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CSA Benefits: A Consumer Perspective

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs can offer a wide variety of benefits to consumers.

A husband and wife displaying fresh produce at a farmer's market stand.

Local Foods Legislation Introduced

Consumers who want to know more about where and how their food is raised are creating a bigger voice nationally. The increasing sales of local foods provides a bright spot for agriculture and a way to bring young farmers into agricultural production.

Dairy cow bonding with newborn calf.

Calving in Dairy Cows: Step by Step

Calving is a critical time in the lifecycle of dairy cows and calves. Learn about the key stages of calving to help ensure healthy, high-performing cows and calves.

A lush, green spinach patch growing in a community garden

Community Gardens: Liability Insurance

Groups organizing a community garden often ask about liability insurance. They will typically consider getting a policy if they have an organization to protect, or as coverage for the landowner in case a participant is injured and elects to sue.

A row of CSA subscription boxes with the words Green Market printed on them.

CSA Models

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) marketing is an outlet that allows a farmer to sell subscriptions or shares to consumers prior to the growing season. When the produce or food product is harvested it is then delivered on a scheduled basis to the customer.

South Dakota Farm to School logo

SDSU Extension to offer ‘Bringing the Farm to School’ Producer Trainings in Brookings and Rapid City

January 09, 2023

Farmers, ranchers, gardeners and local food processors can learn strategies for growing and selling their products to school nutrition programs at the Bringing the Farm to School: Local Producer Training Jan. 18-19 in Brookings or Feb. 14-15 in Rapid City.

A dog eating out of a bowl.

Pet Food & Pet Treats

In South Dakota the Department of Agriculture Feed & Animal Remedy Program is the agency that oversees the manufacturing, licensing and labeling of animal feeds and remedies. Local foods producers interested in selling pet foods or pet treats need to be in compliance with this program.

A produce stand with yellow wagon wheels and a green canopy.

Roadside Stand

Local food producers have many options when it comes to marketing their locally grown produce. Roadside or farm stands can be either permanent or temporary structures near a road or in a parking lot that sell directly to consumers.

A group of mixed cattle feeding in a feedlot.

Neospora-Positive Status: Impact on heifers/cows and their calves

Neospora caninum is a protozoal germ that has the potential to affect reproduction in beef and dairy herds. Neospora-related reproductive problems can arise from two different kinds of infected cattle: 1) cows or heifers that became infected by eating contaminated feed, and 2) cows or heifers that were born with Neospora and pass it on to their offspring in utero.

Two dairy calves in a small pen wearing warming jackets.

Dairy Calf Respiratory Disease: Treatment in the Aftermath of Cold Weather

Cold weather is not just hard on the people taking care of animals, it can be tough on the animals themselves. Consider respiratory disease (pneumonia) in dairy calves.