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A woman holding a frozen pork cut next to an open freezer.

Pork Carcass Fabrication: Packaging and Meat Safety

This article is intended to provide guidance on the proper techniques for packaging meat and storing meat at home.

A patch of soil with kochia weeds growing throughout.

Temperature and Herbicide Performance

In South Dakota, the spring can come with a wide range of temperature fluctuations. This will affect the performance of burndown herbicides. Depending upon the target weed, type of herbicide and application rate, there will likely be decreased weed control in cooler temperatures.

A red sprayer in a green field with a cloudy sky in the background.

How to Stop Drift

The goals of applying any crop protection products include: increasing effectiveness, mitigating drift, and maximizing profits. We will focus on mitigating drift, even though all three interact with each other.

Color-coded map of the Rapid City area showing flood risk scores.

South Dakota’s Changing Flood Risk

South Dakota’s flood risk is increasing in some areas of the state according to a recent report from the First Street Foundation. In 2020, 62,600 total properties are at substantial risk, with a projected increase to 63,000 properties by 2050.

Scheduling Bedding Plants

Fall is the best time to start scheduling your bedding plant production. Start planning early for next year’s production.

A herd of cattle grazing near a stock pond.

Virtual Eastern South Dakota Water Conference to be Held October 14

September 22, 2020

The 2020 Eastern South Dakota Water Conference, sponsored by the South Dakota Water Resources Institute, will be held Wednesday, October 14, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

A stock pond with algae blooms developing throughout.

How Important Is Water Quality to Livestock?

Water is the most important nutrient to all livestock animals and is sometimes overlooked. Poor quality water can have a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and general productivity of the animal.

A rancher inspecting the water quality of a small stock pond.

How Do Sulfates in Water Affect Livestock Health?

Poor-quality water will cause an animal to drink less. As a result, they also consume less forage and feed, which leads to weight loss, decreased milk production and lower fertility.

Three canning jars filled with cucumber slices.

Safe Canning Recipes

One of the most common errors in home canning is not using a scientifically tested recipe. Canning a family recipe is risky as it can cause spoilage and foodborne illness.

A small group of black angus cattle in a feedlot.

Bigger Cattle. Warmer Weather. What Can Go Wrong?

The disruptions in the beef processing sector caused by COVID-19 continue to interfere with the orderly marketing of finished cattle. While we all hope that the situation is resolved quickly, the reality is that because the shipment of so many harvest-ready cattle has been delayed, there will be increased numbers of heavier cattle on feed for the foreseeable future.