Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
South Dakota State University. Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at South Dakota State University was formally established in 1925, building on earlier coursework in civil and agricultural engineering offered beginning in 1902. Created to support the modernization of agriculture, the department initially focused on mechanization as farming transitioned from horse drawn equipment to tractor based systems. Jointly administered by the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering, the department expanded over time in response to changing agricultural practices, research needs, and technological advances.
In 1999, the department was renamed Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering to reflect its broadened emphasis on biological systems, environmental management, and sustainable technologies. Entering the 21st century, the department’s teaching and research increasingly addressed precision agriculture, water management, and data driven agricultural systems, supported by modern facilities such as the Raven Precision Agriculture Center. Celebrating its centennial in 2025, the department’s administrative history reflects a continuous evolution from mechanization to integrated, technology focused approaches to agriculture, while maintaining close ties to industry and applied research.