Plants or Crops
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Precision Agriculture and Zone Management
Precision agriculture tools can address the variations in a production system to enhance plant growth and crop yield. Zone management controls the variable rate of inputs for optimal performance within a defined field zone.

Foreign Grain Beetles in New Construction
As new homes are constructed around South Dakota, we continually receive questions about small, brown insects showing up in bathrooms and basements. These insects are foreign grain beetles.

High-Quality Silage Making & Safe Practices: Both are necessities
Throughout the forage growing season many producers are putting up silage piles. To this point they have been predominately forages such as haylage or small grain silage; however, we will soon be moving into corn silage cutting season.
![Courtesy: Pollinator [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons A green tractor pulling a feed wagon behind it on the road.](/sites/default/files/2018-12/W-M11755-01-tractor-road-farm-safety.png)
Farm Safety: Making it a daily habit
We know that agriculture ranks as one of the most dangerous occupations causing an estimated 167 lost-work-time injuries on a daily basis, of which 5% result in permanent impairment, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. In addition, approximately 20 farm workers per 100,000 die annually, with the leading cause of these deaths being tractor overturns.

Harvesting Silage on a Wet Year: Moisture is Critical
Fall is on its way in South Dakota. However, with many flooded and saturated fields, some producers are growing concerned that there will be little opportunity to harvest silage before corn dries down past desired moisture levels or frost occurs.

How Late is Too Late for the Last Alfalfa Cutting?
With a very challenging growing season and flooding across parts of South Dakota, many growers have struggled to harvest high quality forages in-between rains this summer.

Mycotoxin Considerations for Weather-Damaged Feedstuffs
Whether your crops have been hit with drought or hail the odds are that we are going to see an increase potential for feed contaminants such nitrates or molds which cause mycotoxins.

Preventing an Unwanted Baler Fire
Forage harvesting for hay will soon be upon us, and we need to take the time to prepare our equipment and ourselves for a safe and successful forage harvest when utilizing a baler.

Be Safe and Smart Around Silage
Corn silage making season will soon be upon us. It is important to take the time to communicate with employees proper protocols while making silage, along with safe practices around silage piles or silos.

USDA: CFAP 1 Program Payment Benefits to Producers
In examining the USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 1.0 website, we are able to directly see the impact of the program and the payments made to producers across the country.