Natural Resources

All Natural Resources Content

An orange plastic hoop placed around a portion of tall grass on a range to provide a measurement.

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Range Record Keeping

Range record keeping helps detect and demonstrate landscape changes that have a direct impact on your ability to maintain or grow your herd.

sun rising over South Dakota field

Agriculture

Both livestock and crops are essential to South Dakota's agricultural industry.

A group of people stands in a green pasture

White River ‘Pasture Chat’ offers unique experience for women in agriculture

September 17, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension’s new “pasture chat” event provided a unique experience for women involved in agriculture in the White River region.

An aerial view of the town of Mobridge with the Missouri River in the background.

A Strategic Community-Based Survey of Water Resource Management in South Dakota

Understanding how residents value water is critical for effective resource management, and your insights can help us better understand community values and inform future strategies for sustainable water management across the state.

Swarm of mosquitoes.

West Nile Virus Update: September 10, 2025

As of September 10, 2025, the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) reported 59 human cases of West Nile virus from Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Charles Mix, Codington, Corson, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hutchison, Hyde, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marshall, Meade, Miner, Minnehaha, Pennington, Sanborn, Spink, and Walworth counties.

Herd of bison behind a fencline in a pasture.

Getting Started With Bison Ranching

While bison ranching has some similarities with cattle ranching, there are significant differences that must be accounted for to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability.

A group of brown cattle foraging in a green field.

Prussic Acid Poisoning

As the first frost date approaches, producers often have concerns about the risk of prussic acid poisoning in livestock. Certain forage plants, especially sorghums and related species are associated with an increased risk of death loss because of prussic acid poisoning.

Color-coded map of South Dakota indicating the number of classes of change in drought conditions from June 3 to September 2, 2025. For a detailed description, please call SDSU Extension at 605-688-4792.

Summer 2025 Climate Review and September Outlook

A record wet August in several locations marked the end of South Dakota’s meteorological summer. One challenge coming this fall will be determining how quickly field and crop conditions dry down to allow harvest activities to progress.

Swarm of mosquitoes.

West Nile Virus Update: September 3, 2025

As of August, the South Dakota Department of Health indicated that West Nile Virus positive mosquito pools have been detected in Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Codington, Hughes, Lincoln, and Minnehaha counties.

Left Mosquito specimen with dark coloration. Right: Mosquito specimen with white band on its proboscis.

Mosquitos to Watch for in South Dakota

After many areas in South Dakota experienced heavy rainfalls, mosquitos are now a major issue. Learn which species are most common throughout the state and which carry the highest risk for West Nile Virus.