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Smart to Lead SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Program
July 06, 2021
South Dakota State University Extension has named Alexander “Sandy” Smart as the new Agriculture and Natural Resources Senior Program Leader.
Do Cover Crops and Grazing Harm Soil Properties?
Fact sheet for a study that was conducted to compare short and long-term animal grazing on soil health and water properties at four locations in SD.
Corn Potassium and Drought
For many crop producers, potassium deficiency has become an increased concern, and this year’s drought conditions have resulted in potassium deficiency symptoms showing up in fields where it would normally not occur.
South Dakota Grassland Management School Workshops Set For July 27, 28
July 15, 2021
The 2021 Grassland Management School workshops will be held at the Eck Restoration Project north of Henry, South Dakota on the shores of Warner Lake.
Organic Gardening: Soil Management
Gardeners throughout South Dakota are experimenting with organic gardening. While the adoption of organic gardening methods can be daunting, learning some fundamental soil management concepts will set the foundations for success.
Grassland Fertilization: Ecology
In the first article in this series, we discussed basic terminology and economics. This article focuses on the ecological impacts of fertilization in various grassland plant communities, including native rangelands and prairies.
Grassland Fertilization: Native Pasture Case Studies – McPherson, Deuel, Grant and Clark Counties
Even our best native pastures, rangelands and prairies suffer from at least some level of invasion. Within this reality lies a wide gradient of quality of native grasslands that is largely influenced by past and present management.
Cover Crop Adoption: Farmers’ perceived benefits & barriers
Cover crops are generally defined as crops planted between cash crops to cover and protect the soil. Some demonstrated benefits of cover crops include: reduced soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, increased biological diversity, increased nitrogen supply, and weed control. Depending on the farmers’ objectives, different species of cover crops can be planted. For example, if a farmer’s main objective is to increase nitrogen supply, then legume cover crops best suited to the farm area should be selected.
Prussic Acid Precautions
During periods of drought, it is important to aware of the factors that can be a concern during these conditions, specifically nitrates and prussic acid. It is important to take precautions when using feeds that could contain one or both compounds.
Forage Resources for South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers
Producers often have difficulties locating fellow producers to buy, sell or rent forages and grazing acres too. South Dakota now has two widely recognized, free resources to aid in these connections.