The Hatch Act of 1887 established the Agricultural Experiment Station. This act required all of the colleges established under the Morrill Act of 1862 to establish a department to be known as an "Agricultural Experiment Station." This station was to acquire and diffuse practical and useful information on topics related to agriculture for the people of the United States. The promotion of scientific investigation and experimentation was also a requirement of the act. An annual report was to be provided from all stations and periodic bulletins or reports of progress were to be distributed. Federal funds were provided for this venture, and in 1887, Dakota Agricultural College, as South Dakota State University was then known, established its Agricultural Experiment Station along these guidelines.

Today, much of the Agricultural Experiment Station research is done at Brookings, however, a considerable amount is conducted at six field stations and at the West River Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Rapid City. Field stations are maintained to conduct research designed to solve local or special-purpose problems. Beyond this, research on farms and ranches, in wildlife areas, in streams and reservoirs, and with cooperating businesses and institutions results in research being conducted in nearly every county of the state. / The research function of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences results from carefully designed experiments providing a base of new knowledge and service to the citizens of South Dakota. This new knowledge is effectively used by farmers, ranchers, homemakers, industry, in the campus classroom, and in extension education programs throughout the state.

Research may be grouped in the following subject matter areas: livestock, crops and soils, community and public affairs, animal health, fertilizers, garden and orchard, home and consumer, water resources and irrigation, forestry, insects, farm machinery, marketing, business management, farm buildings, pollution, range and grass, fisheries, plant diseases, wildlife, sociology, and biostress in plants, animals, and humans. Research is financed by state and federal appropriations, industry grants, and federal and state grants. Research results are published in Experiment Station or Extension bulletins, journals of scientific societies, and a quarterly publication, Farm and Home Research.

In the 1884-85 catalog, chemistry was listed as a course of study in agriculture as part of the Department of Natural Sciences. There were three chemistry courses: elementary chemistry, analytical chemistry and agricultural chemistry. By 1892, all students were required to take three terms of elementary chemistry with analytical chemistry and agricultural chemistry as electives.

In the 1897-98 catalog, chemistry was first listed as an independent department. By this time the course offerings had greatly expanded and included many additions to the curriculum. Expansion of the chemistry department continued over the years with courses being added nearly every three to five years. By 1944, the professional curriculum was approved by the American Chemical Society.

After World War II, enrollment increased, prompting an increase in staff. By 1958, the department was authorized to offer a Ph. D. in biochemistry and in 1965 was authorized to offer Ph. D.'s in most branches of chemistry. The Biochemistry Experiment Station was established in 1887 and was separate from the Chemistry Department until July 1, 1974 when the chemistry department and the Station Biochemistry Department merged.

In the 1998-2000 catalog, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is listed as approved by the American Chemical Society for training professional chemists. Since chemistry is so closely related to other fields of study, a number of courses are offered to provide sufficient chemical background to meet professional needs. A minor in chemistry is provided for students who want more extensive chemistry without majoring in chemistry. Student may receive a BS in chemistry, or may pursue graduate work toward an MS or Ph. D.