Supporting South Dakota’s family farmers and ranchers is the reason many South Dakota producers gathered together in Huron to set policy and learn from agriculture experts during South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) 109th State Convention held Dec. 11 and 12, 2024.
As a child, Barry Bishop asked his dad, Joel Allen, what created the earthen depression on a hillside.
“Dad told me that those were ‘buffalo wallows’ from times past. Interesting thing is, our bison use those same wallows today,” explained Barry, a fourth generation Perkins County rancher.
Barry shared this story from his kitchen table. His wife, Nancy, and two of their four grown children, Adam and John, joined in the conversation. This home has been added on to and updated extensively over the years. It was built in the early 1900s, as Barry’s great-grandpa Joel Hall’s original claim shack. That claim shack is now the family’s dining room. None of the Bishop children remember a time before bison roamed the family’s land.
“After all these years, I never get tired of looking at them,” said John, the youngest of the Bishop siblings.
Their journey toward change began when tragedy struck in the spring of 1998. Barry’s dad developed a life-changing medical condition, landing him in the hospital for over a year, and he was not able to do any outside
“After all these years, I never get tired of looking at them.” – John Bishop
Bishop Family
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work for another two years. Though he ended up handicapped for the rest of his life, he still helped as much as he possibly could, despite his restrictions.
However, a few months into his hospital stay, he told Barry, “even if I survive and get back on my feet again, you are in charge now.” Although Barry was overwhelmed with the heaviness of the whole situation, he knew he had Nancy’s support and was determined to keep the four-generation ranch going hopefully onto the fifth and beyond.
Previously, when their herd was all comprised of cattle, the winter of 1996-97 was very severe. Their two homesteads being separated by a few miles of highway and a few of gravel, made it difficult for Barry to always
get over to his dad’s, where the cattle were, in order to help with chores. One of the many blizzards that descended upon the countryside left the highway completely blocked for three days straight. Thankfully, Joel Allen, Barry’s dad, was right there and could always get them fed.
“I knew if another winter swept in like ’9697, it wasn’t an option for me to be stuck at my place, unable to get to the cattle for a period of time, as Dad’s handicap kept him from being able to feed anymore. I had always wanted to try bison. So, we started researching and found out how self-sufficient they are through storms. You can pre-feed them if you know bad weather is coming, and they will do just fine, eating snow for water, as well. During
“I never wanted to do anything else. I like ranch life.”
the Atlas blizzard, they just laid down in the pasture and waited out the storm,” Barry said.
And if a spring storm interrupts calving season, which the bison handle on their own, they will stop calving.
“Two years ago, we had a blizzard the first weekend of calving season. That weekend
there were no calves on the ground. The expectant mothers waited until after the blizzard was over to give birth,” Barry said. “The next weekend, another storm came…the same thing happened.”
This ranch is a family-run business
Although the Bishop family sees a lot of benefits to raising bison, the transition from cattle ranching to bison was not without its challenges.
To name a few, the transition is a big commitment, starting with building up the fences and corrals and acquiring special working facilities.
Then there’s the learning curve of how to round them up or move them. “We were told that when you switch from cattle to bison, you have to somewhat wipe out what you’ve learned about handling cattle, or there will be a lot of frustration – so true,” Nancy said.
If the family needs to move their bison from one pasture to the next, they use the feed supplement pellets referred to as “cake” to motivate them.
“We cake trained them,” Adam said. “About a week before we plan to bring them in, late in the falll, we cake them every day, dropping the cake closer and closer, finally feeding it in the corrals. They love it and start moving right when they hear the cake pickup coming.”
“We were told that when you switch from cattle to bison, you have to somewhat wipe out what you’ve learned about handling cattle, or there will be a lot of frustration – so true.”
– Nancy Bishop
In 2018, they attended a weeklong Grassfed Exchange conference as a family. And the information they learned got them thinking about transferring their land management focus from crops to raising forages and improving their grassland.
Shortly after, it was their local Natural Resources Conservation Service representative who helped them every step of the way to incorporate the many practices they were learning more about. Changes included wells, water pipeline, cross-fencing, as well as planting many quarters of cropland back to native grasses and forages.
At the time, their three sons were working
on the ranch, so they all discussed the question that was posed to them, “what do you want to see your place look like in five years?”
Everyone was on board for the new venture. The family ranch then proceeded to expand from eight pastures to 31 in the next four years. And as a result of their grassland management plan, the Bishop family moves their bison frequently.
Transitioning away from farming to grassland and forages is not the first time Barry and Nancy involved their sons in the business side of the ranch.
Nancy homeschooled all four of their children, Joel, Adam, Anna and John. When each one took accounting class in high school, Nancy, who has a degree in business administration and accounting, had them learn Quickbooks by inputting all of the ranch corporation’s and their personal financial activities into the Quickbooks program for six months.
“I knew it was a smart thing to do because no matter what I decide to do in life, I need to be able to take care of my own money,” Adam said.
Barry has always been involved in ranch work. “I never wanted to do anything else. I like ranch life.” n Collaboratively written by SDFU & The Bishop Family
Upon graduating from college, Eli Little faced a serious question about his future. Could his family’s ranch generate enough income to sustain another partner?
The answer was right under his boots.
Eli and his father, Barry, focused on improving their soil’s health on every acre of cropland and pasture at Blioux River Ranch in Hamlin County. Their renewed emphasis on conservation could reduce their input costs
while maintaining, if not increasing, their yields and productivity.
Barry began practicing minimum tillage on his 1,850 acres of small grains, corn and soybeans in the 1990s. There were also 500 acres next to the Big Sioux River that had been poorly managed for decades. To prevent erosion and improve water quality, he enrolled it into the federal Conservation Reserve Program.
Integration of livestock on the land is one of the principles of soil health. However, the Littles had not considered their beef cattle as part of their conservation equation until their first attempt at rotational grazing in 2008. They listened to grazing gurus and combined multiple herds of cow/calf pairs into one single grazing group. After years of trial and error, their grazing efficiency found its groove. Beef production moved from a sidelight at Blioux River Ranch to a profitable enterprise.
From May to October, their 200 cow/calf pairs are moved almost daily to a new paddock ranging in size from 2 to 20 acres. This system has multiple environmental and economic benefits.
The Littles noticed the amount of land they need to annually feed a cow/calf pair dropped from 4-5 acres, to less than 2. That pencils out to quite a difference when local pastures rent for $55 per acre.
Rotational grazing allows pastures to flourish without the need for synthetic fertilizer or pesticides. Following the fall harvest, cattle are moved through cropland to graze on cover crops or crop residue, which further reduces feed costs while improving yields.
Madelyn Caulfield of Bradley was recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) for her agriculture advocacy efforts with the Social Media Rock Star award. Caulfield received this award while competing in the SDFU Farming for the Future agriculture advocacy scholarship contest.
“This was different from any other scholarship I have applied for,” said South Dakota State University freshman. “It was a great way to advocate for agriculture and earn money to help pay for college.”
The Farming for the Future agriculture advocacy scholarship competition is a seven-week competition where students, high school and above, have the opportunity to earn points and scholarship dollars by creating social media posts on a variety of agriculture topics. Scholarship winners were recognized during South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention held in Huron Dec. 11 and 12.
A total of $15,000 in scholarship dollars were awarded to students.
More about Madelyn Caulfield
Growing up on her family’s farm, Caulfield enjoys helping with her family’s cow/calf herd and showing cattle together with her sisters. “I like to say we have a Skittles cattle, because my sisters and I each show a different breed so that we don’t end up competing in the showring.”
Caulfield’s breed of choice is Shorthorn.
Passionate about her family’s farm and agriculture as a whole, when she learned about the opportunity to advocate for agriculture and earn cash for college, Caulfield jumped right in.
“Agriculture makes our world run,” Caulfield said. “I feel like not enough people realize that. When you get up in the morning, when you eat breakfast, when you fuel up your car – so much of what we depend upon comes from agriculture. Social media is a great way to get that message out there.”
New to creating social media posts, Caulfield said she learned a lot about how to advocate as she created her weekly Farming for the Future contest post.
“I learned a lot about how to clear up consumer misconceptions through advocacy,” Caulfield said.
Caulfield is currently a freshman at South Dakota State University pursuing animal science and political science degrees.
To learn more about Caulfield and how South Dakota Farmers Union works to support the next generation, visit www.sdfu.org n By Lura Roti
Family farmers and ranchers and their rural communities face many unique challenges. And throughout the 2025 Legislative Session, South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) leadership and staff lobby on behalf of issues like property rights, funding for rural infrastructure and schools, right to repair farm equipment and more access to affordable childcare.
“As a grassroots organization, we lobby for the issues our members care about and vote into policy,” explained Doug Sombke, president of SDFU and a fourth generation Brown County crop and cattle producer.
On March 5 at 10 a.m. all family farmers and ranchers are invited to the Capitol Rotunda in Pierre to join the effort by sharing their stories inperson with legislators to explain the reason these issues are important to the families who work in South Dakota’s No. 1 industry of agriculture.
“We have proved over the years that when we show up in mass, our legislators listen,” Sombke said. “We still have work to do on securing property rights, but we are in a better place today than we were a year ago and this is because family farmers and ranchers showed up and spoke up.”
March 5 is Farmers Union Day at the South Dakota Legislature
“When family farmers and ranchers show up, it makes a difference,” explained Oren Lesmeister, a Parade rancher, small business owner and a former legislator who served from 2017 to 2024.
During the years he served, Lesmeister was one of less than a dozen legislators who earned a living as an agriculture producer. Today, there are even less legislators who work as farmers or ranchers. “This year it is especially important to have a good turnout because we have had a large turnover in the House and Senate. We need to make sure these new members hear our voice, hear our concerns.”
SDFU Lobbyist Mitch Richter agreed with Lesmeister. “I am here every day talking with legislators on behalf of Farmers Union members. When members show up and share their personal stories about how the issues I talk about impact their lives and livelihoods it makes a difference.”
For more information, visit www.sdfu.org
Family farmers and ranchers will have an opportunity to visit with
Winners of the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Farming for the Future Scholarship contest were announced during the organization’s 109th State Convention held in Huron, Dec. 11 and 12.
Winners are: Hailey Kizer, from Howard placed first receiving $3,000; Karlie Stiefvater, from Salem placed second receiving $2,000; Madi Raymond, from Ethan placed third receiving $1,500; Aeriel Eitreim, from Sioux Falls placed fourth receiving $1,000; and Madelyn Caulfield, from Bradley placed fifth receiving $500.
Students’ placings reflect points earned each week by creating social media posts focused on agriculture. Weekly winners also received scholarship dollars.
South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation awarded a total of $15,000 in scholarships to student agriculture advocates.
“This scholarship contest gave Farmers Union another opportunity to focus on agriculture education,” explained Samantha Bowman, SDFU Education Program Specialist. “There’s a lot of misconceptions out there when it comes to agriculture, and these students took on the challenge to debunk the misconceptions and educate individuals about agriculture.”
While she worked to create engaging and informative posts each week, McCook Central
from Sioux Falls placed fourth receiving $1,000; Madi Raymond, from Ethan placed third receiving $1,500; Karlie Stiefvater, from Salem placed second receiving $2,000; and Madelyn Caulfield, from Bradley placed fifth receiving $500. The first place winner is Hailey Kizer (not pictured), from Howard receiving $3,000.
senior Karlie Stiefvater said she also learned a bit. “I learned a lot about Farmers Union as an organization and I learned how to create posts that people wanted to look at.”
Fall 2025 Stiefvater plans to attend South Dakota State University (SDSU) and pursue degrees in agronomy and agriculture science.
“I am super involved in my family’s farm and I’ve always loved the crop side of things. I hope to return to farm with my dad and sister after college.”
Unlike scholarships she has applied for in the past, SDSU sophomore Aeriel Eitreim said Farming for the Future was fun. “It was something different,” Eitreim said. “Most scholarships you have to write a bunch of essays and you wait to see if you get the scholarship or not. I liked the fact that this scholarship was a contest and I could earn money each week that I won.”
Eitreim grew up in Sioux Falls but spends quite a bit of time on her family’s farm.
“Because I grew up in the city but spent so much time on farms, from a young age I realized my friends at school did not know
much about where their food comes from or agriculture in general,” Eitreim explained. “This contest gave me an opportunity to educate my friends and others.”
Eitreim has been participating in Farmers Union youth and leadership camps since she was 8. And over the years, she served in several youth leadership capacities, most recently serving as on the Senior Advisory Council and as an SDFU intern.
Educating youth on agriculture has been a big part of Hailey Kizer’s freshman year at SDSU. Serving as the State FFA Reporter, in addition to her class load, the pre-veterinary major travels the state hosting classroom workshops along with the other officers she serves with.
“Agriculture is what I love. It has always been a part of my life and this is the reason I want to build my career in agriculture,” Kizer said. “I enjoyed this contest. For me, it was not just about earning scholarship dollars – which are important because vet school is
Apheasant hunting trip with his dad introduced Clay Schoen to South Dakota and its agricultural landscape.
“The incredible scale of the agricultural industry in South Dakota brings about a culture that is unlike anywhere else in the world. Immediately I knew that this is where I wanted to move to start a career and a family,” explained Schoen, who grew up in rural Ohio raising a flock of purebred Southdown sheep.
When South Dakota captured Schoen’s attention, he was a college freshman, pursuing an animal science degree at a small university in Ohio. So, it is no surprise that South Dakota State University topped his list when it came time to pursue a graduate degree with the ultimate goal of becoming a large animal veterinarian.
“My career goal is to attend vet school so that I can practice food animal medicine in rural South Dakota,” Schoen said. “If you don’t grow up on a farm or ranch, it is difficult to buy a place and make a living as a farmer or rancher. As a veterinarian, I can be a part of rural South Dakota’s agriculture by helping farmers and ranchers.”
While pursuing a master’s in animal science, Schoen coaches the SDSU Wool Judging Team and conducts research that focuses on evaluating new techniques to improve preweaning lamb survivability and performance.
“Working in this area of research has given me a better understanding of how to design research projects that are applicable to
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extremely expensive – but it was really about the opportunity to share about agriculture.”
Ethan senior Madi Raymond agreed. Actively involved in Farmers Union youth programming, in summer 2024 Raymond helped organize and facilitate a state leadership and youth camp along with other high school youth who serve as Junior Advisory Council members. It was through her involvement in Farmers Union that she first became interested in agriculture advocacy.
“I see how Farmers Union advocates for agriculture with policymakers and people from across the state and nation, and it is inspiring,” Raymond explained that she plans to attend
producers,” he said. “It also makes me think about how in my future career I can be part of ensuring there is a link between research and making the information gained through research something producers can use to make
more money on their operations.”
Schoen’s desire to provide agriculture producers with research-based information, inspired him to start his own LLC. “My goal is to do sheep-based research and apply it to new technologies to help sheep producers become more efficient.”
Currently, Schoen is waiting to hear if he is accepted to veterinary school. Whether or not vet school is in his future, he said working to support South Dakota agriculture producers remains his focus.
“Overall, my goal is to help South Dakota farmers. If I am not able to do this as a veterinarian, I know there will be other opportunities,” he said.
Schoen said he appreciates South Dakota Farmers Union’s support. He is the recipient of South Dakota Farmers Union $2,500 Graduate Scholarship. As South Dakota’s largest agriculture organization, the graduate scholarship is designed to support students focused on advancing the future of agriculture in South Dakota, explained Karla Hofhenke, executive director of South Dakota Farmers Union.
“A successful ag industry depends on individuals with innovative ideas and the ability to help increase efficiencies through research and technology,” Hofhenke said. “This scholarship is among the many ways our organization works to support family farmers and ranchers.” n
By Lura Roti
SDSU and pursue degrees in agriculture communications and political science. “Farmers Union introduced me to agriculture advocacy, and I fell in love with it.”
SDSU freshman animal science and political science major Madelyn Caulfield said the Farming for the Future scholarship contest introduced her to agriculture advocacy. “Until this contest, I did not post to social media or create social media videos. When this contest started is when I got my Facebook account,” said Caulfield, who quickly figured out how to create engaging posts. Along with placing in the top five, Caulfield was named Social Media Rock Star for creating the best overall social
media post during the seven week contest.
“Agriculture makes our world run,” explained Caulfield, who raises show cattle with her sisters on their family farm. “I feel like not enough people realize that when you get dressed in the morning, when you eat your breakfast, when you start your car – it all starts with agriculture. Social media is a great way to help get the message out.”
To see the social media posts made by Caulfield, Eitreim, Stiefvater, Raymond and other student agriculture advocates, search “#farmingforthefuture #SouthDakota” on your favorite social media platform. n By Lura Roti
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“Farmers Union is a place where I know I have a voice,” explained Carleyn Petersen, an Eagle Butte rancher. “My husband and I are not able to be in D.C. or in Pierre, but we know Farmers Union is there, working to support policy to keep our family ranch going.”
That policy includes mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) and transparency in the cattle markets. “From the beginning Famers Union was a champion of MCOOL. This is the reason I became an active member,” explained David Reis, a Reliance rancher and SDFU board member for the Southwest District 4. “MCOOL is important because consumers need to know the difference between buying meat born, raised and harvested in the U.S. and foreign imports.”
Re-establishing MCOOL is important to all food products, explained Cheryl Schaefers during State Policy discussion. Schaefers is a Polo farmer who also owns a catering business. “More than meat needs MCOOL. As a caterer, I have noticed a change in labeling, where distribution, not source, is listed on labels. Customers want to know where their food comes from, as not all countries have the same food safety standards.”
SDFU is working with congressional leaders and the national organization to get MCOOL into the upcoming Farm Bill.
The current Farm Bill was established in 2018 and is outdated. The need to pass a Farm Bill was among the policy topics discussed during convention. “As we gather at convention this year, commodity markets are 25 percent down from last year. And unfortunately, leadership in D.C. has drug their feet on a Farm Bill,” said Jeff Kippley, an Aberdeen farmer and Vice President of SDFU and National Farmers Union. “Looking ahead to 2025, there are more than 50 new House and Senate leaders to
educate on the importance of passing a Farm Bill.”
Kippley is among the National Farmers Union team who meets with D.C. policymakers, advocating for policy developed by family farmers and ranchers. “The reason we come together to discuss issues and establish policy, is out of problems, solutions are developed. We need to hear from family farmers and ranchers to understand needs and together, we will find solutions.”
Policy voted on by South Dakota producers during this State Convention will be taken to the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention March 2025 by elected delegates. The South Dakota producers elected to serve as delegates during NFU convention are: Tonner Bowman, Davison County; Jason Latham, Harding County; Sarah Perrion, Edmunds County; Rob Lee, Kingsbury County; John Kippley, Brown County; Gerri Eide, Potter County; Brenda Reis, Lyman County; Kaeloni Latham, Harding County; Mike Miller, Hutchinson County; Lance Perrion, Edmunds County; Rachel Kippley, Brown County; Terry Sestak, Clay/ Lincoln Counties; and Lorrie Hanson, Marshall County.
True to the grassroots nature of Farmers Union, all NFU delegates are farmers and ranchers.
“As a farmer, I enjoy discussing policy with farmers and ranchers because we represent all aspects of agriculture and come from all walks of life within agriculture,” explained David Cap, a Yankton County farmer and member of the State Policy Committee.
Policy Committee members help guide members through the policy meeting.
2024 is the first year Sarah Perrion has served on the Policy Committee. An Ipswich farmer, Perrion has served as a delegate to the state and national conventions. She said she enjoyed serving on the Policy Committee. “Serving on the Policy Committee was interesting. I enjoy hearing everyone else’s thoughts on issues,” Perrion said.
Among the issues discussed was a Special Order focused on the need for more access to childcare. It’s an issue most young families face.
“One of the challenges we have in rural South Dakota is finding daycare,” explained Rob Lee, a Kingsbury County farmer and father of
three young children. “It’s no secret to most people who have young children. I work both on and off the farm, my wife works off the farm, and having kids at home is a challenge to make sure we have daycare that is consistent, available and affordable.”
Rural youth were actively involved in convention. Several youth who serve in leadership roles as Junior Advisory Council members and National Youth Advisory Council members gave speeches focused on experiences and education they have gained in the areas of leadership, communication, cooperatives and teamwork while participating in SDFU Youth Leadership Camp.
During convention, Madi Raymond of Ethan and Cadence Konechne of Kimball were recognized with the Torchbearer Award, the organization’s highest youth award (read more about this year’s Torchbearers and other remarkable Farmers Union youth leaders on page 24). In addition to the Torchbearer Award, several scholarship recipients were recognized during convention. Learn about the more than $15,000 in scholarships on page 6.
During the Torchbearer ceremony, SDFU President Doug Sombke gave a challenge to Raymond, Konechne and the other youth present.
“Not just words – action. Not just speeches but truth in action,” Sombke said.
Sombke’s challenge was heard.
“I enjoyed seeing how policy discussion worked,” explained T.F. Riggs senior Liz Beth Crosby. “I have heard so much about policy during Farmers Union Leadership Camp that it was amazing to actually see it happen.”
Brooke LaMont, a Junior Advisory Council member from Meade County, took on a leadership role and was elected by her county organization to serve as a delegate during State Convention. “It is really cool to know that in Farmers Union, even though I am a young rancher, I have a voice and I get to be heard and part of the conversation.”
Through policy, all members have a voice, explained Oren Lesmeister, a Ziebach/Dewey County rancher and Northwest District 8 board member. “Policy is what drives our grassroots organization. It is the members’ voice that guides our board discussions. It is the policy our members put in place that our staff advocates for in Pierre and D.C.”
Sombke reiterated the challenge of actions over words to all members in his keynote address.
Farmers Union members were recognized for their actions of service to youth and South Dakota’s farm and ranch families: Minnie Lovinger Youth Education Award was awarded to Carol Oberbroekling, Charles Mix County. President’s Award for Excellence was awarded to Dallis Basel, Meade County; Craig Schaunaman, Brown County; and Ed Fischbach, Spink County.
H. Paul Dennert and Don Schaunaman (posthumously) were recognized as the 2024 Ag Ambassadors.
During convention, attendees also heard from several agriculture experts including State Veterinarian Beth Thompson; Vice President of Innovation for AgSpire Jared Knock; Meteorologist Eric Snodgrass; Market Analyst Matt Roberts; and National Farmers Union President Rob Larew.
“Each time I am in South Dakota, my understanding of the reach of the grassroots nature of South Dakota Farmers Union policy deepens,” said Larew, who traveled to Harding County this fall to meet with ranchers to discuss MCOOL and NFU efforts to hold meatpackers accountable. During convention, SDFU members also heard from a panel of experts as they discussed ideas for tax reform.
To learn more about these speakers, award recipients, SDFU policy and the work South Dakota Farmers Union does to support South Dakota family farmers and ranchers, visit www.sdfu.org n By Lura Roti
Farmers Union will cover registration fees for the first 40 members who sign up. For free registration, contact Samantha Olerud at solerud@sdfu.org on or before February 1
By Mitch Richter
SDFU lobbyist Mitch Richter is in Pierre each day of Legislative Session 2025 to keep an eye on issues and ensure SDFU policy is represented. Keep up with bills this session with the SDFU Bill Tracker. Scan QR code and scroll to the bottom of the page or visit www.sdfu.org
The 2025 South Dakota Legislature is underway. Let me share a few issues that are the focus of bills and discussion. All information is current as of Jan. 15.
Right to Repair: SDFU is backing a bill that would support individuals’ right to repair their own farm or ranch machinery.
Property Taxes: There is one bill working its way through the House and more on the way. The current bill HB1019 looks to give tax relief of about 35 percent to owner-occupied homeowners and make up the difference by increasing sales tax from current 4.2 percent to 5 percent.
SDFU does not support this bill because of the negative impact it will have on farmers and ranchers due to the increase in sales tax - 0.8
percent increase adds up quickly when purchasing equipment.
Pipeline and landowner rights: There are several bills underway that respond to the referral of Senate Bill 201. SB201 was passed by the Legislature in 2024, but it was voted down by South Dakotans during the November election.
Some of the bills will more than likely say you cannot use eminent domain for personal gain or pipelines. SDFU policy takes a strong property rights stance. We will keep a close eye on upcoming bills.
Education funding: The governor proposes a 1.25 percent increase to education. However, South Dakota law states that each year education funding needs to increase by the consumer price index/ inflation or 3 percent whichever is less. The current rate of inflation is approximately 3 percent. The governor’s proposal does not align with state law.
The governor is also proposing a $4 million voucher program that would provide $3,000 to families earning less than 150 percent of poverty (about $40,000 household income) to help pay for private school tuition or homeschooling.
The $4 million will come out of funding that would otherwise go to education.
Cut funding to South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB): The governor also proposes a significant cut to SDPB funding. This cut would do away with local programming, including coverage of all high school activities: high school rodeo finals, state basketball, all state choir, all state band etc. SDPB also broadcasts the Legislative Session. n
At 23, Adam Wollschlager works three part-time jobs. The Lake Area Technical College graduate helps out on his family’s diversified crop and cattle farm near Revillo. He works for area farmers helping them with planting and harvest. He also works part time as an applicator and truck driver for LaBolt Farmers Grain.
As he juggles this complicated work schedule, Wollschlager keeps his end goal in mind – working full time on his family’s farm.
“I grew up farming next to my grandpa, Ed, and dad, Mark. The only thing I have ever known is how to farm. And I have always wanted to go back and farm full time. So, I work all these jobs so that I can stay on my family’s farm and not have to move to a larger town where I have one job but not the one job I love,” Wollschlager explained.
His parents understand his goal and they are starting to discuss what the transition plan looks like. But they have a lot of questions.
“We are in the process of Dad starting to turn over a bit of the farm to me. But there
are a lot of things for us to try and figure out,” Wollschlager said.
Tools for the next generation of family farmers and ranchers
Wollschlager is not alone, explained Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director for South Dakota Farmers Union.
“Most young farmers and ranchers who return home to work on their family farm or ranch after college know they want to build their career on the farm or ranch, but transitioning from one generation to the next is quite complex, so many do not have a plan in place,” said Hofhenke, explaining this is the reason transition planning was a focus during the recent Farmers Union Young Producers Conference held in Fargo, North Dakota, in early January.
Wollschlager attended the conference with his girlfriend, Elizabeth DeBoer. A recent graduate of South Dakota State University, DeBoer also grew up on a family farm and like Wollschlager, she has plans to build her career in production agriculture.
Elizabeth DeBoer and Adam Wollschlager
“I didn’t always plan to work in agriculture, but after starting college with a degree in music, I realized that I missed the team environment found in agriculture,” DeBoer said. “Those of us who farm or ranch grow up helping our friends and neighbors. I didn’t find this attitude in the other career field, and I really missed it.”
DeBoer changed her degree focus from music to horticulture. She plans to one day operate a vegetable and cut flower business from a family farm.
“Adam and I talk about one day working together on his family’s farm,” DeBoer said.
She appreciated the opportunity Farmers Union provided to them to spend a weekend at a conference with other young producers focused on how to make family farms and ranches sustainable. The event was sponsored by Farmers Union at no cost to Farmers Union members.
“This was our first Farmers Union event, and we were impressed that this organization promotes education to young producers. Because as young producers we do need support and tools in the toolbox if we are going to be the next generation of family farmers and ranchers,” DeBoer said.
In addition to transition planning, DeBoer, Wollschlager and the other young producers also attended a workshop to better understand their communications style and ways to better relate to other communication styles; received a Farm Bill update from National Farmers Union staff and had an opportunity to hear from Presidents of Farmers Union organizations in South Dakota, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Participants also toured Grand Farm, an initiative to help develop solutions to pressing agriculture production challenges.
To learn more about how South Dakota Farmers Union works to support family farmers and ranchers of all ages, visit www.sdfu.org. To learn about upcoming young producer events, email info@sdfu.org. n By Lura Roti
South Dakota Farmers Union recognizes Paul Dennert and Don Schaunaman (posthumously) for their leadership and service to South Dakota agriculture. The state’s largest agriculture organization honors the Brown County farmers with the Ag Ambassador award during its 109th State Convention held in Huron, Dec. 11 and 12.
“South Dakota’s No. 1 industry benefited greatly from Paul and Don’s passion for agriculture and service to its people,” said Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. “We recognize them with this award because they serve as great examples to those of us in leadership positions today and those who will lead in the future.””
A fourth-generation Brown County farmer, H. Paul Dennert said he fell in love with livestock as a child growing up on his family’s farm.
“My dad bought me my first Angus heifer in 1956, and I raised a registered cow/calf herd until I sold it to my grandson in 2023,” explained Dennert, who feels fortunate to have been able to farm and live on the land his greatgrandfather, Herman Dennert, homesteaded in 1893.
“I can look out my kitchen window and see cattle and my great-grandchildren playing outside – there is no better place to raise children than on the farm,” said Dennert who together with his wife, Peggy June, have two children, Dana and Kelli McFarland. Today in their late 80s the couple has nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
A full-time farmer until 2023, Dennert said
it feels good to know the family’s farming legacy is in good hands. “It does my heart good to know they are interested, and the farm will remain in the family name going forward.”
Along with farming and raising children, Dennert also made time to give back. For more than 50 years he served as St John’s Lutheran Church treasurer and now as a board member at Our Saviors Lutheran Church. He volunteered as a Sunday School teacher and superintendent. He also served on the board of the Columbia Community Fire Association.
“Growing up taking part in our community, I learned to work with people, and I learned how rewarding it is to give back,” Dennert said. “My parents were involved and gave back and my wife’s parents did the same. So, for me, giving back just came natural.”
In 1992 Dennert was asked to run for the South Dakota House of Representatives. He committed 20 years to serving the citizens of District 2 first in the House and then the Senate (over the years he served rural Brown County and portions of Marshall and Day counties, as well as some of Aberdeen).
“As a farmer serving in the Legislature, I was able to bring the agriculture view to policy,” Dennert said.
He worked tirelessly to revise how agriculture land was valued for taxation purposes. “The value of ag land was increasing so fast in areas of South Dakota, like the Black Hills or land near other urban centers, because they were using the value of the land around it, instead of basing the tax value on its productivity. I worked with a committee for years to get ag land tax value to be based on a productivity model.”
In addition to his efforts to support positive change for the future of South Dakota agriculture, Dennert also focused on legislation to cover the costs for cochlear implants for South Dakota’s children with hearing loss.
“When I think of the legislation I am most proud of, of course changing the way agriculture land is valued stands out, but all together different than farming, was the bill I introduced that passed to help pay for cochlear implants.”
Dennert was 55 when he began serving in the Legislature. And he said he could not have done it without help from his son, Dana. “It was good timing because our son was of the age where he could handle the operation while
I was gone.”
Dennert also appreciated his wife, Peggy’s support. Peggy traveled to Pierre with Dennert during the Legislative Session.
While he served, his grandchildren often visited him and Peggy in Pierre. As teens several served as Legislative Pages. In 2016 his grandson, Drew, was elected to serve as District 3 Representative.
After Dennert served his last term in the South Dakota Legislature in 2012, he was asked to serve on the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Commission.
Today, he and his wife continue to be involved in Our Saviors Lutheran Church, they enjoy travel and spending time with their family.
Ask brothers and Brown County farmers Craig and Kirk Schaunaman what they want folks to know about their dad, Don Schaunaman, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 92, and without hesitation they say, “He was humble. He would not have liked all the attention an award like this brings,” Kirk said.
“He was always willing to help somebody,” Craig said. “And he always did the right thing.”
A third-generation Brown County farmer, Don Schaunaman grew up on his family’s farm near Westport, during the Depression. The middle child of 13, Don and eight of his 10 brothers would continue the farming legacy of their dad and grandpa.
Don’s farming career was built alongside his wife, Hazel, on her family’s farm just three miles from Aberdeen.
“You know, we are lucky, our parents were married for 70 years, they passed away a year apart,” Kirk said. “They were also really fortunate because they never buried a child or a grandchild.”
As a farmer, Don was a strong believer in the cooperative business model. He bought all the inputs he could from local cooperatives and served on the local Northern Electric Co-op board. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Henry.
“Dad was not a very talkative guy. But he didn’t need to say much because he really led by example,” explained Craig.
Don served on the school board for the Riverside Country School and was also an active
member of South Dakota Farmers Union. “Dad really felt that Farmers Union provided a rural voice for farmers like us,” Craig said. “Dad looked up to the leadership and believed that Farmers Union was there for rural agriculture in South Dakota.”
Both sons say their dad’s example led them to serve. From 2009 to 2017 Craig served as the State Director for the Farm Service Agency. And today, Kirk serves on the Rural Electric Co-op board of directors and on the Farmers Union Industries board of directors.
“Like we said, Dad believed in doing the right thing and always said, ‘do the right thing and do the best you can do,’” Kirk said. “And when you know something is wrong, do not be
honored the Brown County farmer with the Ag Ambassador award during its 109th State Convention held in Huron, Dec. 11 and 12.
Don’s family accepted the award in his honor: Craig Schaunaman, Gary Schaunaman, Lee Schaunaman, Greg and Kristie Erickson; Karly Schaunaman and Kirk Schaunaman, pictured here with SDFU President Doug Sombke.
afraid to stand up for what is right.”
Kirk and Craig said even though times were tough in the 1980s when they were ready to farm full time after high school, their dad made sure there was room for them on the family farm.
“Dad didn’t encourage us or discourage us to farm. But as long as we were willing to earn it, he told us that if we wanted to farm, he would make room for us,” Craig said.
“He wasn’t going to hand it to us. We had to get up and work for it,” Kirk said. “You want it, you earn it.”
The brothers both said farming was the career they wanted.
“My favorite memories with Dad are delivering grain to the West Terminal. In the ‘50s the co-op built a big, new cement terminal. It is still standing. I have a clear memory of driving the new truck Dad bought in 1973 to deliver wheat to the elevator. It was only three miles from the farm. I think I was 14.”
Don retired from farming in the 1990s when he was 65.
While Kirk and Craig built their career on the family farm, their older brother, Mark, made a career in ag banking in North Dakota and their sister, Kristie Erickson, farms with her husband near Bath, South Dakota. Both Mark and Kristie also followed Don’s leadership serving in leadership capacities in their communities.
“Dad was happy that we continued the farming tradition. You know for Dad, farming was always a family deal,” Kirk said. “Today, our nephew, Chad, farms with us full time and other family members filling in when needed.”
n By Lura Roti
National Farmers Union (NFU) proudly supports the lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the attorneys general of Minnesota and Illinois against John Deere & Co., alleging the company’s repair restrictions violate competition laws. NFU filed a formal complaint with the FTC and has long been at the forefront of the fight for farmers’ right to repair..
“NFU filed the formal complaint with the FTC to uphold farmers’ basic economic
right to repair their own equipment. Today’s lawsuits mark a key victory in this fight for family farmers and ranchers, recognizing that monopolies should not stop farmers from being able to repair their own equipment,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “When we prevail, farmers will have the power and freedom to fix their equipment faster and at a lower cost. We commend the FTC on this decisive step to safeguard farmers’ rights.”
For years, NFU has championed farmers’ rights to access the tools, information and
software necessary to repair their own machinery. John Deere’s repair policies block farmers from fixing their own equipment and force them to rely on a limited number of dealers. This has led to exorbitant costs and significant operational delays during critical planting and harvesting periods.
A 2023 study by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group found that U.S. farmers could save as much as $1.2 billion a year if manufacturers like John Deere stopped imposing repair restrictions. n
An agricultural economist told a group of farmers they’ll be well served to adapt to the cultural and policy changes that affect their industry – even the changes they don’t like.
Matthew Roberts is a former The Ohio State University professor and independent economist who speaks to farm groups across the U.S. on global trends.
Roberts told attendees of the South Dakota Farmers Union annual convention that plummeting global poverty over the past 40 years has meant better access to food for a wider swath of the world population. Roberts flashed slides showing that the number of people worldwide living on the equivalent of $1.90 a day or less has dropped by two-thirds since 1980. That’s meant more people are able to afford healthier food, and more people around the world are eating meat.
“It is simple, fundamental human nature that the wealthier people are, the better they eat,” Roberts said.
Farmers play a huge role in addressing that demand, he said, by exporting the grain needed to feed livestock and humans. Since 2000, he said, China’s soybean imports have grown enough to require 73 million more acres from U.S. producers. People in the U.S., China and a host of other countries that import agricultural goods from the U.S. are having fewer children, Roberts said, but he’s not concerned about a drop in demand for agricultural goods, because those children have more money and buy more expensive food.
That could mean changes in what’s grown or raised, but he expects demand to continue.
There again he pointed to China, which now consumes 90 million metric tons of meat each year. In 1990, that figure was 25 million metric tons.
Labor force worries
What does worry him is a smaller labor force. Fewer births mean fewer workers across every industry, and that will force every industry to adapt with technology, automation and outsourcing for certain positions.“The labor force decline is not a temporary thing, and there’s not any good evidence that there’s anything a government can do that really changes it,” Roberts said.
For farmers, he said, dealing with that will force them to pay even closer attention to profits and losses and yields, but also to learn
the soft skills necessary to manage employees and keep them happy enough to stick around. Complaining about younger generations being too soft or unwilling to work might feel good, he said, but won’t change younger workers’ expectations from their employers.
“Hard skills” like agronomy and accounting can be outsourced, but managing workers on site means learning kindness, positive intent and understanding.
“That’s soft, that’s squishy, but that’s the world we live in,” Roberts said. “Otherwise, you’re going to have to learn how to run your operations.”
He also encouraged attendees with family operations to lean on their children to handle the books and technology side of operations.
Embrace consumer demands, regulatory frameworks
Farmers might also scoff at changing consumer tastes. Some consumers in the U.S. want to know where their food comes from, and many are willing to pay a premium for that knowledge.
Roberts recalled picking up farm-to-table deliveries for a vacationing neighbor and noticing that they’d paid $12 for a dozen eggs. Some of the eggs still had manure on them.The
eggs in the carton were nutritionally identical to the eggs his neighbors could’ve purchased in the store, he said, but they wanted to know where the eggs had come from.
More importantly for Farmers Union members, he said, was the fact that the farmer who sold them kept all the money. A farmer who thinks consumers make silly choices can nonetheless benefit by serving those customers.
“How much of that $12 goes to the producer? Twelve dollars of it. Because I can guarantee you no processor is selling a poocovered egg,” Roberts said.
He also urged farmers to adapt as quickly as possible to regulatory changes. Farmers in California who adjusted their operations decades ago to comply with that state’s farm management mandates are in better financial shape than those who thumbed their nose at them.
“Too many people say ‘I think that’s stupid, I’m not doing it,’ instead of ‘that’s stupid, but I’m going to comply better and sooner than everyone else and take advantage of it,’” Roberts said. n Article by John Hult – South Dakota Searchlight originally published Dec. 12, 2024
Holding some zinnias, Anna Arhart thoughtfully adds a few statice and bells of Ireland.
A smile spreads across her face. The bouquet is complete.
“I love the design aspect of floriculture,” explained Arhart, a member of the state winning FFA floriculture team. “You can let your imagination run wild and have fun. Floriculture is not all tests. It’s playing with flowers, showing your creativity – and you can see others’ creativity and learn from them.”
It’s a hot August afternoon and Arhart is standing in her coach’s flower garden with the other members of the Wessington Springs FFA floriculture team: Mariah Messmer, Mercedes Jones, Carissa Scheel and Alyssa Grohs.
Because the team won the South Dakota State FFA floriculture contest, this August afternoon they are preparing for the 2024 national FFA contest. It was held October 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the team placed in the bronze category competing against more than 40 teams from across the U.S.
“Watching us practice, I know floriculture looks easy, but a lot goes into this contest,” Grohs said.
The South Dakota State University freshman explained that in addition to demonstrating creativity and knowledge of design through the flower arranging portion of the contest, she and her teammates would be tested on their business management
and problem-solving skills as well as general knowledge of floriculture. They all needed to be ready to correctly identify 100 flowers and 100 tools.
“Like all FFA career development events, there is application of the skills they learn beyond this contest,” said Wessington Springs FFA Adviser Brady Duxbury. “These members are not just designing something beautiful; they are learning teamwork, accounting and business skills.”
The business aspect of floriculture is something team coach Katie Jones understands well. She and a friend/neighbor started a cut flower farm business called Ranchy Stems in 2023.
“We learned you cannot be good at just one part of the contest,” explained Katie, who raises all her own flowers on the family’s crop and cattle ranch. “So, as we compete, we looked at the areas where we were giving up the most points and in practices, we focus on those. There were practices where we did not even touch flowers.”
Although no one liked the idea of the 7 a.m. practices Katie scheduled, they all appreciated her dedication and the hours she volunteered to help them succeed.
At 6 p.m. on March 22 four young men from Winner, South Dakota, will host the second annual 3R Cattle Co. & Milliron Angus Bull Sale at the Winner Livestock Auction.
“Many think you have to be an adult before you do something like this. But we said, ‘just because we are 19, 18, 16 and 11 doesn’t mean we can’t do something we’ve always wanted to do,’” Garret Phillips explained.
Phillips is talking about the bull sale he cofounded in 2024 with brothers Rowdy, Roper and Rider Moore. Phillips, now 19, has been best friends with the brothers since he was 12 and began working with them at their family’s auction market.
Along with working together, they all share an interest in cattle and cattle genetics, explained Cody Moore, Rowdy, Roper and Rider’s dad.
“They all grew up in the sale barn,” Cody said. “They have been loading out cattle and working the sales for more than 10 years. They look at a critter and know if it is a good one
or a bad one. You learn about quality cattle and their value when week after week, you load them out and look at the sale sheet to see what they brought.”
Outside of the sale barn, the boys began testing their knowledge of cattle genetics by building up their own herds with funds from Farm Service Agency youth loans.
“I like going through sale catalogs and sire directories and seeing what works,” Roper, 17, said.
Currently a high school junior, Roper plans to pursue a degree in livestock genetics after he graduates.
“My goal is to select the best of the best and raise bulls that can improve my herd and other commercial and registered herds,” Roper said. “I want my name to be known throughout the industry as someone who can be a trusted source for quality genetics.”
Rowdy, 20, let his passion for raising cattle guide his career path as well. In 2023, just a
few months after high school graduation, he bought 70 bred heifers during a bred cow sale.
“I like ranching, and I did not like school,” Rowdy explained. “Raising cattle does get stressful at times, but that is just part of it.”
Prior to the 2024 bull sale, Phillips had started to sell a few bulls private treaty. In 2023 he sold 10 bulls. And the Moore brothers had also started selling some bulls private treaty. A good start but not enough for an official bull sale.
A September phone call changed this. “A Simmental producer from Oklahoma called and asked me if I would sell his bulls for him,” Roper explained.
A purebred producer from Oklahoma calls a 16-year-old in South Dakota and asks him to sell his bulls for him? Roper understands that this explanation sounded a little crazy, so he shared the back story.
“I had recently bought 12 registered cows from a registered producer’s Simmental dispersion sale. The operation was in Oklahoma and I had been following these genetics for a while, and finally I could afford to purchase some cows. When the producer called to discuss transportation, we got to talking and he learned that my family owned a sale barn in South Dakota. This is when he told me he had some bulls he wanted to sell and asked if we would sell them for him,” Roper explained. “So, when he asked me if I would put on a bull sale, he didn’t know what I looked like. He didn’t know my age.”
Roper agreed to sell the bulls Roper then talked with his brothers and dad and they immediately hopped on board. Knowing that Phillips had been selling his bulls private treaty, Roper asked if he would want to sell his bulls as well.
“We knew Roper had been wanting to do this for a while, and we were on board to help,” Rowdy said. “We all agree that it is important to keep improving commercial herds through genetics. If you can help commercial producers raise bigger calves, then you help
Bull Sale Continued on Page 26
South Dakota Farmers Union recognizes South Dakotans and organizations who give of their time and talents to support family farmers and ranchers throughout the state. In 2024 we recognize and thank these individuals.
In farm and ranch country, weather gets a lot of attention. And Eric Snodgrass stands out among the climate experts farmers and ranchers follow, explained Miller rancher Andrew Canham.
“Eric explains the weather in a way that I can understand,” Canham said.
Tabor farmer Eileen Sestak agreed. “Eric taught us about the different facets of the weather – what impacts the weather – things you don’t hear about on the 6 o’clock news.”
Eileen and her husband, Terry, say they are acutely tuned into the weather during haying season. “The heat and humidity affect haying and baling quite a bit. You have to time things just right,” Eileen said.
Canham and the Sestaks were among a large crowd of family farmers and ranchers who got to hear from Snodgrass during the 109th South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention held in Huron Dec. 11 and 12.
Ocean atmosphere indicates dry growing season
The science behind the weather is complicated. But when Snodgrass explains the science, he does it in such a way that most can understand.
A previous professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois, Snodgrass’ talk was filled with graphs and animated meteorological data. But he also included personal stories that helped listeners wrap their heads around the data and the factors that impact weather and weather forecasting.
“The teacher who first got me interested in becoming a meteorologist told me, ‘The script of the atmosphere’s behavior is written on the ocean’s surface. Figure that out and you can figure out the future weather patterns,’”
Snodgrass said. “And that was the day I became a weather nerd.”
Based on what the ocean’s atmosphere is doing, Snodgrass predicts a dry growing season.
Snodgrass went on to explain, “Every single weather system that we deal with here in the Northern Plains isn’t born here. It comes from some other source region. Usually that’s either the Indian Ocean north of the Himalayan Mountains or Siberia. That’s where your weather systems are born. They go over the Rocky Mountains and they’re invigorated. Why? The Rocky Mountains stick up there several thousand feet into the sky and stir things up and give us fresh weather that then goes across the country, decays over the northeast, dies in the North Atlantic, and then just has a nice long funeral in a place called England. That’s why the worst weather in the world is in the UK. Then it’s reinvigorated across Asia and comes back to us.”
And Snodgrass went on to say, that even though the moisture outlook is not favorable, even the best weather models in the world are only accurate 50 percent of the time.
He also shared scientifically why the Midwestern U.S. is the best place in the world to grow crops – and hailstorms.
“Now, this is what’s amazing about the United States. If you want to just look geographically at a place in the world that was designed to grow crops, it is the Midwestern United States. Why? Because we have a mountain chain that runs here called the Appalachian Mountains. They’re nothing. They’re little hills. You got big ones that run
over here called the Rockies. And in the middle, there is no east/west running mountain chain. Do you understand that there’s only us and Argentina on the whole planet that are not impacted by east/west running mountain chains? Think about Europe, think about Russia, think about the Himalayas, China, they all have big east /west running mountains. We don’t. Which means moisture from there can go all the way to the Canadian Shield. And it’s enough,” Snodgrass said. “We usually get enough inches of moisture that we can do dryland farming. A lot of it comes in the middle of summer, big summer thunderstorms like this. And when that big Bermuda high is pumping all of that moisture there, it gets over the top of really hot ground and over hot ground. Guess what that air does? Shoots up in the atmosphere violently. Carries with it all that moisture, which then condenses and gives us some of the biggest and baddest thunderstorms on the planet.”
After Snodgrass’ talk, Terry Sestak said that although it was informative, the information Snodgrass shared does not change his 2025 growing season decisions.
“Eric admitted that even the best weather models are only correct 50 percent of the time,” Terry said. “As farmers we need to be optimistic.”
Sestak’s response is exactly what Snodgrass was hoping for. “You are not allowed to make any strategic decisions about your financial well-being,” Snodgrass said. “You bet the farm on the forecast, you’re going to lose.” n
By Lura Roti
Tax reform was the focus of a panel discussion held during the 109th South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention.
And although panelists, farmers and ranchers did not all agree on the type of change, most all could agree, “property taxes stink.”
This is a direct quote from Matt Krogman, South Dakota Realtors Association Lobbyist.
Krogman was among the four panelists invited to discuss potential tax reform. Along with Krogman, the other panelists were Tony Venhuizen, Vice Chair of the Joint Appropriation Committee; Karl Adam, President of the South Dakota Bankers Association; and David Owens, President of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
To complete his thoughts on property
taxes, Krogman added, “It’s confusing. It’s complicated. It isn’t a fun topic.”
But property taxes – specifically owneroccupied property taxes – are a topic that needs to be addressed according to Venhuizen. “Over the last 10 years or so, the trend is that owner occupied tax has grown much faster than the others. …Up almost 60 percent. Commercial is 47 percent and ag land 28 percent. …It really seems like voters are reaching a point where something’s gotta give one way or another.”
Venhuizen’s solution is found in a bill he will introduce during the 2025 Legislative Session. The bill would raise the sales tax from 4.2 percent to 5 percent. The increase in sales tax would raise $248 million and this money would go toward education. And the sales tax increase would reduce owner-occupied property tax by
35 percent.
Venhuizen represents portions of Lincoln and Minnehaha counties. The bill is cosponsored by Randy Deibert who represents the Black Hills community of Spearfish.
“You can look at some assessment mechanisms which might solve some problems around the margins, but none of them take care of the fact that property tax has gone up for homeowners 60 percent in the last 10 years,” Venhuizen said.
Venhuizen’s bill introduces one of three options that could happen to lower taxes, explained Owens. “If we’re going to see significant tax reform and property taxes, one of three things has to happen:
1. You have to have extra money to put into the system – which he has provided with the sales tax increase.
2. You have to shift taxes from one division to another which is marked with caution because commercial land might be the target for that. …
3. The other answer is to cut $250 to $300 million out of the budget.
I’m telling you, since it’s already missing $100 million because of the sales tax rollback, I don’t think you can find that kind of shift.”
Owens said when it comes to tax reform, as it pertains to property taxes, he would feel more comfortable with an individualized approach so that homeowners would not be taxed out of their homes.
Taxing homeowners out of their homes is a concern Colome farmer Joel Keierleber voiced during the panel discussion Q&A. “We need tax reform that does not draw so much from farmers through taxes on property. Tax reform needs to increase property tax on wealthy investors, but not homeowners. I heard that in areas, like Jackson Hole, Wyoming, rich people have pushed the property tax up so much that average-income families are not able to afford to live there.”
Input from citizens is important as the 2025 Legislative Session approaches, Adam said. “As bankers we partner with everyone – owneroccupied, commercial and ag land. Bankers want to be at the table,” he said. “Property tax reform is important. It’s important for all of you in this room (family farmers and ranchers). It is important for your neighbors and friends and the entire state of South Dakota. There does need to be a discussion and Venhuizen’s bill does get the conversation started.”
South Dakota Farmers Union agrees there does need to be a conversation focused on tax reform, explained President Doug Sombke. “We voted this summer to organize a coalition so that all stakeholders can have a voice.”
As for initial solutions, Frankfort farmer Kurt Bindenagel said Venhuizen’s bill is not the answer.
“It’s very unfavorable,” Bindenagel said. “It’s a bad idea for farmers because farmers would be negatively impacted by the 5 percent sales tax. Think about the cost of our inputs. When you look at the price of equipment, whether it be a tractor, corn planter or combine, the prices have continued to increase.”
Ipswich farmer Lance Perrion also saw issues with Venhuizen’s bill. “It is a tough time economically and people are struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on and make the payments. And now you are going to increase the tax on groceries?”
Although Perrion does not agree with
Venhuizen’s solution to tax reform, he, like most South Dakotans, agrees that there is a need for tax reform. “We have roads and bridges that need to be maintained and schools that need to operate. And right now the ag economy is kind of slowing up with commodity prices down and interest rates up. No one is volunteering to pay more taxes, so it is a tough conversation no matter what you do. But you do need to address the inevitable.”
The tax reform panel is the first of many conversations the state’s largest agriculture organization plans to have as it pertains to tax reform. “Our organization does not shy away from tough conversations,” Sombke said. “And we look forward to collaborating with other organizations throughout the state to find solutions to tax reform that do not have a negative impact on South Dakotans.” n By
Lura Roti
Carol Oberbroekling was recognized for more than 25 years of volunteer efforts to provide farm safety, cooperative and leadership education to rural youth with the Minnie Lovinger Award. The award was presented to Oberbroekling during the South Dakota Farmers Union State Convention, held in Huron Dec. 11 and 12.
“It is through Carol’s volunteer efforts and enthusiasm for recruitment that ensured hundreds of Geddes youth attended Farmers Union Day Camps over the years,” explained Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. “These youth are the future of rural communities, so it is important that they have access to the education, information and resources they need to succeed.”
Oberbroekling became involved in Farmers Union in the early 1990s when she and her husband, Dennis, farmed.
“We enjoyed everything about Farmers Union,” Oberbroekling said. “The issues Farmers Union fought for, were issues impacting us.”
Times were tough because they raised hogs, and the markets bottomed out. So, Carol and Dennis made the difficult decision to sell the farm. Dennis went to work for Geddes Farmers Co-op Elevator and Carol began working as Secretary for the Platte-Geddes School.
Even though they were not farming, the couple remained actively involved in Farmers Union. When she saw the need for an education director, Oberbroekling volunteered.
“I just love kids. And because I worked at the school and knew all the kids and families, it made sense,” Oberbroekling said.
Oberbroekling said she appreciates the fact that Farmers Union Day Camps teach kids about cooperatives and farm safety – two relevant topics for rural youth that outside of Farmers Union they would not typically learn about.
“Farm safety education is a must and kids need to learn about cooperatives because they are such a big part of our community. They keep our community strong,” Oberbroekling said. “Cooperatives are how we get our electricity and so many other essential services. The co-op is where farmers take their crops – I think I belong to 10 cooperatives.”
Oberbroekling’s now grown children, Renee, Brian and Tyler, all attended Farmers Union Camp, and today her grandchildren continue the tradition.
In addition to volunteering as a Farmers Union Education Director, Oberbroekling has served as a Geddes City Councilor for more than 20 years.
“I give back because I love the Geddes community and I don’t want it to die,” Oberbroekling said. “Geddes is such a friendly community and such a nice place to live and raise children.”
Each year, South Dakota Farmers Union works with volunteer education directors like Oberbroekling to host day camps in rural communities across the state. The organization also hosts State Youth and Teen Leadership Camps. To learn more about Farmers Union educational programming, visit www.sdfu.org n by Lura Roti
South Dakota Farmers Union members and staff are making a difference in rural communities across South Dakota.
Parade rancher and SDFU Northwest District Board Member Oren Lesmeister was appointed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to serve on the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. He joins a 35-member board. Lesmeister ranches with his wife, Tracy. He also owns a business and is a former South Dakota Legislator.
Continued from Page 4
Cattle also do more than quickly turn grass into beef, they naturally spread fertilizer onto the land. Afterward, their gut microbes interact with soil microbes, adding to the abundance of microscopic organisms that create a healthy soil and help re-establish the prairie’s natural mineral cycles.
As a result, the Littles find more native plant species in their pastures that they did not plant. The grazing rotation is timed to allow these flowering plants to bloom and provide a food source for beneficial pollinators. A local beekeeper has kept beehives next to Blioux
River Ranch pastures since 2016.
To enhance wildlife habitat at Blioux River Ranch, about 100 acres are enrolled into a 30year wetland reserve easement, while another 20 acres of cropland serve as food plots with a mix of corn and a brood mix designed for pheasants.
Pheasant chicks need habitat for cover and insects for food. The brood mix grows sequentially flowering plants to protect and feed pheasants, while providing a water source from dew on the plant stems. As leaders on the Dry Lake Chapter of Pheasants Forever,
Barry and Eli regularly volunteer their time and equipment to plant the brood mix for other landowners.
Now more than a decade into fully immersing themselves into the school of soil health, the Littles share what they have learned with friends, neighbors and strangers. Editor’s Note: The Little family are members of South Dakota Farmers Union. Learn more about the prestigious Leopold Award by visiting https://sandcountyfoundation.org/. n Article is Courtesy of Sand County Foundation
During the 2024 State Convention, six rural youth took to the podium to share about the experiences and impact participation in South Dakota Farmers Union youth programming has had on their lives. Their speeches were heartfelt and inspiring. We share some excerpts here.
Cadence Konechne, Kimball 2024 Torchbearer & Junior Advisory Council Member
Throughout my years at camp, I got to learn many leadership skills from great speakers and demonstrators to prepare me for the future. These speakers were great and taught valuable skills like parliamentary procedure, how laws and legislative bill are made and simply learning how to overcome obstacles. But I felt the biggest way camp impacted me was from the amazing people I met. These people taught me the important life skills of having self-confidence, knowing how to solve problems and learning to take the lead. And now, with Samantha Bowman, I am learning important planning and leadership skills by helping run the camp, serving as a member of the Junior Advisory Council. Thanks to all the opportunities and people I’ve met through Farmers Union, I believe I’m well prepared for my future, to graduate high school, go onto postsecondary schooling and succeed in my overall life.
Billy Kezena, Yankton 2024-2025 Junior
Advisory Council Member
Junior State Camp is without a doubt one of the most fun and inclusive camps I’ve been able to be a part of. And being a member of the Junior Advisory Council I got to serve as a counselor this year. It was just awesome. Camp truly brings out some of the best in the kids who attend. As a counselor, one of the most enjoyable parts of camp was being able to teach the kids and help be a part of their education at camp.
Madi Raymond, Ethan 2024 Torchbearer & Senior Advisory Council Member
Many of the amazing experiences I have had over the past few years are because of Farmers Union. The knowledge and life lessons I have gained from my time within the Farmers Union education program are indispensable. I have learned Farmers Union’s three principles: education, legislation and cooperation, and I have learned about the people at the heart of the agriculture industry and some of the issues affecting them that Farmers Union is fighting for. Being a JAC has taught me the importance of leadership, responsibility, communication and teamwork, but my time in Farmers Union has also helped me discover and develop two of my passions – agriculture and government. Next year I plan to major in agriculture communications and political science at SDSU, in the hopes that someday I can help make a difference in the lives of those in my community.
LizBeth Crosby, Pierre 2024-2025 Junior Advisory Council Member
I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to share my experiences from the Three-Year Award Trip that was made possible by South Dakota Farmers Union. It is not often that we get to step outside of our daily routines and immerse ourselves in a completely new set of experiences, and this trip was just that.
Our first stop was the Mississippi Market Natural Food Cooperative, an incredible example of a community-driven food market. From there we traveled to Como Student Housing in Minneapolis. Next, we visited My Credit Union. And we visited the CHS headquarters. It was fascinating to hear firsthand how cooperatives like CHS are helping to shape the future of farming and rural communities.
To quote the great Eleanor Roosevelet, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Being a member of the Junior Advisory Council this year has shown me that if I believe in my dreams, my future is mine to create. I am frequently asked, “what does it mean to be a Junior Advisory Council member?” Although what it means to be a JAC is commonly left up to personal interpretation, to me it is personal growth, community and leadership. As a young woman in the field of agriculture, South Dakota Farmers Union has provided opportunities to grow my leadership skills.
Farmers Union has helped me to become a strong and collaborative leader. As a member of the Junior Advisory Council, I am part of something so much bigger than myself and this makes the best conditions for me to practice leadership.
While at camp this year we had guest speakers that showed different agricultural related jobs, motivational speakers and speakers that talked about the importance of leadership. These speakers gave good information that can be used in my current life and also an insight of future careers we may want to pursue.
The Farmers Union state leadership camp has been for years a great way to meet new friends with similar backgrounds. Camp gives us time to socialize in person by removing the daily distraction of our cell phones. Not having the phones is beneficial to make the camp more fun for all. n
“Katie is the reason we are here practicing for the national contest,” Scheel said. “She spent a lot of time outside of our practices on her own preparing for us. She created practice tests for us, she found resources for us, she taught herself things so she could teach us.”
Katie said volunteering to help students succeed is part of the culture of Wessington Springs. “All of these kids’ parents volunteer their time to help kids and our community,” Katie said. “The students are accustomed to seeing adults in our community invest in our youth. Basically in this community, if we see value in it, community members volunteer their time to make it happen.”
Katie’s daughter, Mercedes, said that with her mom as their guide, the team invested in their shared goal to win state.
“We are a team that built each other up and pushed each other,” Mercedes explained.
Messmer agreed. “I love being on this team. We support each other to be the best we can be.”
In order to win state, the team practiced six or more hours a week. Balancing basketball practices, floriculture team practices and high school graduation, Scheel said she will apply the skills she has gained as an FFA member and a member of the floriculture team as she pursues her dream to become a veterinarian.
“Floriculture has helped me learn work ethic and perseverance, which will help me in the future because vet school is very competitive,” said Scheel, a freshman at North Dakota State University.
Preparing young adults for their future has been the focus of FFA since its beginning nearly a century ago. Duxbury said it was his experiences as an FFA member and state FFA officer that made him want a career as an agriculture education teacher/FFA adviser.
“I knew I wanted to impact lives and help young people realize their potential because this is what my FFA adviser did for me,” Duxbury explained. “Getting to work with this team and their coach has been an honor.” n By
Lura Roti
Bull Sale Continued from Page 16
them increase their profits.”
With only six months to put on a bull sale, the boys got to work, each taking on sale responsibilities based on their skills and interests.
Ahead of the sale they invested time clipping the bulls. Roper photographed the bulls, collected their genetic information and assisted with designing the sale catalog. He also designed sale flyers and began promoting the sale on social media.
Sale day was no different. The boys did everything.
Rowdy was the auctioneer.
Roper reported on the bulls’ genetics.
Phillips was the ringman.
And Rider pushed the bulls into the ring.
“I told the boys they can hire an auctioneer, hire a ringman, hire a photographer…but does it teach you anything? Probably not,” Cody said. “And every dollar you save is a dollar you put in your pocket.”
They had some excellent help from their moms. Heather, the Moore brothers’ mom, designed the sale website. And Roni, Phillips’ mom, helped prepare the sale day meal – roast beef, cheesy hashbrowns and salads.
We want to be a trusted source for quality genetics
About 75 attended the sale. All the bulls were sold. And the profits
exceeded expectations.
The boys’ responsibilities did not end once the money was in the bank. “We stand behind the genetics we sell,” Roper said. “We want to be known as a trusted source, so if something goes wrong, we will make it right.”
To ensure their customers’ satisfaction, throughout the summer months, Phillips made follow-up phone calls to check in.
“I’d make calls while I was haying just to see how the bulls were doing, and more importantly to get to know our customers and to see what we can do to better serve our customers and their herd,” Phillips said.
Based on customer feedback, the second annual 3R Cattle Co. & Milliron Angus Bull Sale is scheduled for March 22 at the Winner Livestock Auction.
To learn more, visit 3Rcattleco.com and Milliron Angus on Facebook.
“We all learned that you are never too young to chase your dream,” Phillips said. “Why not get up and do what you want now when you have support from your parents and your community because you are young? A year ago, none of us thought we’d be having a bull sale. And now we are preparing for our second sale.” n By Lura Roti
Doug Durante, Clean Fuels Development Coalition
There is an old saying usually attributed to politicians that isn’t exactly the king’s English, but the message is clear: “Dance With the One That Brung Ya” – meaning stay with what got you there.
In the case of ethanol, the one that “brung ya” is as motor fuel for automobiles. Calling it the fuel of the future, Henry Ford designed the Model T to run not just on ethanol, but ethanol from agricultural products. The ethanol industry renaissance that began with Clean Air Act programs and continues via the RFS reached current levels by being put in gas tanks of cars.
Despite that phenomenal growth, we seem to forget who “brung ya “and what could continue to “bring ya.” There are no technical, logistical, financial, legal or other obstacles to keep us from putting more and more ethanol into the gasoline market, yet we seem to be pursuing markets where all of those questions need to be addressed. It’s like coming to a fork in the road where one side is smooth, paved and well lit, and the other is a dark, muddy, unmarked gamble, but we choose that one.
The promise of Sustainable Aviation Fuel using ethanol is at best puzzling and at worst a game in which ethanol may be out of its element. The practicality of marine, rail and other applications of ethanol are unknown. What is known is that we can blend any volume of ethanol we want into gasoline. Sure, the RVP issue is terribly frustrating, and it is preposterous to interpret the 1-pound waiver as being limited to 10 percent volumes. E15 doesn’t increase vapor pressure and truly higher blends like E20 and E30 can take vapor pressure increases down to zero. At those higher volumes, ethanol’s value is linear with an opportunity to significantly monetize octane and carbon benefits. The perception is that 15 percent is the end game when it should be just the start in terms of moving beyond E10. Because of that perception, we seem to be looking at these other, far more challenging markets.
We continue to see a post-Covid bounce in U.S. gasoline consumption with an increase last year back to nearly 140 billion
gallons and increasing amounts of that are high octane premium grades, which is a strength of higher ethanol blends. Yet a recent trade press article proclaimed in a bold headline that SAF represented a “Massive New Market for Corn Ethanol of 3 Billion Gallons.” Considering that nationwide E15 could be an additional 5-7 billion gallons and E30 would be doubling today’s demand with another 15 billion gallons, I think we have a different definition of “massive.”
And boy, do we need that demand now. At CFDC, we have been doing our best Paul Revere imitation for the past decade warning that the Brazilians are coming! Well, in the context of competing with them for exports of both corn and ethanol, they are here. Argus Media reports Brazil now has 41 corn ethanol plants, with more under construction and more corn being grown. Even under normal circumstances Brazil may be taking our customers. Combined with potential losses from Trump trade wars and it presents some ugly scenarios for corn growers, and agriculture in general.
So, what should farmers be doing? For starters do not let ethanol be buttonholed to 15 percent and not use up so much political capital and resources pursuing an SAF market that might, maybe, perhaps increase corn demand by 1 billion bushels. And in the case of SAF, even getting to the table is going to be a challenge for corn. There is far from international recognition of corn ethanol’s GHG benefits with European countries in particular still hung up on land use and net energy, water and chemical inputs. Furthermore, SAF is not a defined product, any number of fuel feedstocks and processes are competing. Renewable diesel already had a headstart and now renewable natural gas is being converted to liquids –including ethanol –through the Fischer-Tropsch process. And of course, the tax incentives that are critical to economic viability are in the crosshairs of the Trump administration. What’s the life expectancy of a tax incentive whose justification is to fight climate change
when the president of our country says climate change is a hoax?
If aviation fuel is indeed a new market, then great, lets pursue that, but not at the expense of ignoring other opportunities. That opportunity is to go big in terms of volume. If E15 is a base fuel and we make premium off that with simple splash blending, ethanol could step into the void that will exist as EVs continue to level off.
Decarbonizing the gasoline market by blending 20-30 percent ethanol requires no legislation, no tax incentives and under current law is completely permissible given that ethanol is an approved additive in certification fuel and can be used at any volume. It would replace benzene-based octane additives at a much lower cost and demonstrate both climate and health benefits that could save consumers and the government billions of dollars annually.
Importantly, it could be a shot in the arm for corn growers and all farmers at a time when there are no immediate prospects for growth. The pathway can still be the Next Generation Fuels Act which needs to be reintroduced in this Congress. It would raise octane; ensure octane additives meet GHG reductions and that corn ethanol’s CI is approved; once and for all correct the RVP issue and remove a number of other obstacles that are purely regulatory and punitive. It is a “Buy America” approach that would provide the incredible range of benefits the RFS brought us and fit into the vision of the Trump administration and continued reliance on liquid fuels.
Mike Dwyer of the U.S. Grains Council said at an event recently that “exports are the future of our industry, even more so than E15.” Whether he meant corn or ethanol, or both, I respectfully disagree. Nearly 2 billion gallons in exports is nothing to dismiss but the future is here. The future is now. So, let’s dance with the one that brung ya. Take the easy road and the one with the least amount of obstacles by simply putting more ethanol into our automobiles, using our abundant corn resources and capture the full potential of ethanol. n
The rosters for the agriculture committees in the 119th Congress are nearly set. Back in December, Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) announced the House Agriculture Committee’s majority roster for the 119th Congress. Of the committee’s 29 Republican members from the last Congress, the vast majority returned, with six new members joining the committee: Reps. Dan Newhouse (WA), Tony Wied (WI), Rob Bresnahan (PA), Mark Harris (NC), Mark Messmer (IN) and David Taylor (OH).
On the Democratic side, Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) released the minority roster earlier this week. There are 15 members from the 118th Congress returning while there are eight new members: Reps. Shri Thanedar (MI), Adam Gray (CA), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI), Shomari Figures (AL), Eugene Vindman (VA), Josh Riley (NY), John Mannion (NY) and April McClain Delaney (MD). Two Democratic seats will be filled within the next couple of weeks, likely by members who are on other committees and need a waiver from leadership to add House Ag to their assignments.
In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune (RSD) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) each released the majority and minority rosters for each committee. The Senate Agriculture Committee features largely the same cast as the previous Congress, with four new additions: Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
With both committees just about fully set, NFU will be meeting with and building relationships with new members of the committee as we work toward the 2025 Farm Bill.
BROOKE ROLLINS’ CONFIRMATION HEARING NOTICED; UNDERSECRETARY NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
Next week, the Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a confirmation hearing to consider the nomination of Brooke Rollins as the next U.S. secretary of agriculture. The hearing will take place Thursday, Jan. 23, at 10:00am ET.
In advance of the hearing, NFU joined a group letter urging the committee to promptly consider and confirm Rollins, citing her background and experience in the agricultural sector. The letter was signed by more than 380 agricultural and food advocacy organizations.
President-elect Trump also announced on Thursday the nominations four individuals who will be up for roles as undersecretaries, who oversee agencies within their mission areas – there are eight such positions at USDA. These positions also require Senate confirmation, which will likely occur after Rollins’ nomination is considered by the Senate.
The newly announced undersecretary nominees are:
Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation: Richard Fordyce – served as Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator for Secretary Perdue during the first Trump administration; also served as Missouri’s Director of Agriculture from 2013 to 2017.
Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory
Programs: Dudley Hoskins – currently on the staff of Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Boozman; Hoskins worked at USDA during the first Trump administration and previously worked for a variety of policy organizations in D.C., most notably the American Horse Council.
Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs: Luke Lindberg – a senior fellow at the American First Policy Institute, which is headed by Brooke Rollins; Lindberg worked at the ExportImport Bank during the first Trump administration; also is the son-in-law of Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment: Michael Boren – serves on the board of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation; he is a businessman with some past controversy about use of public lands for private use.
This week, USDA finalized the third in a series of rules under the Biden-Harris administration to strengthen the Packers & Stockyards Act (P&S Act). The latest rule to be finalized, the “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems” rule, will provide additional fairness and transparency for broiler chicken producers in how they are paid when growing under the “tournament system.” It also requires poultry integrators to provide contract chicken producers with additional information when requesting or requiring capital improvements from contract producers. NFU issued a statement in support of the final rule.
The Biden-Harris USDA previously finalized two other rules to strengthen the P&S Act. The “poultry transparency” and “inclusive competition” rules took effect in February and May 2024, respectively. The latter of the two is facing legal challenges. USDA opted not to finalize the “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets” proposed rule, also known as the “unfair practices” or “competitive injury” proposed rule.
Regarding its decision to withdraw the proposed “unfair practices” rule, USDA issued a statement: “Due to the complexity and length of time needed to finalize that regulation, USDA is withdrawing the proposal to preserve its ability to re-examine these important issues in the future and enable the agency to explore with stakeholders regarding how best to implement the requirements of the Packers and Stockyards Act.”
Upon finalization, the poultry tournament rule will now be subject to potentially being overturned by the 119th Congress, via a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval. The decision by USDA to withdraw the “unfair practices” rule may be the result of a calculation that that rule would almost certainly have been overturned through the CRA process, whereas the poultry tournament rule has a much better chance of surviving that process.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and two states attorney general (Illinois and Minnesota) filed a lawsuit against John Deere & Company, alleging
the company’s repair restrictions violate competition laws. In March 2022, NFU filed a complaint with FTC, along with several state Farmers Union divisions and other organizations, requesting FTC investigate Deere’s unfair repair restrictions.
This complaint, along with several years of persistent and thoughtful advocacy, research and engagement, yielded the lawsuit that was filed earlier this week. NFU issued a press release in support of the lawsuit. The Commission voted to authorize staff for a permanent injunction and other equitable relief in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The vote was 3-2, with Commissioners Ferguson and Holyoak dissenting. Chair Khan issued the statement on behalf of the majority.
To learn more, you can check out coverage in DTN, Wired, NPR, Successful Farming and elsewhere.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Treasury released long-awaited guidance on the implementation of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, which incentivizes the production of lowcarbon fuels such as biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The release of the guidance takes a much-needed step forward in unleashing the potential of clean fuel production to reduce carbon emissions and support climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices.
Notably, the guidance appears to restrict the eligibility of imported used cooking oil (UCO) as a feedstock, prioritizing domestic resources and American farmers. Last summer, NFU and other organizations advocated for restrictions amidst concerns imported UCO would be eligible for the tax credit. The guidance also incentivizes individual CSA practices, providing farmers with greater flexibility and ease in implementing strategies tailored to their operations. Larew issued a statement welcoming the guidance, but stressing additional progress is needed to maximize the program’s benefits, including updates to the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Technologies (GREET) model and enhanced CSA practices.
This guidance was followed by USDA releasing an interim rule on “Technical Guidelines for ClimateSmart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks,” which allows for the unbundling of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. This will enable farmers to adopt practices such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and advanced nutrient management individually or in combination. It also introduces the USDA Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator (FD-CIC), a tool capable of quantifying farm-level carbon intensity at a county-by-county level, further strengthening the credibility of CSA practices.
NFU applauded the interim rule and will continue reviewing the rule and intends to provide comments to ensure the final rule serves family farmers and ranchers effectively. n Current as of January 17, 2025
On Dec. 21, 2024, Congress enacted a oneyear extension to the Farm Bill. Congress was supposed to pass a new Farm Bill in 2023 but instead they kicked the can down the road and extended the 2018 Farm Bill another year. In 2024 once again they failed to pass a new Farm Bill. In the final minutes of the 2024 session, they once again passed a one-year extension of the Farm Bill.
There isn’t a farmer I know who thinks we can live with another extension to the Farm Bill.
A quick glance at the current markets says the outdated safety nets in the extended Farm Bill do not offer the protections we currently need. And yes, at some point the ag markets will go up – but unlike other industries, farmers are price takers not price makers.
It is my hope that when the new Farm Bill is passed it includes a new tool – the Inventory Management Soil Enhancement Tool or IMSET.
You have probably heard me talk about IMSET in the past. It’s an idea that Craig Blindert, a Salem farmer, developed.
When Craig initially brought the idea of IMSET to me and the SDFU Board, we thought it made sense. We then ran the idea by university economists, and they also thought it made sense. But getting buy-in was tough because, at the time, the ag markets were up. The corn market was peaking over $7 a bushel.
And although folks assumed the prices would not stay up, no one thought we’d see corn down to $3.45 and lower in 2024.
You are probably wondering, what is IMSET and how can it help those of us who raise crops? Craig and I put together a Q&A to help answer a few of your questions.
Q: What is IMSET?
A: IMSET is an incentive-based and voluntary proposal to protect farmers against low markets. When markets fail to cover expenses, IMSET allows farmers to invest in soil enhancements and earn compensation to keep farming.
Q: How does IMSET work?
A: When corn, wheat, soybean or other commodity markets are too low, the government reference price is there to help. But in the current Farm Bill it is not enough to cover costs.
With IMSET, farmers can voluntarily enroll in 1-year conservation programs, giving them another way to make up the difference between government aid and what it costs to raise a crop during depressed market prices.
Doug Sombke, SDFU President
Q: Can you share an example?
A: Yes, you can find an example of how IMSET works by watching a video we put together. The video can be found on our homepage www.sdfu. org or by scanning the QR code at the bottom of this page with your smartphone camera.
Q: Why doesn’t IMSET already exist?
A: Nearly every time I share the IMSET video with a farmer, they ask me this question. The truth is, in my opinion, we never thought we needed it. We did not think there would be a time when year after year Congress could not work together well enough to pass a Farm Bill.
And as you and I understand better than anyone, a Farm Bill is not just about farmers. It is about national security. If farmers cannot afford to raise crops to feed our nation, and our nation then needs to rely on other countries for food, what happens if we are at odds with those other countries? And who will feed our troops?
Q: Can IMSET save the government money?
A: Yes. the more acres enrolled in IMSET the less acres of government subsidized crop insurance is needed.
Q: If I enroll my acres in IMSET, can I still sign up for PLC and ARC?
A: Yes. IMSET does not replace PLC or ARC. But the fact of the matter is because ARC and PLC are still set up at 2012 prices, farmers rarely hit the target prices to receive help from PLC or ARC.
IMSET allows farmers to set their own target price because farmers get to determine the number of acers – up to 20 percent – that they want to enroll in IMSET.
I’m sure these answers may lead you to more questions about IMSET. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Please reach out: dsombke@sdfu.org.
Doug Sombke, President South Dakota Farmers Union
Congressional Leaders Contact information:
Rep. Dusty Johnson
202-225-2801 / 855-225-2801 reid.rasmussen@mail.house.gov
Sen. Mike Rounds
Lucas Heitkamp, Legislative Assistant 605-595-3075 Lucas_Heitkamp@rounds.senate.gov
Sen. John Thune 202-224-2321 / 866-850-3855 ryan_donnelly@thune.senate.gov
South Dakota Union Farmer, ISSN 0745-8797, publishes eight times per calendar year, with issues printed in January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September/ October and November/December. Periodical postage paid at Madison, S.D.
Karla Hofhenke, Publisher Lura Roti, Editor Wendy Sweeter, Copy Editor Diane Martinson, Layout & Design
All information for publication must be submitted by the 15th of the month. You may submit items to address below or email items to: sdfu@sdfu.org
POSTMASTER: Address changes to: SDFU, PO Box 1388, Huron, S.D. 57350-1388
Contact SDFU • 605-554-3028 1410 Dakota Avenue South, PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 www.sdfu.org sdfu@sdfu.org
Doug Sombke ext. 1240
President Groton Direct Line 605-554-3027
Megan Babcock ext. 1180
Controller Huron Direct Line 605-554-3026
Rocky Forman. ext. 1170
Member Services Coordinator Cavour Direct Line 605-554-3025
Samantha Olerud.....ext 1160
Executive Administrative Asst. Direct line -605-554-3023
Karla Hofhenke ext. 1140
Executive Director Huron Direct Line 605-554-3028
Samantha Bowman .. ext. 1250
Education Specialist
Mitchell Direct Line 605-554-3022
Cally Faulhaber ext. 1220
Digital Media Specialist Direct Line 605-554-3024
David Smith
Legislative/Farm Specialist Pierre Direct Line 605-350-8857
Doug Sombke.........President Groton
Jeff Kippley Vice President
Aberdeen
Contact NFU National Farmers Union 20 F Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001
Rob Larew, President ~ Jeff Kippley, Vice President Darin Von Ruden, Secretary ~ Doug Sombke, Treasurer 202.554.1600 www.nfu.org
News travels fast in a small town … especially when you’re a volunteer firefighter and an insurance agent.
“This summer more than 10,000 acres burned in our area. There were many times when I knew the fire was on land of one of our insured, I would call into the office and let Jenn know so she could begin getting the paperwork ready for our client,” explained Harley Mollman, who works with his mom, Jenn Wickstrom, and his wife, Jenny, in the Buffalo Farmers Union Insurance Agency.
“We have had a lot of customers tell us, they appreciate us being proactive when catastrophic things like prairie fires happen,” Mollman said. “My dad is a rancher. I understand the impact fire on grassland has on cattle producers. It impacts not only their life, but their livelihood.”
Mollman enjoys caring for insurance clients because he grew up in Harding County. “Most of the families I work with every day I have known my entire life. And when you know people this well, there is an increased pressure to do your best to make sure when the worst happens their risks are covered.”
Continued from Page 5
legislators during a noon meal hosted in the Capitol Rotunda and sponsored by South Dakota Farmers Union. In addition to the meal with legislators, during 2025 Legislative Day, SDFU members will have an opportunity to sit in on a legislative hearing in the morning and the Legislative Session in the afternoon. To learn more, visit www.sdfu.org
Arrive: 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 5
Meet at Capitol Rotunda: Capitol address is 500 E Capitol Ave, Pierre and enter on the north side of the building. Upon arrival Farmers Union staff will provide members with a packet of information. Members will attend legislative hearings in the morning and meet with legislators for lunch and conversation at noon in the Rotunda.
To help make sure risks are covered, Mollman tries to do in-person renewal meetings each year.
“I love to sit down with clients and visit with them about their operations and just life in general. Sometimes I visit too much!”
In addition to the individuals he gets to serve as an insurance agent, Mollman said he appreciates Farmers Union Insurance because it allowed him to return to the place he loves.
After high school, Mollman pursued a business administration degree and played football for the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.
After he got married, he said he and his wife, Jenny, knew they wanted to build their life together in Buffalo.
“I always wanted to be back here. I love this community. It is in the middle of nowhere, but there is something really special about this community and these people.” n
Contact: Harley Mollman harley.mollman@fumic.com 605-210-2116
“There is just something about getting to sit down with someone to share a meal that invites conversation,” said Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director of SDFU. “This lunch gives farmers and ranchers an opportunity to talk about what is important with them and ask for legislation they need to make positive change.”
After lunch, members will sit in on House and Senate sessions. To learn more about Legislative Day 2025, contact David Smith, Legislative/Farm Specialist, at 605-350-8857 or dsmith@sdfu.org. n By Lura Roti
Cookbooks are $10 plus tax and shipping. Call 605-352-6761 or email sdfu@sdfu.org to place your order today!
Show your Farmers Union spirit with a special Farmers Union sign. The cost per sign is $10 or free with a five-year or greater membership to Farmers Union.
To get yours today, call 605-3526761 or email sdfu@sdfu.org.
I’m sending you this little note to thank you and to say how nice it was to be thought of in a very special way. Thank you to all involved for the kids side by side that Ione won at the close of the 109th Annual Convention in Huron. Thank you again & may all of you have a Merry Christmas & Joyful, Prosperous New Year.
David & Ione Cap
***
Dear South Dakota Farmers Union, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for providing me the opportunity to participate in your Farming for the Future Scholarship Program. I thoroughly enjoyed posting weekly about the industry that I am passionate about! With the help of your scholarship, I will be continuing my education this next semester at South Dakota State University in animal science with a pre-veterinary emphasis. Thank you again for your kindness and generosity! Your support has made a huge difference in my life by helping me pursue my dream in the agriculture industry. Thank you for providing me with this great opportunity to share about South Dakota’s largest industry!
Sincerely,
Hailey Kizer
Farmers Union,
Thank you for the Ag Ambassador Award that I received at the State Convention. It was an honor to receive the Award along with Don Schaunaman.
Thanks Again,
Paul Dennert
***
Doug, Karla and Staff,
I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for selecting me as the Outstanding Insurance Agent at the Annual Convention. It is truly an honor and I am humbled by your recognition. I am very thankful to be able to work with all of you. Our agency would not be able to succeed as we have without all the work you all do!
Thank you again for all you do!
Chris
Goldsmith
***
I want to thank S.D. Farmers Union for the great generator I won at convention. My old one was worked on this summer and still doesn’t work. Talk about needing it!!!!
Sandee Gittings
2 (8oz-10 oz.) bags miniature marshmallows
1 stick plus 2 T. oleo
1 bag caramels (50-60)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick oleo
11 c. rice crispy cereal, split into 2 bowls
Melt the marshmallows and 1 stick plus 2 T. of oleo in a microwave safe bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the caramels, condensed milk and the 1 stick oleo. Stir often until caramels are melted. Mix first mixture with cereal, then second mixture with cereal. Pour each of these into a separate, greased cookie sheet. Put one sheet upside down on top of the other. Press. Take the cookie sheet off.
