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Grass buring

Live fire training for landowners planned for May 20

May 19, 2025

There will be a live prescribed fire training for landowners and agency officials on May 20, 2025, in the Animal Science building on the South Dakota State University campus.

group of students looking at a pair of beef cattle

SDSU Extension to host Youth Beef Summit

May 14, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension will host a new event for youth age 12-21 to learn about the beef industry.

Monarch butterfly visiting a blanket flower near a backyard garden.

SDSU Extension to host Backyard Natural Resources series

May 01, 2025

South Dakota State University is pleased to announce the second year of its virtual Backyard Natural Resources series on May 6, 8, 13 and 15, 2025.

A group of people stands outside a livestock trailer

SDSU Extension helps first responders train for crashes involving livestock

April 30, 2025

The first time Brandon Wingert responded to a vehicle accident involving livestock was in 2017 when a livestock trailer with 99 cattle tipped over. They successfully recovered all but four of the cattle, but Wingert, Hanson County’s sheriff and emergency manager, never forgot the incident.

Beef cattle eating feed

Registration open for 2025 Siouxland Feedlot Forum

April 28, 2025

Registration is now open for the 2025 Siouxland Feedlot Forum on June 17, 2025, in Sioux Falls.

Grass buring

Prescribed fire schools for SD landowners scheduled for March, April

March 24, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is partnering with the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Great Plains and landowner-led fire cooperatives to host a series of fire training workshops this spring.

Youth inspecting swine in pens

SDSU Extension hosting 2025 Swine Summit for youth

March 18, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to host the 2025 South Dakota Swine Summit on June 12, 2025, on the SDSU campus in Brookings.

A man kneels next to a creek with testing equipment spread in front of him

SDSU Extension hopes to empower South Dakotans through water use survey

March 18, 2025

Sushant Mehan wants to know what South Dakotans think about water. Mehan, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and South Dakota State University Extension Water Resource Engineer Specialist, is researching water in various ways, including how water affects plant growth and what the future of crop production looks like across the Great Plains as moisture levels fluctuate.

Professional portrait of Rafe Royall

SDSU Extension welcomes new swine specialist

March 11, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Rafe Royall as a new assistant professor and SDSU Extension Swine Specialist.

South Dakota State University Extension logo

SDSU Extension welcomes new swine field specialist

March 11, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Kaylyn Rudy as the new SDSU Extension Swine Field Specialist.

Three men smile for the camera. The man in the center holds a plaque

2024 Master Pork Producers announced

February 28, 2025

The 2024 South Dakota Master Pork Producer winners were announced Jan. 15, 2025, during the 56th annual South Dakota Pork Congress in Sioux Falls. Recipients are Brian Mehlhaf, of Madison; Cristina Rocha, Iroquois; and Ross Mencke, Onida.

Microscope analyzing a glass slide.

Midwest animal science meeting to highlight SDSU research

February 18, 2025

This year’s meeting is March 9-12, 2025, in Omaha, Nebraska, and will include student competitions, symposiums and presentations highlighting the research students and faculty are conducting.

Sprawling rangeland enrolled in the conservation stewardship program.

SDSU Extension invites all to SD Coalition Grassland Management School

January 30, 2025

SDSU Extension is partnering with the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, Audubon Great Plains, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service to host the school, which is on Feb. 11-12, 2025, at Cedar Shore Resort near Oacoma.

A sow and her piglets rest in dry and clean pen. Courtesy: USDA

Registration open for 2025 SowBridge educational series

January 24, 2025

SowBridge is for those who work with sows, boars and piglets, and in swine genetics and reproduction. The 2025 series begins on Feb. 5, and will generally continue on the first Wednesday of the month from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CST. The fifth session will be on May 28 to avoid conflicts with the World Pork Expo.

Three people smile for the camera with bison and rolling hills in the background

Bringing happy, healthy bison back to the Great Plains

January 17, 2025

There are approximately 400,000 bison across North America, down from 30 to 60 million prior to the 1860s. South Dakota has the largest bison population in the U.S. with nearly 40,000, and Martin hopes to see it keep rising.