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South Dakota agricultural landscape painted with Spring colors and a setting Sun.

Cash Flow is Critical

Strong business management skills and systems do not go out of style in times of uncertainty. These skills will help the business work through downturns in commodity prices. Cash flow budget accuracy is critical in developing and controlling the business.

Group of mixed calves in a feedlot.

Calf Value Discovery Program

The Calf Value Discovery Program enables cow-calf producers to assess the value of their cattle in value-based marketing systems and gain valuable carcass and feedlot performance information to aid in management decisions and improve profitability.

Young calves with cattle herd in spring.

Selecting a Calving Season Based on Matching Nutritional Needs and Resources

Choosing the calving season is a complex and highly individual decision for each beef cattle producer. A primary consideration in pasture-based cow-calf operations is choosing a calving season that will best match the forage supply to forage demand.

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.

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 group of people sitting with ipads around a table.

Three Legal Duties of a Nonprofit Board Member

Fact sheet about three legal duties of a nonprofit board member.

A young man receiving an optometry examination.

Keep an Eye on Your Dairy Farm Employee Vision Health

With the aim to understand more about vision impairment with dairy employees, the SDSU Extension dairy team researched dairy employees' health status with a focus on vision care.

Dairy Farm Employees gather around at a formal training meeting on a dairy farm to learn new information. Courtesy: Heidi Carroll

Optimizing Meetings on the Farm

No one wants to have a meeting for the sake of having one. So, when you decide to have a meeting with your employees, keep a few of the following suggestions in mind.

Rancher holding a notepad beside a feed bunk.

Capitalizing on Cow Costs

Feeding cows is one area of consideration when analyzing the cost of keeping a cow through her production year. Through small management choices, we can decrease the cost of the cow while maximizing on opportunities.