BROOKINGS — An environmental training session for operators of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) will be held Dec. 11 at the Crossroads Convention Center in Huron. Specialists from SDSU Extension, the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Natural R…

PIERRE — The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA) will honor members for their dedication to the organization and for environmental stewardship efforts during the upcoming 71st annual Convention and Trade Show scheduled for Dec. 3-4 at the Ramkota Hotel & Convention Center in Pierre.

PIERRE — Contestants in the 2020 State Finals of the Resource Conservation Speech contest are eligible to win a total of $2,300 in college scholarships.

WASHINGTON — Farmers and ranchers take home just 12.1 cents from every dollar that consumers spend on their Thanksgiving dinner meals, according to the annual Thanksgiving edition of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Farmer’s Share publication. The popular Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share compares…

PIERRE — Don’t miss the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA) Trade Show, coming up Dec. 3-4, 2019, at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference center in Pierre.

BROOKINGS — Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Transportation is the latest certification needed for beef cattle haulers and producers who deliver cattle to major packing plants.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Extension and USDA Farm Service Agency in Nebraska will host a series of Farm Bill education meetings next month to assist producers as they begin to make farm-bill related program decisions. The 2018 Farm Bill, signed into law last December, reauthorized the existin…

BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension will host the “Managing Soil: Maximizing Profit” workshop in Colton on Dec. 3. Registration begins at 8:45 a.m. and the workshop runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HURON — South Dakota’s farmers may think they’ve applied for all the programs they can to help mitigate some of the losses brought on by extreme weather and the trade war, but South Dakota’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Paul Shubeck says there may be other resources available.

PIERRE — The Agricultural Land Assessment Implementation and Oversight Advisory Task Force, chaired by Sen. Gary Cammack (R-Union Center), will hold its second meeting of the 2019 Interim on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) in Room 413 of the State Capitol in Pierre.

BROOKINGS — To help beef producers meet Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification expectations, SDSU Extension will host an in-person BQA certification course on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 2-4 p.m. in the Technology Center Amphitheater at Mitchell Technical Institute (MTI) in Mitchell. SDSU Ex…

PIERRE — Contestants in the 2020 State Finals of the Resource Conservation Speech contest are eligible to win a total of $2,300 in college scholarships.

LINCOLN, Neb. —The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is once again encouraging Nebraska farmers to “keep the stubble” on their harvested crop fields and improve soil health during No-Till November.

Keith Bolsen, Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University, says very emphatically that, “silage avalanches happen … believe it!”

For decades, state and local governments have provided incentives to businesses to locate or expand operations in communities. In South Dakota, these incentives have been extended to a range of businesses from big box retailers to small manufacturing plants. Oftentimes, these incentives are …

PIERRE — South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) is revising the 2012 Coordinated Plan for Natural Resources (the Plan) and is requesting public input.

PIERRE — Registration is now open for the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association’s 71st annual Convention and Trade Show scheduled for Dec. 3-4 at the Pierre Ramkota.

Every year, Aberdeen cow/calf producers Jeff and Rachel Kippley visit their local Kessler’s grocery store and pick up prime rib for Christmas dinner.

PIERRE — In September, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture awarded $342,880 to six specialty crop projects around the state. The funds come from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

PIERRE — The 2019 South Dakota Local Foods Conference (SDLFC) will feature keynote speaker Kelsey Ducheneaux on Friday, Nov. 1. Ducheneaux is a fourth-generation beef rancher, member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and Natural Resources Director for the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

PIERRE — As harvest season is underway, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission encourages grain producers, buyers and warehouses to review state laws and rules regarding the purchase and storage of grain. Understanding these state policies is an essential step for producers and buyers …

BROOKINGS — Significant losses happen every year in silage bunkers and piles across the United States. Losses of 15 percent or more of the harvested dry matter commonly occur, representing significant financial costs. Storage losses also affect the feeding value of the remaining silage. Feed…

HURON — Advancements in agriculture research and technology are essential to tomorrow’s farmers and ranchers. To support the future of South Dakota’s family farmers and ranchers, South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Foundation provides a $2,500 scholarship annually to a South Dakota graduate st…

COLUMBUS, Neb. — Spring flooding has caused Nebraska farmers to have an unusual growing season, but as operators head out to harvest crops, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) wants to remind farmers to look up and look out for power lines.

HURON — In response to the recent flooding impacting many parts of the country, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces the availability of $217.5 million to 11 states, including South Dakota. The emergency funding is speci…

BROOKINGS — With many flooded and saturated fields in South Dakota this fall, harvesting silage before corn dries past desired moisture levels or frost occurs may be a challenge for some producers.

With the abnormal amounts of rainfall we’ve received in 2019, planting, combining and hay harvest has been a struggle. This, in turn, has left feed in tight supply for some producers, while others are looking at a surplus of some feeds. For those who are looking at a shortage and need to cut…

BROOKINGS — The SDSU Extension Calf Value Discovery Program allows cow/calf operators to gain valuable feedback to help them improve management decisions that impact the financial bottom-line. Post-weaning performance influences the price received when calves are marketed at or near weaning.…

LINCOLN, Neb. — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced proposals for the updated Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) are due Dec. 3. RCPP supports partner-driven conservation efforts which will improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance s…

Agricultural producers affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, including Hurricane Dorian, can apply through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Sign-up for this U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program began Sept. 11.

PENDER, Neb. — Registration is now open for the “Food + Art Conference: Growing Rural Businesses and Communities,” hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs. The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Pender Community Center, 614 Main St., in Pender, Nebraska.

HURON — United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Director for South Dakota Julie Gross encourages rural small businesses and agricultural producers to apply for financing in a key program, USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), that provides loan guarantees to help rural…

LYONS, Neb. — With the average age of a U.S. farmer at nearly 60 years, and millions of acres expected to change hands over the next few years, many Americans are thinking about who the next generation of producers will be. Veterans could step in to fill the need, according to a white paper …

HURON — Farm and ranch families who have owned their land for a century or more were honored at the 2019 South Dakota State Fair, receiving a Century, Quasquicentennial or Sesquicentennial Farm and Ranch award from South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) and South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA).

BROOKINGS — South Dakota will be one of 32 states taking part in a small grains survey conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the United States Department of Agriculture this fall. The goal of the survey will be to obtain more detailed and accurate information on…

BROOKINGS — “Learn, Grow and Lead” is the theme of the first ever Midwest Collegiate Farm Bureau Conference taking place Oct. 11-13, 2019, at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

ST. LOUIS — The American Soybean Association (ASA) wants to recognize exceptional soy volunteers and leaders — and we need your help. During ASA’s annual awards banquet, individuals will be recognized and honored for state association volunteerism, distinguished leadership achievements and l…

FARGO, N.D. — The 1980s were a decade when one in four U.S. farms failed in the face of economic hardship.

PIERRE — The South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) board of directors and staff invite the public to attend their annual board meeting scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. CST in the Hills/Highland room of the Red Rossa Conference Center in Pierre.

PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Transportation reminds land owners hay remaining in highway ditches after Oct. 1 is deemed illegal.

HURON — It has been a challenge for many producers to reduce weed production on prevent plant acres as rains continues to dampen fields this year. Kent Vlieger, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Soil Health Specialist, Huron, urges growers to forgo tillage and plant cereal crops…

Time does seem to fly, whether or not we’re having fun. And before we know it, it will be time to wean calves again. Since many calves went to grass this year without their spring shots due to the weather, now may be an opportune time to work those calves so they are better prepared to be weaned.

HURON — Members of the South Dakota FFA participated in a wide range of educational activities during the 2019 South Dakota State Fair held Aug. 29-Sept. 2 in Huron.

PIERRE — As of Sept. 2, 2019, palmer amaranth seed has been added to South Dakota’s list of prohibited noxious weed seeds. Seed for sale within South Dakota may not contain prohibited noxious weed seeds, including palmer amaranth, in any amount.

LINCOLN, Neb. — More women than ever are actively engaged in farming operations across the United States.

BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University’s annual Southeast Research Farm Fall Field Day will be held on Sept. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The research farm is located at 29974 University Road, Beresford, which is six miles west and three miles south of Beresford.

BROOKINGS — The SDSU Extension Rural Behavioral Health Team is partnering with the South Dakota Counselors Association (SDCA) to host a three-day South Dakota Farm and Ranch Stress Summit Sept. 23-25. The Summit will be held at the Arrowwood Cedar Shore Resort & Conference Center in Oacoma.

BROOKINGS — An invisible enemy is attacking South Dakota corn.

BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension will focus on production and marketing decisions at the August and September Ag Economic Dialogues.

PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is accepting applications through Oct. 1 for projects eligible for federal Clean Water Act, Section 319 nonpoint source control grants.