History of the Williston Research Extension Center

Owned by North Dakota State University, the Williston Experiment Station, now known as the Williston Research Extension Center, was established by House Bill 240 on March 13, 1907.

It originally sat on 160 acres north-east of Williston along the Little Muddy Creek. In 1953 the legislature permitted relocation of the Station and the sale of 80 acres of the original 160 acres. The 80 acres retained by the State of North Dakota is now the site of Williston State College.

Money from the sale of the 80 acres was used to purchase 640 acres of land, build two dwellings, a machine shed, a seed house, a shop and a garage along with site improvements, such as roads and a water system. All of this was done in 1953 and 1954 for only $175,000!

In 1985 the legislature permitted purchase of an additional 160 acres of land.

In 1989 the name changed from Williston Experiment Station to Williston Research Center, which was later amended to Williston Research Extension Center (WREC). The WREC sits at 14120 Hwy 2 West in Williston.

In 2001, an additional 160 acres were purchased in the Nesson Valley and an irrigated research and development project was established. WREC research studies are conducted on crop variety evaluation, herbicide performance and other cultural management research, cropping systems and soil and water conservation practices. The main dryland crops are spring wheat and durum. Barley, oats, safflower, pea, lentil, chickpea, canola, flax, alfalfa and other alternative crops are also grown as cash crops or for livestock feed. The acreage is currently farmed by NDSU – WREC staff.

WREC research is intended to increase the producer's net profit, support crop diversification, and encourage more intensive cropping and irrigation development. Research on soil and crop management systems for sprinkler irrigation, on alternative irrigated high value and value-added crops and on western malting barley programs are conducted for the region. WREC also conducts variety development research on safflower, winter wheat, and durum and variety evaluations in cooperation with NDSU Main Station scientists. WREC produces and supplies foundation seed to area farmers of new and old varieties adapted to the region.

Mission - The Williston Research Extension Center conducts research to increase agricultural productivity in the semi-arid region for northwestern North Dakota while achieving a necessary balance between profitability and conservation of natural resources.

Research on soil and crop management systems for sprinkler irrigation and alternative irrigated high-value/value-added crop production at the Nesson Valley site are conducted in cooperation with the Montana State University Eastern Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney, Montana, and NDSU and other university scientists.