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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 green combine harvesting wheat.

Factors Affecting Wheat Production Decisions: Producer survey findings

Recent USDA data shows that during the past 3 years acres devoted to wheat production continue declining in both South Dakota and North Dakota (USDA, 2018). South Dakota wheat acres experienced a remarkable decrease of 31.5% during the past 3 years, compared with a relatively mild drop of 16.4% by North Dakota.

A sprawling sorghum field ready for harvest

Sorghum Trial Results

In 2023, sorghum trials were conducted in 2 locations in South Dakota.

small water channel next to green grass

Saturated Buffer for South Dakota

Saturated buffer fact sheet for producers, tile drainage contractors, conservation professionals, other ag professionals.

wheat field

Spring Wheat Variety Trial Results

The 2023 spring wheat reports include data from 10 locations with regional summaries.

grass with field bindweed, a viny green weed with white flowers

Lawn Weed Control

Cultural weed control practices must be included in weed management programs to optimize control and inhibit re-infestation. A healthy, dense turf cover is the best overall defense against weed invasion. Some common cultural weed control practices include planting the most adapted turfgrass species for your environment (i.e. shade, full sun, or hot, dry conditions), maintaining a mowing height of 2.5–3.5 inches, watering deeply but less frequently, and proper soil maintenance including fertilization and core aerification.

A field divided into two planting areas. The left area has young corn plants emerging from the soil. The right has no visible corn emergence yet.

Grassy Weeds

Grassy weeds are a problem in all field crops. They must be identified at early stages of growth so they can be controlled before crop yields are seriously threatened. Control measures are not the same for all grassy weeds, so accurate seedling identification is important.

A herd of cattle gather around a stock pond on a vast, lush grassland. Courtesy: USDA [CC BY 2.0]

2017 Weed Control: Pasture and Range

There are 24 million acres of native and tame pasture and range as well as 1.4 million acres of grass hayland in South Dakota.

A green cover crop mixture grows on a calm day; mainly consisting of oats and peas.

Buying or Selling Oats for a Cover Crop? Be Sure to Follow the Rules

As a challenging 2019 row crop planting season wraps up in South Dakota, many producers are looking to plant cover crops on unplanted acres. One popular cool-season grass cover crop is oats. Most oats in South Dakota are grown as certified varieties, and it is important to be aware of the legal ramifications behind purchasing oat seed for use as a cover crop.

A map of the Big Sioux River Basin.

Big Sioux River Flood Information System Sees Heavy Use During Spring 2019

The Big Sioux River Flood Information System is the result of a combined effort between the SD Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local governments, and private industry, to create a product that can be used to predict the impact of flood events in the Big Sioux River Basin.