South Dakota Farm & Ranch Feb '24 by Mitchell Republic

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ARE DAIRY COWS ‘MOO’VING’ ON FROM SDSU?

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IN S ID E T H IS IS S U E On the cover

Are dairy cows ‘moo’ving’ on from SDSU?....4 Contributed

a enna iff, unior dairy production and animal science student at D .

Features 4-H at the Capitol .........................................................3 Selling ag products......................................................10 Crop price outlook......................................................12 Carbon offset...............................................................14 Ranch is Audubon Certified......................................17

Publisher JO N I H A R M S Editor L U K E H AG EN Advertising Director LO R I E H A N S EN Layout Designer JEN PH I L L I PS South Dakota Farm & Ranch is an agricultural publication dedicated to informing SD and Midwest area farmers & ranchers about current topics and news. This publication fits the niche of our unique farmers and ranchers of the Midwest, and the diverseness we have in our area. Although the Missouri River divides our state, we are all South Dakotans and thank the land for supporting us each and every day. Our readers may be livestock ranchers or row crop farmers, and everywhere in between, however, we all have a common goal in mind. We feed and support the growing population, and want the next generation to find that same love and support that agriculture can offer. We’re all SD Farmers and Ranchers’ and when you advertise in South Dakota Farm & Ranch, you are immersing your company, product, and service into a growing community of dedicated farmers and ranchers. Welcome to South Dakota Farm & Ranch! To subscribe to this FREE publication, contact The Mitchell Republic.

at the Capitol Day was held in ierre on an.

Contributed / S DS U

4-H at the Capitol By Kennedy Tesch Agwee PIERRE, S.D. — What started in 2020 as an opportunity for South Dakota 4-H youth to come to the state capitol during the legislative session has continued to bring 4-Hers from across the state to engage in the government process. The annual 4-H at the Capitol Day was held in Pierre on Jan. 17 in conjunction with South Dakota State University Day and Brookings Capitol Day. Youth were able to meet legislators, learn about South Dakota history, how bills are made and given a firsthand look at the lawmaking process. This day is open to 4-Her’s of all ages as well as their families and volunteers. Participants are as young as 5-year old Cloverbuds all the way to 4-H ambassadors who are seniors in high school and freshmen in college. 4-H youth and other participants are given capitol tours and invited to learn more about the history of the building itself. The state capitol has blue tiles hidden throughout the building and youth are able to participate in finding those during a scavenger hunt. “They go around the capitol taking pictures of themselves with their legislators, with the blue tiles or finding some unique statues,” said Jenae Hansen-Gross, SDSU Extension 4-H Volunteer Development Field Specialist. “We work really hard to gear it towards all ages. We even had some adult volunteers come this year that didn’t have any youth that were interested from their county but they still wanted to come to be able to experience the town hall and do a capitol tour so they can go back and tell their county about it and encourage them to come.” A list of bills that are being heard in committee are provided to each participant and they are encouraged to attend. A town hall

featuring legislators was held where participants could ask questions and the representatives could share a little bit about themselves. HansenGross says an effort is made to engage participants with legislators who are 4-H alumni. “We try to reach out to 4-H alumni to be part of that so they can share a little bit about themselves and how 4-H was maybe part of their story in becoming a legislator, but also share about what bills they’re working on and how that might relate to young people,” she said. “We’ve had really great questions like ‘how to get along with people that you don’t agree with’ and they learn how that process works in South Dakota.” Participants then gather in the capitol rotunda for a South Dakota State University ice cream social. 4-Hers also get to view the first part of the legislative session and be recognized on the floor which allows members to feel welcome in the Capitol by their legislators. Willa Wurtz, a member of Spink County 4-H, participates in a wide variety of projects including photography and showing livestock. Kurtz was able to attend the Capitol Day in Pierre with a fellow 4-H member and friend. “Meeting Gov. Noem and getting to know new people,” Kurtz said, when asked about her favorite part of the day. 4-H ambassadors are also shadowing legislators throughout the day. This gives ambassadors a closer look at the session and lawmaking process. It also allows them to share their own experiences with representatives. “It’s a really neat opportunity to be able to bring a program in front of our lawmakers so they can see that our youth are wanting to learn about the process and be part of it,” Hansen-Gross said. “We’ve always had some great feedback and I think legislators we engaged with have had a lot of fun as well.” ⊳

FEBRUARY 2024 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 3

SDSU students fight closure of Dairy Research and Training Facility A riana S c h um ac h er / A g w eek

T h e D a i r y R ese a r ch Ju n e 2 0 2 4 .

a n d T r a i n i n g F a ci l i t y a t S o u t h D a ko t a S t a t e U n i ve r si t y i s se t t o cl o se d o wn i n

By Ariana Schumacher Agweek

ROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota has one of the fastest growing dairy industries in the nation, and the state’s land grant university has a rich dairy history on its campus. Since 1896, there have been dairy cows on the South Dakota State University campus. But that will be coming to an end in June, as the university announced the upcoming closure of the Dairy Research and Training Facility. Students in the Dairy Science Department at South Dakota State University were

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shocked when a college-wide email was sent announcing the campus dairy farm is closing. “I was extremely surprised. I mean, I don’t think any of us really knew it was coming,” said Makenna Skiff, junior dairy production and animal science student at the university. “We maybe knew there was some stuff going on at the farm, but none of us thought that it was anywhere near closing, so it was very unfortunate to hear that it was closing and honestly, closing so soon, there wasn’t a huge heads up for anything.” Students had been told that soon a newer, more updated dairy farm would be built on campus. But now, they are planning to close down the operation instead.

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“At first, I was, like, I was kind of shocked. I was like, what? Because like last year and even this fall they were, like, planning on putting in a robot, and plans I know change, but initially to come out and say, like, ‘Hey we are going to put in these robots, like, yeah, let’s go,’ I was so excited for that, but then when they came out and said ‘Oh hey, we are just going to shut this down,’ I’m like ‘what?’” said Briana Maus, junior dairy production student at the university.

An outdated farm in need of updates

The current dairy farm is outdated. The South Dakota Legislature in 2021 approved House Bill 1153, which provided $7.5 million from the state for updating the facility. In the 2023 Legislature, House Bill 1031 would have increased that number to $8.5 million, but the bill was tabled by the Joint Appropriations Committee on a 17-1 vote. Despite the $7.5 million allocation from the state, the university is short of the $28 million goal for updates, or the $50 million

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needed to build a new farm. “Unfortunately, we find ourselves where we do not have a viable path forward for a new farm, and it’s not viable to continue the operations of the present farm,” said Joseph Cassady, South Dakota Corn Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at South Dakota State University. “So that is very regrettable. It’s a situation that has developed over a number of years. I realize the announcement may be found to be sudden by some, but in fact this has been developing over a significant period of time.” The farm is utilized by many different departments at the university including the Dairy and Food Science department and the Animal Science department. Last year, there were around 24 students enrolled in the dairy production major. Overall, there are 48 undergraduate students and 29 graduate students enrolled in the department of Dairy and Food Science.

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iff and Allison Wright in front of the heifer pen at the D

Dairy Research and raining acility.

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“It’s a situation that has developed over a number of years. I realize the announcement may be found to be sudden by some, but in fact this has been developing over a significant period of time.”

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The department has a 100% job placement. The Animal Science department has over 300 undergraduate students enrolled as well as several graduate students. This fall, there were 20 student employees working at the dairy farm. “Interestingly, only one of those students was majoring in dairy and food science. Some of the others were pursuing minors in dairy science,” Cassady said. “So, all 20 students were certainly gaining valuable experience, but the majority of the students choosing to work at the farm were in fact not majoring in the dairy and food science department.”

A place for learning

Both Skiff and Maus were student employees on the dairy farm their freshman years. “When you feel at home, like I did when I worked on the farm and like got situated with school, then it made me want to

JOSEPH CASSADY

do more things and learn about different things and it just gave me connections,” Maus said. “Connections are very strong, and I just think it’s something that every student needs.” The farm is more than a place to work, it’s a place to learn. “It’s a great tool for all of us. I have taken many classes where we utilized the farm for different things. So, in our dairy cattle judging class, we spent a lot of time at the farm looking at the animals there and evaluating them,” Skiff said. “We also have a dairy farm ops class that uses the farm occasionally just to look at different aspects of the farm to see how our farm differs from other farms, and I know plenty of other classes in the Dairy

Department and in the Animal Science Department take tours and look into the dairy just to see how things run there.” The university is working with local dairies to be able to still offer hands-on dairy experiences to the students. “We pride ourselves in providing a quality, hands-on education. Those opportunities may be different in the future, but we do think we can provide a high quality experience, and I think it’s important to recognize that the experience that we are providing at this time was doing our very best to leverage an outdated facility, and I believe by working with our industry partners we can provide an experience and exposure in a more modern, industry-relevant

setting,” Cassady said. Students are concerned that the hands-on opportunities and research might not be as good if they are not happening on a university farm. Maus recalled a lab at the farm that had students going through a cow’s rumen and learning about what they eat. “Where are we going to go?” Maus wondered. “They can say that we can go to other farms, but I don’t think you are going to have the research like the rumen that you can utilize, and that’s just one thing that makes us wonder how we are going to learn in the future.” “Having a dairy farm at our fingertips has been really helpful because really anything we need. We can go out to the farm and talk to the manager or talk to other faculty about what is going on at the farm,” Skiff said. “Having to travel to other farms is just kind of a disadvantage for our program because it’s been so easily accessible for us, and now we will have to travel 20 or 30 minutes to get to the nearest farm.” The on-campus dairy is also a vital part of extracurricular

Contributed

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activities, including Dairy Club, Dairy Judging Team, and Little International. “It’s going to have a pretty big hit on us. From now on we are either going to have to cut the dairy from the Little I show, or we are going to have to find somewhere to lease animals from, which can be difficult in this area,” Skiff said. Cassady has a more positive outlook on the future. “For Little I 2024, there will be nothing that will change. We will continue business as usual,” Cassady said. “Going forward, we will discuss with the students that organize Little I and these other activities as to what alternatives we may have. It may be that can work with some of our dairy partners.” Plans and sponsors had already been lined up for this year’s Dairy Camp to be offered in June, but now that event will not come to fruition. “We bring in youth from the states of South Dakota, Minnesota. We even had some from Wisconsin last year. And they get to come, they get a dairy heifer for three days, they get to walk them around, wash them, take care of their heifer. It’s just such a fun experience for them. So now without the dairy there, we can’t really have our dairy

Contributed

B r i a n a M a u s,

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camp anymore,” Skiff said. The farm also provides milk for SDSU’s Davis Dairy plant. But the closure will not affect the operations of the plant. “We will absolutely keep making Jackrabbit ice cream and Jackrabbit cheese. The Davis Dairy plant is not expected to be negatively impacted in any way. Operations of the Davis Dairy Plant, the research and

the teaching associated with that will continue as normal,” Cassady said. “The only change will be that we will need to source our milk from the commercial industry as opposed to in the past when we sourced it from the farm. We had some experience with this previously in 2022 when there was a fire at the farm, and we had to pivot and source milk commercially, so this is not a new

challenge for us.” Some alumni and students feel that they don’t need the most updated facilities to still benefit from keeping the dairy open. “What SDSU utilizes and some of the programs that they do out on the farm are very similar to real life applications. We don’t necessarily need a several million dollar, brand new dairy in order to operate because a lot of the students that come through the dairy program and plan to go back to the dairy farm are students that come from, I guess, real life modern dairies. So it doesn’t necessarily need to be a thousand cows with a bunch of robotics because that’s not what a lot of students are going back home to,” said Tiffany Van Buren, 2023 SDSU dairy production and agricultural communications alumna. “I think the farm wasn’t in terrible condition. I mean, it was still in running condition. They could have done smaller updates and upgrades to make it better for the students but they just didn’t really put in any effort,” Skiff said. In a statement to Agweek, the South Dakota Dairy Producers voiced their concerns for the closure of the SDSU dairy unit.

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“In more recent times this growth of the dairy industry in South Dakota has led to more modern dairy farms, not reducing the need for research and innovation, but perhaps changing the location or process of how the research is accomplished,” the statement said. “The South Dakota dairy community also has a long history of working together. We look forward to engaging with the SDSU Dairy Science Department and University leadership on a path forward which not only maintains the strengths of the department but expands opportunities for students and the department going forward.” “We recognize the importance of the South Dakota dairy industry to the state of South Dakota. We know this is one of the fastest growing dairy industries in the nation, and we are committed to supporting that future success,” Cassady said. “While change is always difficult, we are confident that we can come up with an alternative model that will prove successful in achieving that goal.” Following the announcement, Cassady hosted an open question and answer session for students in the Dairy Science Department, and dozens of students were in attendance.

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“It showed the support for the dairy unit and for the department in general, but it also just showed concern, and it showed that a lot of people are thinking about this and it would be advantageous, I think, for the possibility of a reconsideration of this decision, whether that is possible or not. I think is still up for interpretation, but there’s a group of us that are willing to try very hard to make that reconsideration happen,” said Jacob Schaefer, senior dairy production student at SDSU. Students are concerned that there will be a decrease of enrollment in the department once the dairy closes. “When I first came here, having the dairy was a big thing because I anticipated working there. Of course I only stayed there for one semester, but I still think now coming future SDSU students, it might be a deciding factor for them now that we don’t have the farm. It might deter them from coming here because they don’t get that experience on a farm at SDSU,” Skiff said. “I personally think that there aren’t going to be as many dairy production students because without a farm, you’re not going to be able to go someplace and learn,” Maus said. Many people want their voices heard in this decision. “There’s been a lot of messages flying around between the student body, even people that have just taken

one or two classes in the department have stepped up and said, you know, ‘I want to speak on this, I am a firm believer that this is wrong or this is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly’ and any of those kinds of things,” Schaefer said. Schaefer has been collecting testimonies to send to members of the state Legislature to try to make this reconsideration a possibility. “I have talked to a lot of different people, from alumni, to current students, to farm employees, that just truly don’t understand how this is happening or how this got out of hand where it feels like we are out of control even though there is still so much support for this, so that’s why we are trying to kind of gather up information and reassess where the next steps should lie,” Schaefer said. Their goal is to bring this situation to the spotlight and save the dairy. “Obviously, there’s been a lot of buzz on social media, but we want our voices to be heard. It is absolutely great to have alumni talking and to have people that aren’t even related to dairy or aren’t even related to South Dakota agriculture talking about this, and we think that that helps put us in a better position to be able to keep the farm open in some capacity and be able to keep providing the education that we are providing to our students,” Schaefer said. ⊳

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Selling products that provide solutions in the ag industry By Kennedy Tesch Agweek SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Over 320 exhibitors showcasing the latest agricultural technology and services gathered at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls Jan. 24-26. The Sioux Falls Farm Show attracts over 25,000 producers from South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota to learn about products that can provide solutions for them on the farm. John Smith, an entrepreneur from Orlando, Florida, made his first appearance at the event. Smith has developed a lightweight, paintable, do-ityourself alternative to drywall called “ViteWall.” He appeared on the popular television series S m ith “Shark Tank” with his product called “Storm Stoppers,” which are do-it-yourself hurricane window protection panels. Since hurricane season only lasts a few months out of the year and only poses a threat to a certain percentage of the population,

Smith decided to use his skills to tackle another issue he sees with no market being met — drywall. Drywall is heavy, takes at least two days to install and can be difficult to handle. It is also expensive to buy drywall installation tools, many of which will only be used once. ViteWall offers users a lighter material making it easier for those who cannot lift heavy drywall and a quicker two hour dry time. The product comes in a kit that ships right to your door and includes installation parts, cutting tools and a safety kit. Unlike drywall, ViteWall features a white foil radiant barrier on both sides. This blocks 95% of heat or cold from entering a room. Although he has just begun marketing his product to the agricultural industry, Smith sees an opportunity to provide a solution for farming and rural communities. “More and more farmers are doing things themselves, so it has to be easy. It also has to be fast,” Smith said. “They need a product that does kind of double duty. This stuff saves energy and goes up quickly. Farmers are the

backbone of the country and the more farmers do themselves, the lower things cost.” Another business appearing at many farm shows across the country is the “SnirtStopper.” The SnirtStopper is an easy to install garage door seal that keeps out rain, snow, dirt, leaves, rodents, insects and helps prevent garage door freeze-down while saving energy by sealing out the cold. “A lot of times people, especially in the ag industry, will invest money in their garages or their shops,” Jeff Backer, customer care manager S m ith at SnirtStopper said. “They put a lot of insulation on the top, insulation on the walls, nice doors, walk in doors and nice windows, but then they let the elements in through the doors. So we have products that will seal up the door as tight as a whistle.” SnirtStopper is a part of a family-owned company in Browns Valley, Minnesota. No strangers to selling their product to farmers,

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SnirtStopper has been on the market for the last 15 years. “You have to be able to share with that consumer that you can solve a problem. Let’s face it, a lot of people have more than one challenge that is going on so you really have to show how you can help them save money and at the same time, make a product that solves a particular problem that they want to solve. It’s really about getting direct access to the customer,” Backer said. Backer mentioned that while they attend farm and vendor shows, a good digital marketing strategy has been key in getting their product out to consumers in today’s internet age. “People may still go and shop someplace, but more people are getting their information online before they do anything and I think that’s one of the reasons that we’ve been successful, not just because of our digital marketing, but because we have fun with it,” he said. The SnirtStopper has used popular agricultural influencers to advertise their product to the ag community including the Millennial Farmer and Larson Farms. But at the end of the day, Backer says that their marketing strategy is quite simple — engaging with and building consumer trust. “It’s the same strategy as our ancestors. It’s getting a person’s attention — sometimes it takes seven times to get someone’s attention before they decide to trust you,” he said. ⊳

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2024 crop price outlook hinging on competition Biofuels industry could be key to shoring up domestic demand, prices By Erik Kaufman M i t ch el l R ep u b l i c SIOUX FALLS — Todd Hultman said if there’s one thing predictable about crop price markets, it’s that they’re unpredictable. “Markets are human. Markets are uncertain. We get surprised when things happen we don’t expect and there are things that aren’t predictable,” Hultman told the audience Thursday, Jan. 25, at a 2024 crop price outlook seminar at the Sioux Falls Farm Show. Every year brings a new set of circumstances that drive the price of corn and soybeans up or down, and this year is no different. Hultman, a grain analyst with DTN, said price outlooks for 2024 will revolve around developments such as increased competition from Brazil, war destabilizing the Middle East, potential drought in Panama and waning demand from China for soybeans. Some factors make the early 2024 markets look bearish, Hultman said.

When it comes to Brazil, the country has continued to increase its production of corn and soybeans. Their products, grown on a southern hemisphere timeline, are becoming serious competition for the United States, taking a bite out of American exports. That includes decreased demand from China, a major consumer of agricultural products. Shipping challenges are also taking shape. The conflict going on between Israel and Palestine is drawing involvement from Iran, affecting shipping lanes in the Red Sea. A drought in Panama is also reducing the capacity of its famed canal, with work shifts at the site down to 24 from 38 due to falling water levels. The situations in Panama and the Red Sea only compound the problems created by the war between Ukraine and Russia, Hultman said. “Our trade routes are getting choked up,” Hultman.

Russia has also put a massive effort into increasing wheat production, primarily to use as political leverage in smaller countries around the world. Offering some of the world’s cheapest wheat, Russia can use that perceived generosity as a bargaining chip, bolstering a positive image and earning votes from those countries at entities like the United Nations. Those factors are expected to cut into grain profitability for United States farmers, but there are upsides. The world is finally recovering fully from the global COVID-19 pandemic, and with oil and gas production returning to pre-pandemic levels, gas and diesel prices have gone down, lowering input costs on the farm. “The good news is that just last October we finally returned our domestic oil production back above the pre-COVID peak. It was 13 million barrels per day, and then came a sharp drop-off,” Hultman said. “Since October it’s roughly 13.2 million barrels to 13.3 million

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barrels per day, and that helps prices significantly. That’s why gas and diesel prices came down, and it’s easing our inflation problems.” Hutlman also noted that other input costs, such as fertilizer, have gone down since last year. Since market fluctuations can come from any number of factors, it can be hard to speculate on commodity prices. But in general, Hultman is seeing a range of $4.25 to $5.50 per bushel of corn as 2024 progresses and a range of roughly $12 to $14 per bushel of soybeans. When it comes to longer-term outlooks, Hultman said the blossoming ethanol and biodiesel industries may be the best avenue to increasing domestic demand for both corn and soybeans. Both industries have taken root and are growing in the United States, and that in turn can increase home demand for those projects and help negate the waning interest from markets like China. Hultman noted that over the past 34 years, when compiling data on costs, corn had 13 profitable years for farmers, 10 of which had been since the ethanol industry started to come into its own in 2007-08. Soybeans saw a similar pattern since the arrival of ethanol on the scene. “That’s just how important the biofuel market has been to profitability for United States agriculture,” Hultman said. “WIth soybeans, we see a similar influence. It’s not just good for corn, but also for soybeans when corn is more profitable.” Ethanol production has been a relatively small portion of the fuel industry, but that small portion has already meant big returns, Hultman said.

E rik K auf m an / M itc h el l R ep ubl ic

T o d d H u l t m a n , a gr a i n a n a l ysi st wi t h D T N , sa i d se ve r a l f a ct o r s wi l l p l a y i n t o cr o p p r i ce s f o r 2 0 2 4 , i n cl u d i n g i n cr ea se d p r o d u ct i o n f r o m B r a zi l a n d d ecr ea se d d em a n d f r o m C h i n a . H u l t m a n p r ese n t ed o n t h e t o p i c a t t h e S i o u x F a l l s F a r m S h o w l a st week. “Just think – the thing that surprises me when talking about ethanol in 2007, there was only a 10% share in the gasoline market. It’s not like we disrupted the world in a major way. It was a sliver into a big energy market and look how much impact it had on profitability,” Hultman said. “That’s a very positive influence from what I would say was a very modest change.” Now biodiesel production, and its increased demand in large markets like California, and soybean crush plants, like the one planned near Mitchell, are providing a value boost for corn and soybeans. “The crush has provided phenomenal returns for soybeans the last two years since the renewable diesel market got going in 2021

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and 2022. Now in 2023, processors have had the best crop they’ve ever had. It’s been a great thing for them,” Hultman said. “For our ag markets right now, it’s working very well and offering very good demand for soybeans at a time when we would otherwise be hurt by Brazil’s big crop.” Following the meeting, Hultman repeated to the Mitchell Republic that the potential the biofuels industry has to positively affect the United States grain market is huge. “(The impact potential) is huge,” Hultman said. “Anytime you can get the world to come to you and offer more markets and more opportunities for you to sell your grain, that’s good news. And that’s what we’re seeing in the Midwest.” ⊳

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Producers should do their research before signing with a carbon offset program By Kennedy Tesch Agwee

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While carbon offset programs can provide an additional profit, producers may want to ta e a closer loo at the terms before signing an agreement.

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WATERTOWN, S.D. — With a consumer push for companies to focus on better environmental practices, firms are looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions. Many of these firms have turned to the agricultural industry to purchase carbon, which they can then sell to another firm to use to offset their carbon neutrality and help market their products. While getting compensated to continue or introduce farming practices that help store carbon in the soil can sound appealing to those wanting to make an extra dollar, producers may want to be cautious before signing a carbon offset agreement. Anthony Bly, South Dakota State University Extension soils field specialist, aimed to bring awareness about these carbon offset programs at the Watertown Crops Expo on Jan. 11 at the Codington County Extension Complex. Bl y “It was all unbiased education about the reality of this situation, so it’s not my opinion,” said Bly. “It’s analyzing the big picture and then relating it to soil health. I feel like most ag producers aren’t aware of this situation enough and they 2023aware.” HIGHLAND need to become SIGNATURE By comparing conventional farms with farms that focus684W on more intensive conservation 28X68 #4472 practices, Bly showed how using tools such as cover crops, limiting tillage, crop rotations and integrating livestock can increase soil health and nutrient cycling. With less inputs being used, less carbon is then emitted and can be stored in the ground instead. Although these conservation practices may

not show an immediate return, implementing these strategies will aid in providing longterm benefit. For some ways producers can incorporate cover crops into their existing rotation, Bly recommends including cereal rye flown into mature corn, planting a cover crop after silage harvest and using a cover crop after cereal grains such as wheat, oats, barley and rye. Bly’s research also showed how conventional farms do not have any extra carbon to offset, as they’re still putting carbon into the atmosphere through their farming practices and additional inputs. Conservation focused farms are building good soil health, but they might not have any extra carbon to sell. According to the data, a positive number of carbon being emitted in the atmosphere is still produced when comparing the amount of carbon used with the amount stored in the soil. With the rising question of whether in the future farms will be required to be carbon neutral through the payment of taxes on purchases of inputs and equipment, producers may want to consider keeping their carbon and applying it to their own neutrality. “I speak to farmers quite frequently about these issues,” said Bly. “Carbon they can store in the soil with good practices is way more important to them than taking a few dollars for it.” Bly emphasized that while he cannot tell anyone to not sign something they are pleased with, he does urge producers to make sure they know what they are signing up for as these programs do not always provide sufficient payment and may require them to share private information about their operations.

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“Find somebody to read that contract that you will be asked to sign,” said Bly. “I’m not saying that going into an agreement is a bad thing. I’m saying be aware of some education on this issue. Read the fine print and understand what you’re signing and what you’re obligating your operation to do.” ⊳

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South Dakota bison ranch is Audubon Certified bird-friendly By Noah Fish Agweek By Noah Fish Agweek

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Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, which is owned by wildlife biologist Dan O’Brien and his family, has achieved bird-friendly habitat certification through Audubon’s Conservation Ranching program. The ranch is home to Wild Idea Buffalo Company, which will become the inaugural brand to feature the new

SOUTH DAKOTA HABITAT Habitat is crucial to the things we enjoy about our state. Through a variety of programs and partnerships, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks is constantly working to preserve and improve quality habitat.

bison version of the Audubon Certified bird-friendly seal, a package label that lets consumers know products originated on lands managed for birds and biodiversity. The National Audubon Society’s flagship grassland habitat initiative, Audubon Conservation Ranching, is a collaborative effort between ranchers

BIRD FRIENDLY: Page 18

GAME, FISH AND PARKS PRIVATE LANDS PROGRAMS South Dakota Game Fish and Parks (GFP) has a variety of habitat programs that can help farmers and ranchers. These programs help enhance wildlife habitat and assist landowners’ management goals. GFP programs include woody habitat plantings, grassland and wetland restoration, and pasture and grassland infrastructure to promote rotational grazing. To participate, call Alex Elias, Private Lands Habitat Biologist, 605.350.1725.

SECOND CENTURY HABITAT FUND Second Century Habitat Fund provides working lands habitat as an alternative to cropping marginal land. The focus of this program is to provide wildlife habitat on acres that are not as productive and give producers another option on those acres. The Second Century Habitat fund provides the seed and one-time payment for either a 5- or 10-year contract. Producers are allowed to hay or graze acres enrolled. For more information, visit sdhabitatfund.org.

FEBRUARY 2024 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 17

BIRD FRIENDLY F ro m

different bird species,” Grewing said.

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and the bird conservation nonprofit to address the decline of grassland bird populations. Grassland bird populations have declined over 50% since 1970, and last year’s State of the Birds report found two-thirds of grassland birds had experienced significant declines to the point of several being at risk of extinction. In the eastern Great Plains, the population loss was particularly bad, according to the report.

Audubon certified

Over 100 ranches, encompassing nearly 3 million acres, have earned Audubon Certified status in the country, according to the nonprofit. Thirteen ranches and about 140,000 acres of that are in South Dakota. The program is voluntary and the certification process comes at no cost to producers. To become certified, a ranch must meet a set of habitat management protocols which are developed specifically for each region. The ranch must also meet program protocols related to forage and feeding, animal health and welfare and environmental sustainability. Feedlots are not allowed, and hormones and antibiotics are prohibited. The full set of ACR program standards is available at https:// www.audubon.org/our-work/prairies-andforests/ranching.

Anthony Hauck is communications manager for Audubon Conservation Ranching, which he said is all about improving grassland habitat. “One way we can improve habitat is actually through conservation grazing,” Hauck said. Cody Grewing, a Rangeland Ecologist for Audubon Great Plains, said the grazing done at O’Brien’s ranch has had a “birdy significance.” “The patchwork landscape created by Dan O’Brien’s grazing management is precisely what grassland birds thrive in, a mosaic of habitat that’s ideal for a broad spectrum of

Once a ranch is certified as “bird-friendly,” beef and bison products and promotional materials can carry the Audubon Certified Bird Friendly seal, letting consumers know the product originated on lands managed for birds and biodiversity. The consumer aspect is what Hauck said is still just “scratching at the surface” when it comes to the program having an impact on the environment. “Consumers demand more from their food, and I think that’s what gives us hope that demand continues to increase, and consumers are looking for certifications, they’re looking for verification that their food was produced in an environmentally responsible, and sustainable way,” Hauck said. “ The Audubon Certified bird-friendly seal has been around for around six years, making it older than other regenerative certification seals such as Certified Regenerative by A Greener World and Land to Market. Regenerative Organic Certification was established around the same time as the Audubon seal. “Like most sectors, they get competitive, and there’s many entities doing good things,” Hauck said of the different regenerative ag certifications. “Many landowners have multiple certifications, which I think is a good thing for consumers.” What separates the Audubon seal from the others?

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“We really focus on the bird friendly management, I think that’s our calling card,” Hauck said. “That’s a large reason why producers are coming to us, these people, they love birds. That’s the case for O’Brien. He spent seven years working for the Peregrine Fund, helping restore the onetime endangered species across the Rocky Mountains. Now they thrive at Cheyenne River Buffalo Ranch, the 36,000-acre ranch he purchased in 1997 where he introduced bison as a means of revitalizing the grassland

landscape. O’Brien has also restored previously altered lands with native grasses, converting them back to a more natural state. “Birds are the real reason I started all this,” O’Brien said. “I simply longed to share open spaces with them. But I quickly realized they are in trouble due to widespread habitat loss and degradation. Bringing bison back has been my way to save the planet, help renew the prairie, and improve cover for birds. The link between bison and birds has and always will be a full circle.” ⊳

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Dan O’Brien at the ranch home to Wild Idea Buffalo Co., which has achieved bird-friendly habitat certification through Audubon’s Conservation Ranching program.

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