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Headshot of Lawrence Vander Wal

Lawrence Vander Wal of Bruce Named Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family and Community

January 25, 2022

Throughout his life, Lawrence Vander Wal has made time to give back, serving on boards of the First Reformed Church of Volga, Volga Christian School, East Central Irrigation and Brookings County, while also serving as the State Chairman of the Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Rancher board.

group of young women standing by a table of donated items

4-H Service Learning Project

Can you find a need in your community? Do you want to volunteer your time, resources and talents to find solutions? Service learning might be the perfect project for you!

female 4-H youth performing on stage with a ukulele

4-H Music/Dance Project

Express your creative side in the music/dance 4-H project area. Whether you enjoy learning about your favorite type of music/dance or would rather perform your own piece, this area encourages a greater appreciation for expression through music and dance.

two side-by-side fields. The left is labeled "a". It has uniform rows and soil. The right is labeled "b". It has ununiform rows and varying soil quality.

Field Studies: Setting up a Trial

Increasingly, farmers are generating on-farm research data that encompasses a wide-range of practical topics. However, setting up those experiments so that the data is statistically valid is not necessarily common knowledge.

Two men smile for the camera holding a glass award

Ken Olson retires after 18 years with SDSU Extension

October 29, 2024

Ken Olson, South Dakota State University professor and SDSU Extension Beef Specialist, has retired after nearly 40 years in animal and range science.

Interior of a large dairy barn.

Dairy Production in South Dakota: Growth and Consolidation

Research has found continued growth in dairy production in South Dakota over the past two decades, with most growth concentrated in large operations in Eastern South Dakota, indicating a trend of consolidation with large farms in concentrated regions.

Winter wheat field.

Winter Wheat and Nitrogen: Decisions for 2026 Growing Season

With fertilizer representing one of the largest variable costs in wheat production, inefficient nitrogen use can quickly erode profit margins. This being said, an emphasis should be placed on how to improve nutrient management during the 2026 growing season.

Black cattle heads poke out of a fence into a cement feeding trough filled with hay

SDSU Extension helping cattle producers grow bigger, better beef

May 28, 2025

Warren Rusche would contend that some of the best cattle in North America are born in South Dakota. That gives Rusche and the rest of the applied feedlot research group at SDSU a unique opportunity, and they are making the most of it.

father and daughter holding numerous 4-H awards with their dairy goat

4-H Dairy Goats Project

Did you know that dairy goats produce milk, mohair, and meat? 4-H members can learn skills in handling, caring for, and training a goat. Youth can also learn more about nutrition and safety.

Frost-covered grass in a winter pasture.

SWOT Analysis for Your Ranch (And Don’t Forget About Yourself)

Completing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis allows you to evaluate your operation's current position and decide on management strategies to achieve your goals for the next year. Learn how to get started today!