The Agricultural Experiment Station was established in 1890 at the North Dakota Agricultural College to conduct research over a wide range of agricultural topics that directly involved North Dakota and the booming agricultural sector. It consisted of nine substations, including the grass experiment station built in Langdon in 1907.

The first director of the Langdon Experiment Station was Edward D. Stewart who immediately set to work identifying opportunities for the farmers in the region. Durum had recently arrived in the United States from the grain-growing areas of Russia and soon became a niche crop, one that was less susceptible to rust than typical bread wheat and was even a bit more adaptable to the cooler temperatures and short growing region. Ed Stewart was enthusiastic about durum and soon the Langdon Experiment Station became known as the “durum station”. Durum production skyrocketed and through years of development, the region eventually became known as the “durum triangle”. Durum work continued after the unexpected death of Stewart in 1920. Louis Jorgenson was named director until he was succeeded by Victor Sturlaugson in 1925.

Under Sturlaugson, the focus shifted to breeding durum, including a new variety called “Stewart”, named to honor the first director. The variety was widely planted in the region during that time. Of course, with farming comes plenty of ups and downs, with weather and disease being unpredictable and uncontrollable. In order to minimize risk, Robert Nowatzki, who became director of the experiment station in 1969, worked to further develop traditional regional crops such as cereal grains, forages, grasses, legumes, and oilseeds. Soon the “durum station” became known as the “canola station”.

In the 1990s, fields were hit hard with a disease called scab. It was devastating to farmers, and ended the region’s reputation as being the “durum triangle” in North Dakota. Thanks to previous research at the Langdon Research Extension Center, canola production was responsible for keeping many producers afloat during this disastrous time for farmers. Canola became a mainstay and afforded producers a profitable cash crop that was not affected by scab.

Today, the extension center in Langdon reflects the greatest need for the region's producers. Dedicated to research, testing, and development, the program conducts tests on all crops grown in North Dakota while also focuses on crop protection and disease management, which is critical to farmers across the state. Additionally, the Vic Sturlaugson Learning Center, built in the early 2000s, provides space for scientists and administrators to collaborate, discover, and promote the rich agricultural industry of the region.