Union Farmer December 2020/January 2021

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Volume CVI, No. 1 Huron, SD JANUARY 2021

A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

SERVING SOUTH DAKOTA’S FARM & RANCH FAMILIES SINCE 1915.

Daschle Speaks to Members

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Together we support Sec. of Ag

Meet the 2020 Torchbearers

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East River Electric

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2021 Policy Established Farmers Union Celebrates During 2020 State Convention Corson County Ranch Family

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early 100 S o u t h Dakota family farmers and ranchers g a t h e r e d virtually for the 2020 South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Annual Convention Dec. 9. “Grassroots p o l i c y development is no less strong in a virtual environment,” says Doug Sombke, SDFU President and a fourth-generation Conde farmer. “I’m sure like everyone, I missed the 3-D experience. But even though we were unable to meet in person due to the pandemic, member engagement was strong, as our members discussed and voted on policy and special orders to address timely challenges facing our state’s family farmers and ranchers.”

State Convention Continued on Page 11

Young Producer Webinar Series Begins

January 12, 2021 at 1 p.m. (central) Details on page 18.

South Dakota Farmers Union has served South Dakota farm and ranch families for more than a century. Throughout the year, we share their stories in order to highlight the families who make up our state’s No. 1 industry and help feed the world. This month we highlight the Evenson ranch family of McIntosh. Pictured are Dennis and Shari Evenson.

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sk McIntosh ranchers Shari and Dennis Evenson about their offranch careers, and Dennis describes what they do as working in “national food security.” “In a nutshell, keeping our working ag land healthy, is food security for our nation,” explains the second-generation rancher and civil engineering technician for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “Not only do we want to conserve it, we want to improve it so we can produce more food, grains, cattle – whatever.” Dennis began working for NRCS in 1987. He had returned home to ranch with his parents, Ray and Eleanor, and needed an off-ranch income. “With only three or four places in town where you could work, NRCS was the one that made sense to me. Here I am 32 years later, and I still enjoy the work that I do.” In his role, Dennis works with ranchers and other private landowners in Corson, Dewey, Ziebach and other western South Dakota counties. He designs, stakes and reviews NRCS projects. “It doesn’t matter how many hundreds of miles around McIntosh,

Evenson Family Continued on Page 2


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Union Farmer December 2020/January 2021 by South Dakota Farmers Union - Issuu