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A red tractor and seed drill planting in a no-till field.

Project to Study Soil Health Economics in South Dakota

Soil degradation has become one of the most pressing global issues, because of its adverse effects on world food security, environment and quality of life.

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 diversity, 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 green cut alfalfa field dries as the sun sets.

Forage Resources for South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers

Producers often have difficulties locating fellow producers to buy, sell or rent forages and grazing acres too. South Dakota now has two widely recognized, free resources to aid in these connections.

Ranchers viewing USDA disaster assistance information on a computer in a home office.

Drought Assistance Questions Answered

Dry conditions persist across the state, and many new questions are being asked regarding the federal assistance programs available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

Two producers and a conservation agent moving cattle in a grassland area.

Drought Assistance From USDA: CRP Haying and Grazing

As this year’s drought intensifies, folks are quickly running short of forage. Due to the D2 Drought Monitor classification, most South Dakota counties qualify for Conservation Reserve Program haying and grazing for emergency and non-emergency use.

Storm water rushing down a street gutter.

South Dakota Water and Community Symposium to be Held July 26

July 22, 2022

SDSU Extension will host a one-day South Dakota Water and Community Symposium on Tuesday, July 26 from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CDT at the Raven Precision Agriculture Center on the South Dakota State University campus in Brookings.

a graphic image showing drought in South Dakota

Water Conservation and Efficiency During Times of Drought

As drought conditions continue to expand across the state this year, more thought is given towards South Dakota’s limited water resources. We live in a state where weather conditions and rain patterns seem to comfortably exist at the extremes; we either have way too much or nearly not enough. While this isn’t always the case, it is important to keep in mind that our water resources are finite and all of us should be thinking about doing what we can to protect them.

Farmer observing no-till field at sunset.

Carbon Markets and Opportunities for Farmers

There is growing interest in paying farmers for regenerative agricultural practices as a means for sequestering carbon. Learn about some of the benefits and challenges that carbon capture opportunities offer for producers.

Infographic with steps that say 4 hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, and 24 hours in a half-full freezer.

Power Outages and Your Cold Foods

South Dakota is no stranger to power outages and power surges from weather events. Learn some key actions to take before, during and after power outages to keep your cold foods safe.

snow plow clearing a highway

The Challenges of Farming and Ranching: Identifying the signs of depression

When weather conditions impact farming and ranching, producers can experience large amounts of stress. A normal amount of stress can be productive; however, abnormal amounts of stress can be harmful both physically and emotionally. With the drought that is currently impacting producers, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms of depression.