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A young, freckled girl eating small, red tomatoes inside a greenhouse.

Agritourism

When a producer has decided to sell a product directly from the farm, entertainment or tourism-based activities could be incorporated to create larger appeal. Agritourism could add value to the farm visit though education, entertainment, outdoor recreation, dining, relaxation or other avenues, potentially drawing more customers in.

Digital padlock over a circuit board, representing data encryption.

Protecting Your Data: The Role of Authentication and Encryption in Agricultural Cybersecurity

Precision agriculture emphasizes using data to make smarter farming decisions. In the digital world, authentication and encryption are two prevalent ways to keep farm data secure, accurate, and trustworthy.

A male producer analyzing records on an office computer.

What Kind of Records Are You Keeping?

Measurement of the actions and efforts of everyday life on the farm or ranch leads to better management and efficiency. Many farmers and ranchers keep many records. Utilization of the records for improved management would be the next step to take to improve efficiency.

stack of coins with faded chart lines showing in the foreground

Financial Measures for South Dakota Farms

Farm and ranch businesses have a sizeable investment in equipment, buildings, land, and livestock. These investments require their owners and managers to remain knowledgeable about the financial condition of their business. The information to calculate measures of financial performance can be found in their farm record books or accounting system.

A man in a pickup truck picking up a bag of farmers market food at a pickup table being serviced by two women in personal protective gear.

Farmers Markets and COVID-19

Farmers markets are a very important sector in South Dakota. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised a great deal of concern on trying to keep these markets open, while providing a safe environment for consumers to shop. This article is a guide to help farmers markets set up their operation in a manner that will best protect consumers and allow for continuation of operations.

Several bottles of different hot sauces arranged on a counter.

How to Make a Safe Hot Sauce

Hot sauces can be made to with a combination of several different ingredients to give unique flavors and heat that consumers enjoy. There are many considerations that should be made on how hot sauces are processed, formulated and packaged.

Mother with two young children shopping at a holiday craft fair.

Your Town Matters! Shop Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Shopping local allows you to make a difference in your hometown. Locally owned businesses reinvest a large share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.

bunches of fresh garden greens ready to eat

Container Gardens and CSAs

Just about all of us have room to grow a few vegetables, as long as you have some space where they can get good sun exposure for at least six hours a day. You don’t even have to have a garden!

Group of people gathered around a table in an office.

Creating a Virtuous Cycle of Grant Writing

Creating a virtuous cycle of grant writing can lead to a cycle of reinvestment and expansion within your community, allowing you to create new programs, reach new populations, and increase your capacity and impact, fueling your next cycle of success.

Tractor with a series of digital icon overlays representing aspects of smart farm technology.

Cyber Insurance for Agriculture

Fact sheet about cyber insurance for agriculture