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2021 Energize! Conference attendees gathered outside a brick building.

Third Annual 'Energize!' Conference Sees Sustained Success

October 26, 2021

An opportunity to hear about successful revitalizations, community projects and business opportunities, this year’s Energize! Conference drew more than 100 people.

Hail-damaged soybean field with storm clouds in the background.

Making Decisions With Hail-Damaged Row Crops

Late-season hail damage can leave growers wondering what to do next. Before deciding what to do with your hail-damaged fields, take some time to consider a variety of management options.

A group of farmers and ranchers sitting at a meeting

Choosing an Advisory Board

A board of directors is a vital part of the governance and constitution of many corporations. A board of directors is formally involved in the business and is legal responsible for the overall governance of the corporation.

stack of coins with faded chart lines showing in the foreground

Agricultural Contracts For Crops

As a crop producer you probably dislike the uncertainty that results from market prices that are determined by forces outside of your control. With domestic economies becoming more interdependent, commodity price movements result from changes in global supply and demand.

A group of cattle grazing in fall pasture.

Organizers Unveil Lineup for the XXVII Range Beef Cow Symposium

September 21, 2021

Cattle ranchers and industry professionals are invited to hear the latest cutting-edge information and updates at the upcoming Range Beef Cow Symposium Nov. 16-17 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

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 variety, 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.

A series of red barns and grain silos on rolling hills in a farmyard.

SDSU Extension Increases Access to Sustaining the Legacy Conference

September 23, 2021

Starting in the fall of 2021, SDSU Extension will host two-day Sustaining the Legacy Conferences in five different locations across the state of South Dakota.

A family farm with the sun setting in the background.

Farm Size and Efficiency

Growth is a common denominator of various business objectives. A business may want to grow profits, sales, market share, etc. The growth of a business itself usually refers to growth in equity, or growth in assets after debts have been paid. Farms, from a business perspective, are no exception. Farmers seeking to grow equity need to be willing and able to retain earnings and cannot be overleveraged.

a windmill in front of a sunset

Farming Strategies for the Future

There was a time in agriculture when greater yields always meant greater profitability. Today’s economic environment is characterized by high input costs and depressed commodity prices. Under this scenario when the optimum input/output relationship has been attained, more inputs do not necessarily result in greater returns on investment. Therefore, todays’ agriculture paradigm requires management that addresses production “optimization”. This is the point where a previously known level of inputs maximizes outputs before incurring into greater investments that result into diminishing returns.

A group of young workers sitting at a table putting their hands together.

Workforce Development

SDSU Extension's Workforce Development course is designed to provide a suite of workforce development resources for employees to complete at their own convenience.