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Field of mixed cover crops containing oats.

Cover Crop Considerations for 2020

Producers across South Dakota are harvesting small grains. These crops provide an excellent window for adding a cover crop into your rotation.

One-month precipitation outlook map for September 2020. South Dakota has a 40-50% chance of below-normal precipitation.

September 2020 Climate & Drought Outlook

Summer has its last hurrah the first week of September before we see potential for our state’s first freeze of the fall season, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

Clements Ranch staff accepting their Master Lamb Producer award from SDSU Extension's Kelly Froehlich.

South Dakota Sheep Growers Honor Two Master Lamb Producers

November 22, 2021

The 2021 Master Lamb Producer recognized in the Purebred Division was Shady Lane Farms from Redfield, and the Feeder Lamb Producer Division recognized Pam and Steve Clements and family from Philip.

Managing Water with Soil Health

If we are seeing so many benefits to drainage and soil health systems, why isn’t everybody doing it? Can we see a win-win-win situation when looking at habitat, agronomy, and water quality in a system?

a flock of sheep grazing in a field

SDSU Small Ruminant Team to Share Sheep, Goat Survey Results

December 02, 2021

The Sheep and Goat Needs Assessment Summary webinar will be held Friday, Dec. 17 at noon CST and will include information challenges to raising and marketing animals or animal products, and current industry demographics.

A sprawling green field of field pea plantings

Production and Utilization of Field Peas, Lentils and Chickpeas in South Dakota

Dry field peas and lentils are high in protein and fiber, have a low glycemic index, are easy to prepare, store well, and are low in cost. Even better they can be produced economically and sustainably in South Dakota as part of diverse no-till crop production systems.

Small group of cattle near a water tank in a rangeland area.

Water Quality

While producers have long acknowledged that access to water makes the difference between a profitable or unsuccessful operation, they are beginning to understand that water quality may be as important as water quantity.

Well-managed grassland area adjacent to a wetland.

Managing Livestock Attractants Near Water

In the event that your pasture includes riparian areas, such as streams, rivers, lakes or ponds, you’ll want to take special care of these habitats. A riparian area is the space immediately adjacent to the shore, where water and land interact.

From left: Wheat plants killed by common root rot. Wheat plants with bleached heads due to Take-all disease. Bleached wheat heads due to stem maggot feeding.

Differentiating Between Wheat Head Diseases and Disorders

Several diseases and disorders can develop in wheat heads. Learn the symptoms of several common disease and insect issues being observed in South Dakota wheat this growing season.

Wheat head with a green aphid, aphid mummies and a parasitized aphid.

English Grain Aphids Observed in Wheat

Reports of aphid populations in wheat fields have been slowly increasing in the past week. Most of these populations are well below the economic threshold, but there is a potential for them to increase.