PIERRE — When David Neuharth started his 3Y3 Ranch in the 1980s near Hayes, he noticed a trend among area producers.
BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension has opened registration for the 2020-2021 Calf Value Discovery Program. The program provides cow/calf producers with the value of their cattle through value-based marketing systems, along with carcass and feedlot performance data that will aid in management decisio…
South Dakota’s hemp production plan, submitted by the S.D. Department of Agriculture on Aug. 12, has officially been accepted by the USDA.
BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension is hosting cattle Artificial Insemination (AI) School in Philip and Brookings this fall. The school in Philip will be held at South Dakota State University’s (SDSU) Cottonwood Field Station on Nov. 4-6. The school in Brookings will be held at SDSU’s Cow-Calf Educat…
As we climb in the combine every fall, it gets difficult to pay attention to our cattle. Sure, we feed them, check their water and make sure the fences are good, but since we’re human we get in a hurry to get the crop out and tend to not focus as closely on the calves. This means that proble…
COLUMBUS, Neb. —While many Nebraskans are dusting off their fall clothes in preparation for the cool autumn weather, farmers are headed to their fields to begin the annual harvest. Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) wants to remind large equipment operators to keep safety front of mind an…
BROOKINGS — A group of five individuals has been selected for induction into the South Dakota 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame. Selected by the Volunteer Hall of Fame committee, the 2020 inductees include Patricia Casteel, Meade County; Calvin Finnesand, Roberts County; Mike Steiger, Dewey County;…
The annual South Dakota Local Foods Conference (SDLFC) is celebrating its tenth year. The 2020 event, Nov. 5-7 will be the first held entirely online.
SIOUX FALLS — The Prairie Family Business Association hosted their 28th Annual Family Business Conference both in-person at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Sioux Falls and virtually for attendees from 19 states and Canada for a total of more than 400 attendees on Sept. 17. This was the larges…
In times like these, it’s what cattle and crop producers don’t spend that makes the biggest difference to their bottom line.
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 lo…
BROOKINGS — The 2020 Eastern South Dakota Water Conference, sponsored by the South Dakota Water Resources Institute, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Due to health concerns surrounding COVID-19, the annual conference, which has traditionally been held on the South Dakota S…
BROOKINGS — Each year, National 4-H Week sees millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni come together to celebrate the many positive youth development opportunities offered by 4-H. The theme for this year’s National 4-H Week, Opportunity4All, is a campaign that was created by the Nat…
PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Revenue reminds landowners that applications for the riparian buffer strip property tax incentive must be submitted by Oct. 15, 2020.
In March 2020, the sheep-farming industry in South Dakota — the sixth-largest in the country — was humming along nicely.
BROOKINGS — Recent energy development projects have impacted several regions of South Dakota with disturbance to native soils. To provide guidance for South Dakota landowners and energy industry representatives, SDSU Extension has released a guide titled, “Best Management Practices Guide for…
PIERRE —The South Dakota Department of Transportation reminds land owners hay remaining in highway ditches after Oct. 1 is deemed illegal.
LINCOLN, Neb. — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). This program, created under the 2014 Farm Bill and reauthorized in the 2018 Farm Bill, provides funding for the purchase of conservati…
AMES, Iowa — A leading cause of Iowa farm fatalities is tractors not equipped with a rollover protective structures (ROPS). Around one-third of all reported agricultural deaths in Iowa are attributed to this single safety hazard. Rollovers are also known to represent the largest share of the…
BATH — The FFA corduroy jacket is more than part of Official Dress. To its owner, the FFA jacket is a physical reminder of the personal accomplishments achieved through the organization — a symbol of commitment and dedication for all who wear the corduroy. The jacket unifies members in a lon…
No matter how much horsemanship experience a feedyard cowboy has, working cattle in that environment is far different from working them on the range.
LINCOLN, Neb. — As part of National Farm Safety and Health Week, farmers and ranchers are invited to participate in a free webinar on tractor and equipment safety on Sept. 21 at noon central time.
BROOKINGS — Farmers who make soil health a priority are more likely to rotate three or more crops and to graze livestock on cropland, according to a survey of producers in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska.
BROOKINGS —As interest in cover crops has grown significantly among crop and livestock producers in the region, species selection and establishment times have remained a major topic. To answer these questions, an online cover crop selection tool was launched on September 1 by SDSU Extension,…
LINCOLN, Neb. — With the start of harvest, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) reminds producers of the need to familiarize themselves with Nebraska Grain Laws.
What a difference a year can make. This time last year our topic of conversation was how to wean in muddy conditions. Now, we’re on the opposite end of the spectrum, managing dust. I’m not sure which is worse, so I guess it just depends on your perspective. I’d rather deal with the dust, myself.
BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension has opened the Every Acre Counts program to include all counties in South Dakota with a primary emphasis on the eastern side of the state.
GAYVILLE — “Families Feeding Families/AGvocacy! annual event will take place in 2020,” announced Laura Lyngstad, President of the group. “After carefully considering many factors, our group decided to host our annual event.”
Each year, Farmers Union Insurance awards $25,000 in scholarships to South Dakota youth through the S.D. Farmers Union Foundation. The scholarships are sponsored by Farmers Union Insurance agents from across the state.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced new features on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers.gov website designed to help facilitate the employment of H-2A workers.
From Sept. 21-25, workshops centered on livestock handling will take place across South Dakota.
Farm Families Speak Up! Annual Event To be Held
There’s no secret about the benefits of low-stress livestock handling. Implementing these practices in the feedyard is especially beneficial for the safety of handlers when processing animals. Minimizing chaos and confusion during the process reduces stress on the cattle and potential for in…
Drive across Nebraska or fly overhead and you will see evidence of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) work on the state’s landscape.
In rural areas like Nebraska, where manual labor dominates the work scene on farming operations, the rate of physical injury is often higher. Therefore, the need for pain relief can frequently occur and resources to help manage long-term pain may not be readily available to those who need it…
BROOKINGS — April blizzards, wet planting and harvest conditions, low commodity prices, and trade concerns made 2019 a stressful year for many South Dakotans. Disruptions to production and marketing practices had many producers looking toward 2020 with optimism for a better year ahead.
BROOKINGS — There has been unprecedented milk and product price volatility over the last few months. Rabobank’s global dairy strategist Mary Ledman and Vice President of Dairy Research Ben Laine discuss their outlook on the global and United States dairy markets during a webinar hosted by th…
BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension will host Farmland for the Next Generation, an eight-week virtual workshop series, beginning Aug. 31.
No one expects tragedy to overtake them. Yet, each year some 250 lives are lost in tractor-related injuries such as rollovers, runovers and collisions. One of the leading causes of injury and death on the farm is tractor-related accidents. Nearly half of these deaths are due to tractor rollovers.
The cancellation of Dakotafest at the Schlaffman Farm near Mitchell is not stopping Dakotafest organizers from providing educational forums on the days Dakotafest would have been held. South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) will be leading a number of the virtual forums Aug. 18-20, 2020.
HURON — Union Center rancher, Deb Harwood was named the winner of the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Spring Photo Contest. Winning a cash prize, Harwood is among many South Dakota farmers and ranchers who captured moments on their family’s farm or ranch this spring and shared them with SD…
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will launch a third round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases with distributions to occur beginning by September 1 with completion by October 31, 2020. The purch…
As summer draws to a close, we can see that weaning time is on the horizon. Though weather conditions are more favorable for weaning this year compared to last, weaning is still the most stressful event a calf will likely experience. And since stress decreases immune function, it is imperati…
BROOKINGS — Wheat breeders at South Dakota State University will have a new weapon to fight scab, a devastating fungal disease that affects wheat and barley, thanks to funding from the Agricultural Research Service through the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative.
BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension is now accepting applications for class 5 of beefSD.
HURON — South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) are again partnering to recognize South Dakota farms and ranches that have been in the same family for 100 years and more. The Century Farm celebration will take place at the South Dakota State Fair…
Tractors and loaders are an invaluable resource in the feedyard for a multitude of daily tasks. To keep operators safe while operating tractors and loaders, it’s necessary to understand how use of a front-end loader impacts the stability of a machine.
PIERRE — The South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture will again recognize and honor longstanding South Dakota families at the South Dakota State Fair.
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting fears over the stability of the American large-scale food production industry have pushed more consumers toward locally grown and raised meats and vegetables, and so far, South Dakota producers of homegrown foods have been unable to keep up.
White desert is how Frederick farmer, Don Nickelson, used to describe the saline patches on his land.
LYONS, Neb. — Applications are now being accepted for a new pilot-program being offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency.
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