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Professional portrait of Rafe Royall

SDSU Extension welcomes new swine specialist

March 11, 2025

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Rafe Royall as a new assistant professor and SDSU Extension Swine Specialist.

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.

Mother and daughter reviewing information on a tablet with grandmother.

Where Can Family Caregivers Turn for Help?

Family caregivers often find they do not know where to turn for help and support during their caregiving journey. The following resources provide information and organizations that may be useful to anyone who is a family caregiver.

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.