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Male and female rancher observing a black cow near a cattle shed.

The Secure Beef Supply Plan

The Secure Beef Supply Plan is a continuity of business plan for cattle operations who find themselves affected by movement restrictions during a foot and mouth disease outbreak in the United States.

Group of local foods education center staff inside high tunnel.

Food Is Medicine

Food Is Medicine programs can range from dietitian- and chef-crafted meals being home delivered to patients with multiple chronic diseases, to incentivizing people using benefit programs to buy more fruits and vegetables.

sun rising over South Dakota field

Strengthening the Heartland

Strengthening the Heartland (STH) developed through the collaborative efforts of faculty from SDSU Extension and North Dakota State University Extension. With generous grant support from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, STH is dedicated to providing services that prevent opioid misuse in rural communities across the Dakotas.

Bison grazing rangeland.

Are bison amenable or non-amenable? How does the definition of bison affect harvest systems and quality of meat and carcasses?

While status of bison as an amenable versus non-amenable species seems confusing and complex, there are associated benefits and consequences for each definition.

Producers moving a group of cattle in a rolling, winter rangeland.

Winter Grazing

The predominant factor in winter grazing is ensuring adequate forage availability while considering long-term range health. When managed correctly, grazing winter range can be a viable option for controlling feed costs without negatively impacting rangelands.

Canada thistle growing throughout a pasture in western South Dakota.

Invasive Species Management in Grasslands

Once invaded, grasslands can shift dramatically toward dominance of exotic species and require an integrated approach to species control that considers all tools, such as mechanical (cutting, burning), cultural (grazing) or chemical alternatives.

A young girl with a notebook observing a sprig of flower blossoms.

Citizen Science in Your Own Backyard With Phenology

Have you ever noticed the first buds breaking on the trees outside? Perhaps you have made note of when you see the first robin of the spring? If so, then you have been studying phenology without even knowing it.

Members of the Burke County Fire Department assisting with a prescribed burn.

Why Should Fire Departments Help With Prescribed Burns?

From establishing fuel breaks that can contain future wildfires to providing valuable training for fire department volunteers, learn some of the many benefits of involving your local fire department in a prescribed burn.

Sample USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey output. Orange boundaries mark different soil zones on a satellite photo.

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.

Bison herd roaming a vast, rolling plain.

Show Me the Home Where the Buffalo Once Roamed

Have you ever wondered when and where bison were roaming during the colonial period in North America and before? Take an in-depth look at the historic extent of occurrence of bison to better understand their natural habitat.