Earlier this month, I attended one of Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts' first town hall meetings with local landowners concerned with President Joe Biden's 30x30 plan.
PIERRE — The South Dakota Departments of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) and Transportation (DOT) want to remind individuals there are laws and rules governing when mowing right-of-way ditches can begin on the state highway system.
BROOKINGS — Nearly 90% of South Dakota is now in some level of drought. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 56% of the state is in the Severe Drought (D2) and Extreme Drought (D3) classifications. With daytime temperatures lingering around mid-to upper-90 degrees Fahrenheit for muc…
WASHINGTON — More than $1 billion in payments will be released over the next several weeks starting June 15 for agricultural producers with approved applications for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program and for producers who have already received payments through the Wildfire and Hurric…
WASHINGTON — Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if they planted cover crops during this crop year. The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP), offered by USDA’s Risk Managem…
Anyone on the farm who works with tractors with front end loaders, portable grain augers, oversized wagons, fold-up cultivators, large combines, irrigation pipe and other tall equipment should take extra caution to avoid electrocution by accidently coming into contact with overhead power lines.
Let’s face it — even if it rains three inches by the time this article goes to print, we’re still behind on moisture for the year. And with short moisture comes short forage, creating concerns that the cattle will not have enough grass to last the summer. The question then becomes if there i…
PIERRE — What does a pasture have in common with a marathon runner?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing an additional 30 days for public comments on the notice for Supply Chains for the Production of Agricultural Commodities and Food Products published in the Federal Register on April 21, 2021. Comments…
HURON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking proposals through June 21, 2021, for both national and state-level Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG).
PIERRE — Registration is now open for the 2021 South Dakota Governor’s Agricultural Summit (Ag Summit). The two-day event is hosted by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) and is being held at The District in Sioux Falls on July 8-9.
LINCOLN, Neb. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has funding available to Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers to develop Conservation Activity Plans. These plans are developed to help identify and find solutions for specific natural resource conc…
BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension, in collaboration with South Dakota Wheat, will kick off the 2021 Wheat Walks tour June 2 near Pierre.
LYONS, Neb. — Across the country, states have been increasingly innovative in finding ways to integrate the goals of eliminating hunger and strengthening local food systems, according to a white paper released recently by the Center for Rural Affairs.
Mark your calendars for the 2021 Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC) –Nebraska Extension jointly sponsored Summer Grazing Tour scheduled for June 15, 2021 in north-central Nebraska.
PIERRE — Fifty-seven billion dollars.
PIERRE — With dry conditions throughout South Dakota, farmers and ranchers will soon start applying irrigation water to their crops. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) reminds irrigators to regularly check irrigation equipment to prevent overspray.
The Dakotafest Woman Farmer/Rancher of the Year award was launched in 2020 as part of IDEAg’s Dakotafest Virtual event. It was created to honor hard-working female farmers and ranchers across South Dakota who selflessly dedicate their time to growing crops and raising livestock.
HURON — South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) calls on South Dakota farm and ranch families to participate in the 2021 growing season photo contest, Farm & Ranch Families of South Dakota. Running May 1-Dec. 1, 2021, all who enter become eligible to win $250.
May is my favorite month, and not just because it brings my birthday … though that would be enough of a reason on its own.
BROOKINGS — Extension beef cattle specialists from South Dakota State University (SDSU), North Dakota State University (NDSU), Montana State University and the University of Wyoming are now accepting registrations for the educational series, “Mineral Nutrition for the Beef Cow Herd.” Started…
BROOKINGS — The South Dakota State University Livestock Judging Camp will take place on the SDSU campus in two sessions; the first session will be held June 9-11, and the second session will be held June 13-15.
BROOKINGS — Accelerating climate change throughout the Great Plains may present the next major challenge to bison sustainability.
BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension is offering on-site livestock water testing service at all SDSU Extension Regional Extension Centers and several SDSU Extension County Offices throughout the state.
BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension, in collaboration with South Dakota Wheat, will kick off the 2021 Wheat Walks tour June 2 near Pierre.
BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension is offering on-site livestock water testing service at all SDSU Extension Regional Extension Centers and several SDSU Extension County Offices throughout the state.
If the good Lord smiles upon us by the time this goes to print and we get a healthy dose of rain, then we should have grass to send cows out on this spring. And when cows go out to grass, they seldom go alone. No, I’m not referring to their calves or the bulls that accompany them, but a much…
As we reflect on the women who raised us this Mother’s Day, South Dakota Farmers Union would like to celebrate the many women who support the state’s No. 1 industry — farm and ranch moms: Cassie Sumption of Frederick and Elsie Meeks of Interior.
COLUMBUS, Neb. — Spring is slowly creeping along, which means farmers and ranchers are gearing up for planting season. On the flip side, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) urges caution in the fields when it comes to power lines and large farm equipment.
BROOKINGS — While recent rain and snow have brought some moisture reprieve to parts of South Dakota, the same cannot be said for the northwest or central part of the state. South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension State Climatologist Laura Edwards says warmer-than-average temperatures …
BROOKINGS — Sticking to the program pays off.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is updating livestock insurance policies to improve options for producers and to create additional opportunities for producers to participate. USDA’s Risk Management Agency’s (RMA) updates to the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) and Livestock Gro…
BROOKINGS — In January, the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension Small Ruminant Team, in collaboration with colleagues throughout the United States, kicked off a survey inviting sheep and goat producers to share their interests and needs to help direct future Extension programming.…
PIERRE — Gov. Noem is seeking nominations for the 2021 South Dakota Governor’s Ag Ambassador Award.
PIERRE — If you overhear farmers at the local coffee spot talking about “planting green,” they’re probably not discussing the paint on their equipment. They’re more likely referring to a new way of thinking about cropland management that benefits both soil health and water quality.
HURON — Farming with his dad, Tim, and working fulltime in seed sales, agronomist Matt Zilverberg’s days are packed. But the Onida farmer still found time for South Dakota Farmers Union’s most recent Producer Ag Hour which focused on Soil Health.
BROOKINGS — South Dakota FFA members were recognized at the 93rd South Dakota State FFA Convention for excellence in developing career-specific skills through their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Proficiency projects.
LYONS, Neb. — The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG), a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program available directly to farmers and ranchers, has received a major funding increase, a lower match requirement, and an application extension.
AMES, Iowa — Newly updated resources from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are available to help livestock producers track their cost of production and work through price insurance options.
BROOKINGS — Dr. Maristela Rovai, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Dairy Specialist, has received federal funding from the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (HICAHS) to help boost COVID-19 vaccination efforts among South Dakota's dairy industry workforc…
LYONS, Neb. — The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG), a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program available directly to farmers and ranchers, has received a major funding increase, a lower match requirement, and an application extension.
BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension is requesting assistance in developing a Dairy Cattle Reproductive Management Course designed for Spanish-speaking and/or English-speaking employees.
BROOKINGS — The State FFA Degree, the highest degree conferred by the South Dakota FFA, was presented to 282 agricultural education students at the 2021 South Dakota FFA Convention.
During repair and maintenance activities, why is it so important to understand how to shut down machines and equipment and use a process — lockout/tagout — that ensures nothing can be started again until all work is completed, and no workers are in harm’s way?
BROOKINGS — As South Dakota farmers and ranchers gear up for spring planting and turning livestock out to pasture, warmer than average temperatures and limited chances of precipitation are continuing to make a dry situation worse. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 78.7% of South …
Nebraska Extension is hosting two succession planning workshops for dairy producers in April. The workshop will offer background on good communications that are essential for families that are transitioning. It will also cover common mistakes made during the transition process, the importanc…
BROOKINGS — Over the last year human health care systems across the nation saw a decline in emergency room and clinic visits due to the pandemic, as consumers turned to digital health platforms. While telehealth and telemedicine have become more common household terms, the field of veterinar…
AMES, Iowa — With around 50 million animals raised annually, Iowa is by far the nation’s leading pork producing state. Most of these animals are housed in confinement production facilities.
PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Transportation reminds people that Interstate Highway Right-of-Way Mowing Permits are available for land that abuts Interstate 90 or Interstate 29.
South Dakota’s farmers, ranchers and those who work on farms and ranches are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) encourages agriculture producers to take advantage of this opportunity to protect themselves, their families, and rural communities.
LINCOLN, Neb. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is extending the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) renewal application through April 7. CSP is USDA’s largest working lands conservation program with more than 90 million acres enrolled.
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