundation Seed work at the Williston Research Extension Center, discuss North Dakota's evolving energy landscape, and experience agricultural entrepreneurship at Meadowlark Acres. The route examines how research becomes practice, how industries shape workforce and communities, and how value-added businesses create new opportunities for rural North Dakota.

This tour may be especially interesting if you want to explore: Research-to-practice connections • value-added agriculture • energy • entrepreneurship • crop research • regional partnerships • workforce

NEW TOWN / MHA NATION: Roots, Resilience & Sovereignty: Agriculture and Community on MHA Nation
Experience agriculture, food sovereignty, education, energy, and community through the perspectives of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Participants will explore food sovereignty and production, learn about the tribal land-grant mission and Indigenous agriculture at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, hear perspectives on energy, workforce, and agricultural recovery following wildfire loss, and visit the MHA Nation Buffalo Ranch. Throughout the day, consider how culture, land, education, agriculture, economic development, and community priorities intersect and how relationships and partnerships can strengthen our work across North Dakota.

This tour may be especially interesting if you want to explore: Indigenous agriculture • food sovereignty • tribal land-grant education • bison production • culture and community • energy • workforce • resilience

KILLDEER: Innovation on the Range: Agriculture, Technology & Rural Community
See how innovation and tradition come together in Dunn County. Participants will explore the role of a community food pantry and gathering space, see precision agriculture and aerial application technology in action, learn about organic production, and visit a working farm. Throughout the day, consider how new technologies, diverse production practices, local businesses, food access, and community organizations work together to support agriculture and rural communities.

This tour may be especially interesting if you want to explore: Precision agriculture • drones and aerial application • production agriculture • organic farming • local food access • rural entrepreneurship • small-community resilience

WATFORD CITY Route 1: Powering the Future: Energy, Workforce & the Western ND Landscape
Explore the forces shaping growth and opportunity in McKenzie County. This route connects the landscapes of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Maah Daah Hey Trail with energy development at Chord Energy and workforce preparation at the Bakken Area Skills Center. Participants will also join the second Watford City tour group at the Ag Expo for lunch and rotating conversations with local leaders about childcare, housing, workforce recruitment, infrastructure, agriculture and energy coexistence, schools, and the opportunities and challenges facing McKenzie County. Throughout the day, consider how natural resources, industry, education, workforce development, and community infrastructure intersect as a region grows and changes.

This tour may be especially interesting if you want to explore: Energy development • workforce pipelines • career and technical education • industry-community relationships • outdoor recreation • community growth • agriculture-energy coexistence

*Please note: We are crossing our fingers for a beautiful western North Dakota fall day! Portions of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Maah Daah Hey Trail experiences are weather-dependent and may involve standing outdoors, so please dress accordingly. No hiking on the Maah Daah Hey Trail is planned.

WATFORD CITY Route 2: Growing Through Change: Health, Heritage & Community Resilience
Explore what rapid growth and change have meant for the people and communities of McKenzie County. Beginning with the Maah Daah Hey Trail and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, this route connects outdoor recreation and stewardship with rural healthcare at McKenzie Health and the history and identity of the region at McKenzie County Heritage Park. Participants will also join the other Watford City tour group at the Ag Expo for lunch and rotating conversations with local leaders about childcare, housing, workforce recruitment, infrastructure, agriculture and energy coexistence, schools, and the opportunities and challenges facing McKenzie County. Throughout the day, consider how communities preserve identity, support families, respond to changing needs, and invest in the systems and relationships that contribute to quality of life and long-term resilience.

This tour may be especially interesting if you want to explore: Rural healthcare • community development • history and identity • tourism and recreation • quality of life • workforce and families • community resilience

*Please note: We are crossing our fingers for a beautiful western North Dakota fall day! Portions of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Maah Daah Hey Trail experiences are weather-dependent and may involve standing outdoors, so please dress accordingly. No hiking on the Maah Daah Hey Trail is planned.

8 - 8:15 a.m. - Load Shuttles

3:15 - 3:45 p.m. - Shuttle Return to Rough Rider Center

3:45 - 4:30 p.m. - Bringing it Back: The REACH Reflection - Arena

4:45 - 6 p.m. - North Dakota Association of Agricultural Extension Agents (NDAAEA) Association Meeting - Gold
North Dakota Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NDEAFCS) Association Meeting - Silver

5:30 - 8 p.m. - REACH Across the Room - Arena
Dinner at 6 p.m., Cash Bar

7 - 8 a.m. - Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) Meeting - Opal

7:30 - 8 a.m. - One More Cup, One More Connection
Morning coffee

8 - 8:15 a.m. - Bringing REACH Home - Arena
Katie Tyler and Paige Brummund

8:15 - 9 a.m. - Connections That Continue - Arena
Karl Bradley

9 a.m. Sessions

Arena | 50-minute session
Introducing NDSU Extension’s New Programming Evaluation Tool
Participants will explore NDSU Extension’s new Planning a Program Evaluation worksheet, apply the process to their own work and gain insights about the Extension Professional Advancement, Networking, and Development (EXPAND) program. We’ll discuss how to use this tool and process for individual programming and for program planning teams.
Emily Kinkade, Shaundra Ziemann-Bolinske

Emerald | 50-minute session
Exploring Web Soil Survey
This session will introduce soil mapping in the United States, as well as train to use Web Soil Survey to access soil property, crop productivity and land limitation data. Please bring your laptop for this hands-on, interactive session.
Brady Goettl, Chris Augustin

Opal | 50-minute session
Discovering Impact: A Workshop on Ripple Effect Mapping
Getting to the heart of impacts can be tricky. Discover the purpose and process of Ripple Effect Mapping as a way to capture the impacts of your work. In this workshop, we will practice REM in real time and help you gain the confidence to use this tool in your own community.
Nikki Hagstrom, Jill Sokness

Gold | 50-minute session
Is Anyone Seeing This? Writing Content That Gets Picked Up
NDSU Agriculture content needs to remain reachable online. This session will demonstrate how to compose intentional content in the world of AI and algorithms.
Dominic Erickson, Stacy Wang, Sonja Fuchs

Silver | 25-minute sessions at 9 and 9:30
How Rural Health Transformation Funding is Helping Expand Health and Nutrition Education Across North Dakota
NDSU Extension is partnering with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services and utilizing Rural Health Transformation Funding to expand health and nutrition education in classrooms and communities. This five-year partnership will reach children and adults throughout the state and improve how North Dakotans move and eat.
Amy Lies, Julie Garden-Robinson

>>5-minute transition: Participants may stay in this room or move to Diamond for another 9:30 session.

Staying Safe in a Connected World: Building Digital Confidence for Older Adults
Older adults are increasingly connected through smartphones, social media and AI-enabled devices, creating new opportunities for communication and access to information but also greater exposure to scams and fraud. This session will explore digital threats, practical strategies for recognizing warning signs, and Extension's role in helping older adults build the confidence and skills to stay safe in a connected world.
Philip Estepp

Diamond | 25-minute sessions at 9 and 9:30
Agricultural Harvest Equipment Injuries in the Upper Midwest
Learn more about the types of injuries that occur while using agricultural harvest equipment and who's being affected. This work will help direct the farm and ranch safety team on next steps and future program opportunities — come ready to engage and brainstorm together!
Angie Johnson

>>5-minute transition: Participants may stay in this room or move to Silver for another 9:30 session.

Uncovering the ChaRM of the North Dakota 4-H Chain Reaction Machine Challenge
The North Dakota 4-H Chain Reaction Machine Challenge teaches youth far more than just how to build a contraption. Explore how a chain reaction machine starter kit helps youth test ideas, solve problems, communicate and collaborate while hearing what youth learned in their own words.
Margo Bowerman, Danielle Dinger, Lynnette Vachal, Brenda Jarski-Weber

10 a.m. Sessions

Arena | 50-minute session
Current Issues in Farm Business Management
Learn about current economic issues that are impacting North Dakota farmers and ranchers.
David Ripplinger, Frayne Olson, Tim Petry, Bryon Parman, Jon Biermacher, Ron Haugen, Nik Tyack

Emerald | 50-minute session
NDSU Research Extension Center Agronomist Collaborations
NDSU Research Extension Center agronomists will share information on available resources at the RECs and discuss collaboration opportunities.
Kristin Simons

Opal | 50-minute session
Reflection as a Tool for Self-development
Reflection is more than simply thinking back on an experience; it is the intentional process of examining what happened, why it happened and what we can learn from it. In this workshop, we will explore practical ways to use reflection before, during and after an experience to improve learning, decision-making and future practice.
Ty Casey, Adam Marx

Gold | 50-minute session
Show Don't Tell: Using Demonstrations to Make Powerful Points
Hands-on demonstrations can turn complex concepts into something audiences can see, experience, and remember. In this presentation, we’ll explore three to four creative demonstrations for youth and adults, including the “Salty Gummy Bear,” “Salt Sucks,” and the EnviroScape model. What happens when a gummy bear meets salt? Where does salt actually go when it enters our water? And what can a model teach us about how water moves across a landscape? These simple activities can spark curiosity and make complex ideas easier to understand. From soil science and water quality to how our conservation team uses pizza to explain parliamentary procedure, we’ll explore how showing rather than telling can strengthen communication and help us connect with our audiences.
Paula Comeau, Lindy Berg, Leslie Stevens, Maria Teresa Tancredi

Silver | 25-minute sessions at 10 and 10:30
Digital Bonds: A Podcast Series on Raising Teens in a Digital World
We live in a digital age, and raising teens in that world brings both challenges and opportunities. Come and learn about the development of a new NDSU Extension podcast series.
Sean Brotherson, Allyse Dunnigan

>>5-minute transition: Participants may stay in this room or move to Diamond for another 10:30 session.

Sharing the Success of the Web Advertisements
From April to June of this year, the Parent Education Network created a series of web advertisements through the Agriculture Communication department. Join us to learn how those were created and how a similar campaign can help your department.
Allyse Dunnigan, Grant Christian, Stacy Wang

Diamond | 25-minute sessions at 10 and 10:30
How's the Herd?: Cattle Performance Records Made Easy

This session will include the introduction and demonstration of a new spreadsheet-based recordkeeping tool for many parts of cow-calf operations: cattle inventory, breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, calving, weaning, replacement females and treatment records. Intensive herd summaries are automatically calculated for pregnancy rate, calving distribution, birth weight and weaning performance and are compared to North Dakota and U.S. averages to benchmark herd progress.
Lacey Quail

>>5-minute transition: Participants may stay in this room or move to Silver for another 10:30 session.

Key to High-performing Teams
What helps a team move from simply working together to performing at a high level? This interactive session will explore key characteristics of high-performing teams and invite participants to reflect on the practices and behaviors that strengthen teamwork, communication and effectiveness.
Karl Bradley

11 - 11:15 a.m. - Morning Break

11:15 a.m. - Noon - Looking Ahead: A Conversation with NDSU Leadership - Arena
Dr. Greg Lardy, Dr. Guillermo Scaglia and Dr. Marlen Eve

Noon - 12:30 p.m. - From REACH to Home - Arena
Katie Tyler and Paige Brummund