WREC Names New Facility For Neil Riveland

During this year’s annual field day at the Williston Research Extension Center (WREC), held on Thursday, July 14, officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the new Neil Riveland seed processing and research laboratories building addition. North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education named the new facility in honor of agronomist Neil Riveland, who served the WREC for more than 42 years. Riveland retired in June of this year.

“He has made many contributions in research of crop varieties and herbicide evaluations in small grains and alternative crops along with no-till and minimum till cropping systems research. Riveland has been directly involved in farmer education and outreach in the entire MonDak region,” stated the ceremony brochure.

During the dedication ceremony, Representative Bob Skarphol noted that the new facility would be an outstanding asset to the WREC, and that there was a big need for this facility. NDSU Extension Director and Dean of the College of Agriculture also remarked that the Neil Riveland facility was an amazing addition because it would bring a lot of agricultural research to the region and was an investment in tomorrow.

Riveland also spoke at the dedication ceremony. He pointed out that the new facility has been on the books for 25 years. “This was something started a long time ago that has now become a reality,” he noted. “With this facility the WREC can now process single seed samples as they are received, it has a horticulture lab, soils lab and irrigation lab, plus offices. This is exciting, and I am honored to have the facility named after me.”

On behalf of the EARC/WREC Advisory Board, Leroy Panasuk presented Riveland with a plaque and thanked him for his many years of service to the MonDak region.

The addition will be completed and ready for use within the next few months.