Minot, North Dakota – Eric Eriksmoen is one of the few people in the area that have extensive knowledge of agriculture.
He left the business after 35 years of service and just recently retired. Your News Leader was able to catch up with Eriksmoen as he discussed some of the shifts that he has witnessed over the past thirty years.
When we have to say goodbye to coworkers we see every day, we may find ourselves in tears.
According to Leo Bortolon, a crops and systems specialist with NDSU Extension, who has worked with Eriksmoen for the past two years, he has learned a great deal about farming in North Dakota from Eriksmoen.
”I’m from Brazil, so tropical agriculture. I had some experience with Midwest agriculture in Iowa, but North Dakota was pretty different for me,” said Bortolon.
Eriksmoen, who spent 24 years working at Hettinger Research and then 11 years working as a research agronomist for NDSU Extension, stated that he had a positive outlook on the sector as a whole as a result of modern agricultural technology such as the no-till farming technique.
”We used to produce 20 bushels of spring wheat on summer fallow ground, and today we produce over 50,” said Eriksmoen.
Eriksmoen stated that the industry is maturing by fostering more alertness to the interaction between soil health, fertilizers, and pesticides. This is in addition to the fact that more food is being produced per acre for everyone. According to Bortolon, the entire group of researchers working across all of the NDSU Extension sites, including his friend, will continue to address the requirements of farmers throughout the short as well as the long term.
”I will be able to do my job, but I can tell you that my connection with him makes my job way easier than I would expect, so I’m blessed,” said Bortolon.
The advancements in technology are not minimized by Eriksmoen in any way. According to him, a significant number of skilled farm workers come from Ukraine and South Africa; nevertheless, the conflict in Ukraine has caused certain producers to face a shortage of workers.
“Replacing people with technology is kind of where this industry is going to a great extent,” said Eriksmoen.
Eriksmoen has stated that although he is now retired, he will maintain contact with the research centers.
“I’m going to start to cry again,” said Bortolon.
And we hope Eriksmoen has a wonderful time enjoying his retirement!
Research agronomic positions at NDSU’s Minot campus are now open and being aggressively recruited for.
