Spring 2019 delivered a surprise to many homeowners who finally got out to inspect their trees and shrubs — a lot of rabbit damage!

FARGO — China confirmed on Dec. 13 that it had reached a partial trade deal with the U.S., but many in agriculture could muster only cautious optimism as a reaction.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump said on Dec. 13 that the U.S. has canceled plans to impose new tariffs on $160 billion worth of Chinese imports on Dec. 15 as part of a modest interim agreement that de-escalates a 17-month trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

A Northville farmer and his son saw some surprising wildlife harvesting their Mellette area cornfield on Dec. 12.

Editor's note: This is part 1 in a series by South Dakota News Watch about concentrated animal feeding operations.

CRESCENT, Iowa (AP) — Frogs, carp and bugs thrived all summer in murky floodwaters where Gene Walter should have planted corn and soybeans. Last year’s ruined crop spilled from metal storage bins that burst nine months ago when the Missouri River surged through two levees near his southwest …

When Frederick-area farmer Don Nickelson booked a post- Thanksgiving Disney World vacation for his family, he was all but certain harvest would be complete.

I recently looked back on the topics I covered in 2019 and found – not surprisingly – that weather-related animal health problems and challenges were frequent subjects! From wet calving pens and scours to foot problems in cattle on flooded pastures to moldy sweet clover hay, these problems s…

FARGO, N.D. — If you see it on the internet, it must be true, right?

The most important meal of each calf’s life is its first.

BISMARCK, N.D. — As livestock producers throughout much of North Dakota face a shortage of feed due to difficult growing and harvesting seasons, the state has announced a $250,000 feed transportation program.

Agricultural producers should do tax planning before the end of the year.

HURON, S.D. — The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) released recently does not improve market conditions for South Dakota’s family famers and ranchers who are struggling, says South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke.

Champions named at the 2019 North American International Livestock Exposition Gelbvieh and Balancer Show

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a closely divided vote, the National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors opted to support an amended U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) released recently.

I had a meeting approaching in just minutes while I was at work, and my stomach alerted me that it wanted food.

SIOUX FALLS – Adam Mohrhauser was named the 2019 AgVocate of the Year by the board of directors for Agriculture United for South Dakota at the organization’s annual luncheon Dec. 10 in Sioux Falls. The award was presented to Mohrhauser in recognition for his work in Ag United’s Adopt-A-Farme…

FARGO, N.D. — An investigation report sheds more light on what happened to an Alberta woman who died recently after a horse trampled her at the North Dakota State University Equine Center.

FLANDREAU, S.D. – On Dec. 12, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development South Dakota State Director Julie Gross announced USDA has invested $9.5 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 1,750 homes in rural South Dakota. T…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Dec. 11, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill to reform the agricultural labor system in the United States.

PIERRE — Townships are struggling with budget constraints and other pressures to maintain their roadways and right-of-ways in rural South Dakota, which is why representatives from the South Dakota Association of Towns and Townships are calling for help.

BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension will host the annual 2020 No-Till event in Wall at the Community Center, on January 14, 2020. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. The program begins at 10 a.m. and will continue until 3:30 p.m. MT.

Six aspiring students can win $33,500 through the Colvin Scholarship Fund, developed in 1999 to honor the cofounder of the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand. As Louis M. "Mick" Colvin retired after 21 years as executive director, these annual scholarships began as a way to carry on his legacy…

HURON, S.D. — South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) recognized Senator Tom Daschle for his dedication to South Dakota agriculture with the 2019 Ag Ambassador Award during the organization’s 104th State Convention held in Aberdeen Dec. 10-11. 

AMES, Iowa — It’s been a difficult year for farmers—the planting season saw an overabundance of rain and delayed planting, the United States’ trade war with China persisted, skewing both commodity prices and demand, and farm bankruptcies rose to the highest level since 2011. However, favorab…

Washington, D.C. — The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) told the House Agriculture Committee on Dec. 11 that farm banks have stable ag loan portfolios but remain concerned about rural economic conditions. ICBA community banker Steve Handke encouraged lawmakers to maintain a st…

BROOKINGS —  SDSU Extension and the South Dakota State University Animal Science Department will host Beef 2020 on Jan. 7-9, at the Animal Science Complex on the SDSU Campus in Brookings.

Huron, S.D. — In the wettest year on record for South Dakota, half the cropland in the state that was planted used a cropping system without tillage. That system, no-till farming, has been the predominant cropping system on South Dakota cropland in recent years, but this is the first year th…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recognizing the high levels of stress affecting America’s farmers and ranchers, Farm Credit, American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union have partnered on a program to train individuals who interact with farmers and ranchers to recognize signs of stress and …

Brown County Farmers, John and Margaret Sumption were recognized on Dec. 10 for their support of rural youth and education with the Star of Education Award by South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) during the organization’s state convention held in Aberdeen Dec. 10-11.

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) has added an additional publication series to its wealth of print and PDF resources. Beginning in 2020, CPN’s online library (tinyurl.com/y5aojbgs) will feature annual Research Updates, highlighting advancements in crop-pest research. These publications are …

Standing before a crowd of farmers and ranchers attending the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) State Convention, Karl Oehlke made a simple request. “Stand up, find a partner, turn and look them in the eye.”

The 2020 Research Update sessions are scheduled for six locations in Minnesota: Waseca, Rochester and Lamberton (Jan. 7, 8 and 9 respectively) and Willmar, Morris, and Crookston (Jan. 14, 15 and 16 respectively) from 12:30 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. for each location.

AMES, Iowa — A training course to become a Food Safety Preventative Controls Alliance designated Preventative Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) will be held in Ames, Iowa from Jan. 13-15, 2020.

BROOKINGS, S.D. - SDSU Extension programs were recognized at various national Extension association meetings throughout 2019. SDSU Extension professionals network with peers across the country by attending their respective association conferences and representing the outreach work that is be…

Conservation gives many gifts – both to farmers and the rest of the world. Each breath of air, sip of water, and bite of food you will ever take exists because of natural resources and how we protect them.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa dairy producers will have the opportunity to learn about emerging dairy industry issues during the 2020 Dairy Days events hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The program is scheduled at five eastern Iowa locations between Jan. 20 and Feb. 6.

Stressors specific to the agriculture industry and helping farm and ranch youth will be the focus of a workshop that North Dakota State University Extension, Eyes on the Horizon and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are teaming up to hold from 1 to 4 p.m. Central time Jan. 16, 2020.

HURON, S.D. — South Dakota Farmers Union honored a group of devoted youth for their commitment to community, involvement and leadership development at the 2019 South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention held in Aberdeen Dec. 10-11.

HURON, S.D. – United States Department of Agriculture State Director for South Dakota Julie Gross has announced that USDA is investing $387,627 to help farmers, ag producers and rural based businesses lower energy costs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The past year has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory for corn farmers across the Midwest due to excessive rainfall, which has resulted in delayed and/or prevented planting in many areas. Extreme weather conditions and moisture levels can reduce yields an…

BILLINGS, Mont. — More than 50 farm, ranch, consumer, manufacturing, labor and other organizations sent a joint letter to U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-SD) urging them to amend their recently introduced U.S. Beef Integrity Act (S.2744) by including it "within a compreh…

PIERRE — The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA) hosted a successful 71st Annual Convention and Trade Show recently in Pierre, where new leaders were elected and plans were made for 2020 and beyond.

Seeding and harvest equipment play a large role in farmers’ ability to implement two important soil health principles:

DENVER, Colo. — The U.S. rural economy will continue to face headwinds in 2020 and is expected to underperform relative to the economy of urban America. Since 2014, GDP growth in rural counties has averaged almost 1% less than in urban counties. That trend is likely to continue without a sig…

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Dec. 3, the United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA) submitted to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin a request for investigation of Marfrig Global Foods' near-acquisition of the U.S. based National Beef Packing Company.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Designed to identify superior Herford-influenced feeder cattle, the Hereford Advantage program now offers additional benefits to add value to feeder cattle. With these enhancements, cattlemen using Hereford bulls can provide value beyond genetic merit through health and ma…

When Frederick-area farmer Don Nickelson booked a post- Thanksgiving Disney World vacation for his family, he was all but certain harvest would be complete.

I recently looked back on the topics I covered in 2019 and found – not surprisingly – that weather-related animal health problems and challenges were frequent subjects! From wet calving pens and scours to foot problems in cattle on flooded pastures to moldy sweet clover hay, these problems s…

FARGO, N.D. — If you see it on the internet, it must be true, right?

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump said on Dec. 13 that the U.S. has canceled plans to impose new tariffs on $160 billion worth of Chinese imports on Dec. 15 as part of a modest interim agreement that de-escalates a 17-month trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

The most important meal of each calf’s life is its first.

BISMARCK, N.D. — As livestock producers throughout much of North Dakota face a shortage of feed due to difficult growing and harvesting seasons, the state has announced a $250,000 feed transportation program.

Agricultural producers should do tax planning before the end of the year.

HURON, S.D. — The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) released recently does not improve market conditions for South Dakota’s family famers and ranchers who are struggling, says South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke.

Champions named at the 2019 North American International Livestock Exposition Gelbvieh and Balancer Show

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a closely divided vote, the National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors opted to support an amended U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) released recently.

I had a meeting approaching in just minutes while I was at work, and my stomach alerted me that it wanted food.

SIOUX FALLS – Adam Mohrhauser was named the 2019 AgVocate of the Year by the board of directors for Agriculture United for South Dakota at the organization’s annual luncheon Dec. 10 in Sioux Falls. The award was presented to Mohrhauser in recognition for his work in Ag United’s Adopt-A-Farme…

FARGO, N.D. — An investigation report sheds more light on what happened to an Alberta woman who died recently after a horse trampled her at the North Dakota State University Equine Center.

FLANDREAU, S.D. – On Dec. 12, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development South Dakota State Director Julie Gross announced USDA has invested $9.5 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 1,750 homes in rural South Dakota. T…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Dec. 11, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill to reform the agricultural labor system in the United States.

PIERRE — Townships are struggling with budget constraints and other pressures to maintain their roadways and right-of-ways in rural South Dakota, which is why representatives from the South Dakota Association of Towns and Townships are calling for help.

BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension will host the annual 2020 No-Till event in Wall at the Community Center, on January 14, 2020. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. The program begins at 10 a.m. and will continue until 3:30 p.m. MT.

Six aspiring students can win $33,500 through the Colvin Scholarship Fund, developed in 1999 to honor the cofounder of the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand. As Louis M. "Mick" Colvin retired after 21 years as executive director, these annual scholarships began as a way to carry on his legacy…

HURON, S.D. — South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) recognized Senator Tom Daschle for his dedication to South Dakota agriculture with the 2019 Ag Ambassador Award during the organization’s 104th State Convention held in Aberdeen Dec. 10-11. 

AMES, Iowa — It’s been a difficult year for farmers—the planting season saw an overabundance of rain and delayed planting, the United States’ trade war with China persisted, skewing both commodity prices and demand, and farm bankruptcies rose to the highest level since 2011. However, favorab…

Washington, D.C. — The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) told the House Agriculture Committee on Dec. 11 that farm banks have stable ag loan portfolios but remain concerned about rural economic conditions. ICBA community banker Steve Handke encouraged lawmakers to maintain a st…

BROOKINGS —  SDSU Extension and the South Dakota State University Animal Science Department will host Beef 2020 on Jan. 7-9, at the Animal Science Complex on the SDSU Campus in Brookings.

Huron, S.D. — In the wettest year on record for South Dakota, half the cropland in the state that was planted used a cropping system without tillage. That system, no-till farming, has been the predominant cropping system on South Dakota cropland in recent years, but this is the first year th…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recognizing the high levels of stress affecting America’s farmers and ranchers, Farm Credit, American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union have partnered on a program to train individuals who interact with farmers and ranchers to recognize signs of stress and …

Brown County Farmers, John and Margaret Sumption were recognized on Dec. 10 for their support of rural youth and education with the Star of Education Award by South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) during the organization’s state convention held in Aberdeen Dec. 10-11.

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) has added an additional publication series to its wealth of print and PDF resources. Beginning in 2020, CPN’s online library (tinyurl.com/y5aojbgs) will feature annual Research Updates, highlighting advancements in crop-pest research. These publications are …

Standing before a crowd of farmers and ranchers attending the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) State Convention, Karl Oehlke made a simple request. “Stand up, find a partner, turn and look them in the eye.”

The 2020 Research Update sessions are scheduled for six locations in Minnesota: Waseca, Rochester and Lamberton (Jan. 7, 8 and 9 respectively) and Willmar, Morris, and Crookston (Jan. 14, 15 and 16 respectively) from 12:30 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. for each location.

AMES, Iowa — A training course to become a Food Safety Preventative Controls Alliance designated Preventative Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) will be held in Ames, Iowa from Jan. 13-15, 2020.

BROOKINGS, S.D. - SDSU Extension programs were recognized at various national Extension association meetings throughout 2019. SDSU Extension professionals network with peers across the country by attending their respective association conferences and representing the outreach work that is be…

Conservation gives many gifts – both to farmers and the rest of the world. Each breath of air, sip of water, and bite of food you will ever take exists because of natural resources and how we protect them.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa dairy producers will have the opportunity to learn about emerging dairy industry issues during the 2020 Dairy Days events hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The program is scheduled at five eastern Iowa locations between Jan. 20 and Feb. 6.

Stressors specific to the agriculture industry and helping farm and ranch youth will be the focus of a workshop that North Dakota State University Extension, Eyes on the Horizon and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are teaming up to hold from 1 to 4 p.m. Central time Jan. 16, 2020.

HURON, S.D. — South Dakota Farmers Union honored a group of devoted youth for their commitment to community, involvement and leadership development at the 2019 South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention held in Aberdeen Dec. 10-11.

HURON, S.D. – United States Department of Agriculture State Director for South Dakota Julie Gross has announced that USDA is investing $387,627 to help farmers, ag producers and rural based businesses lower energy costs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The past year has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory for corn farmers across the Midwest due to excessive rainfall, which has resulted in delayed and/or prevented planting in many areas. Extreme weather conditions and moisture levels can reduce yields an…

BILLINGS, Mont. — More than 50 farm, ranch, consumer, manufacturing, labor and other organizations sent a joint letter to U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-SD) urging them to amend their recently introduced U.S. Beef Integrity Act (S.2744) by including it "within a compreh…