July 2016 by South Dakota Farmers Union

South Dakota HURON, SD

JULY/AUGUST 2016

UNION FARMER A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION Farmers Union Radio Show

Golf Tournament Highlights

Meet 2016-2017 Junior Advisory Council

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Farmers Union State Leadership Camp Promotes Friends, Self Confidence, Leadership & Cooperative Education

South Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates the Painter Ranch Family

outh Dakota Farmers Union State Leadership Camp is a summer tradition for Jonah Murtha, 17. Since he was 12, the Parkston High School senior has made the trek west to Storm Mountain Center just outside Rapid City to spend a week engaged in hands-on cooperative education, personal leadership development and reconnecting with friends he has made from across South Dakota. “The people I have met here have become life-long friends,” explains Murtha, who gained leadership experience serving as president of the camp’s coffee cooperative. “Leadership camp

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Grassroots Advocacy in Action 2016 National Farmers Union DC Fly-In

Ready to let your voice be heard in D.C.? Join Farmers Union members from across the nation for the 2016 NFU D.C. Fly-In, Sept. 11-14. To attend, contact Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director, before Aug. 5, 2016. Karla@SDFU.org or 605-352-6761, ext. 114. To learn more and see the agenda,visit http://nfu.org/event/2016flyin.

South Dakota Farmers Union has served South Dakota farm and ranch families for more than a century. Throughout the year, we share their stories in order to highlight the families who make up our state’s number one industry and help feed the world. This month, we’re highlighting the Painter family who raise cattle, sheep, buffalo, train horses and rodeo near Buffalo.

unning cattle on Harding County grasslands has been a part of the Painter Family legacy since 1895 when greatgrandpa, Lewis Levi Painter, rode the open range as a horse wrangler for the CY Cattle Company of Texas.

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UNION FARMER Painter Family Continued from Page 1 “Having our kids return to the ranch is the best thing in the world. Otherwise, all those years of working extra hard to buy land and cattle would be for nothing. When you have the kids return home, you have someone to pass it on to and that makes everything worth it.”

Joe Painter, fourth generation Harding County rancher

The Painter Family (L to R): daughter, Jessica Holmes, with her daughter, Tommie Jo, 4, and husband, Casey (their son, Trey, 2, is not pictured); Joe and Cindy (standing) Painter with grandson, Landon Williams, 6 mo; daughter, Joey Williams, with husband, Taylor. Cindy and Joe's son, PJ, works off the ranch as an attorney in Louisville, Ky., he is not pictured.

“He ran a few cows with the main herd and squatted on this land until about 1910 when he filed homesteading paperwork,” explained Lewis’ great-grandson, Joe Painter, 56. Like the four generations of Painters before him, Joe continues to run cattle and ride the range along with his wife, Cindy, and their two daughters, Jessica and Joey, and their families. Their son, PJ, 29, works as an attorney in Louisville, Ky. “Having our kids return to the ranch is the best thing in the world,” says the Harding County

Vintage rodeo photo of Joe Painter.

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rancher. “Otherwise, all those years of working extra hard to buy land and cattle would be for nothing. When you have the kids return home, you have someone to pass it on to and that makes everything worth it.” “It’s what we worked for all our lives,” Cindy adds. When Joe mentions hard work, he’s not stretching the truth. It was 1983 when he and Cindy returned to ranch fulltime after college. “Interest was 18 to 24 percent. Money was impossible to come by. We didn’t spend a nickel unless it was absolutely necessary,” Joe says. “A neighbor’s ranch came up for sale, $30 an acre, but we had no money to buy it. That’s how tight it was in the 80s.” Cindy shared another example of a time that the bank loaned them money to purchase sheep but then wouldn’t loan them money to buy feed. “We made it through by working extra hard. In blizzards we would put nearly every calf and lamb in a hotbox to save them,” Joe says. Their efforts were rewarded. Over time, Joe and Cindy were able to slowly expand their acres and cattle herd; slowly buying small neighboring ranches and quarter sections of land from absentee landowners whom they had previously rented from– remnants of the homesteading era.

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“This whole country was homesteaded in 160acre parcels. Most families were starved out and left. My dad used to say that the only survivors were those with a strong back and weak mind,” Joe laughs. Joe and Cindy ranched in partnership with his dad, Paul, and stepmom, LuAnn, until his dad passed away suddenly in 1992. Today, Joe and Cindy partner with their daughters and sons-in-law. They run primarily Black Angus cows, as well as a yearling operation.

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UNION FARMER can take the kids with us and they do everything with us. Just like when we were kids – but it’s easier because the tractors actually have a buddy seat.” Along with ranch work, the sisters fondly recall attending the same country school as their dad. Painter School was named for Joe’s grandma, Mildred Painter, who was the school’s first teacher. “We sometimes got to ride our horses to school.” Joey explains that there was a set of corrals at the school for that very Casey & Jessica Holmes with son, Trey, and daughter, Tommi Jo. purpose. “There were no “I never thought about doing anything else. I rules at Country School. During recess you could started buying cows when I was in college and do whatever you wanted; have snow mobile anytime I had a vacation from school or during the races, sled, play hockey on the river, ice skate – all summers I felt I needed to be here helping,” kinds of stuff.” explains Joey Williams, 25, who has a Master’s in Along with the opportunity to raise their Business Administration. children how they were raised, rodeo and training Also familiar with cattle, her husband, Taylor, barrel horses was the other love that drew them grew up on a cattle ranch and a guided hunting back home. operation near Broadus, Mont. Joey and Taylor Rodeo roots run almost as deep as raising have a 6-month-old son, Landon. cattle. Joe’s mom, Marilyn Scott, was the first Miss Expecting their first child is what brought Rodeo America to be crowned in 1955. In 1982 Jessica Holmes and her husband, Casey, back to Joe won the College National Finals Rodeo in the ranch. After college, they were both launching team roping. PJ was named All Around Cowboy at their careers in Rapid City; however, the idea of the Great Plains Region Inter-Collegiate Rodeo; raising their daughter, Tommi Jo, off the ranch both Jessica and Joey were named All Around didn’t appeal to them. Tommi Jo, 4, now has a Cowgirl at the Great Plains Region Inter-Collegiate younger brother, Trey, 19-months. Rodeo and received the champion title in “It was in our blood; we wanted to come back breakaway at the College National Finals Rodeo sometime and we started buying cows that dad in 2006 and 2012. All three Painter siblings were ran for us,” says Jessica, who also has her Master’s recognized at the College National Finals Rodeo in Business Administration. “I love the fact that we for their high GPAs. Over the years, all three won the grand prize of a horse trailer and pickup during the Sheridan Elks Youth Rodeo, and numerous other high honors. Looking back, the family’s passion for rodeo paid off in college scholarships and lifelong friendships. Discussing why they stuck with it, Jessica and Joey say that along with the friends they met along the way, rodeo fulfilled their love for competition. “We got to control our own destiny,” explains Jessica, who coached the National American University and Black Hills State rodeo teams 20072009. “In sports like basketball and volleyball, it depends on your team. In rodeo, it’s all on you.” Both girls met their husbands through rodeo and today, the couples continue to compete. “Rodeo goes hand-in-hand with what we do here on the ranch every day. It’s our lifestyle,” explains Taylor. When their parents are training horses or practicing for the next competition, Cindy enjoys taking care of her grandchildren. “When I think of all the grandparents who don’t get to have their grandkids close, it breaks Joey & Taylor Williams with their son, Landon.

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my heart,” Cindy says, explaining that she enjoyed raising her own kids on the ranch. Reflecting on his years working on the ranch and rodeoing, PJ says the skills he developed have served him well in his career as a corporate attorney. “I gained a lot of skills working with dad and mom on the ranch; the most valuable I’d have to say was learning that hard work and perseverance pays off. And, I think it was a good thing to learn the value of a dollar at a young age,” explains PJ. “I also understand what goes into owning a business, which helps me understand my clients better.” Typical summers the family squeezes rodeo in on the weekends between rotating cattle through pastures and haying. However, due to less than 2.5 inches of moisture in 2016, this summer they won’t be cutting any hay. “In my lifetime this is the driest I’ve ever seen it,” Joe says. “We typically hay from June 21 to

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UNION FARMER Understand it. Share it. Amendment T. By Matt Sibley, Legislative Specialist

s a grassroots organization, South Dakota Farmers Union asks our members to help us get out the vote and sign Amendment T into law. With your help, we were able to collect the Matt Sibley more than 40,000 signatures which got our Redistricting Amendment on the ballot in the first place. We now ask you to help us by educating family, friends and neighbors on the importance of passing this ballot measure. Helping voters understand Amendment T, as it is now officially named, is the best way to a ‘Yes’ vote. Now, I understand that explaining if we are to end gerrymandering, we need to establish a Redistricting Commission made up of voters, not legislators, is not always easy. So we have developed some go-to talking points. 1. Amendment T puts voters back in charge of their elections. Under Amendment T, a 9 member committee of voters, all nonlegislators, will be in charge of drawing the voting maps. This gets voters involved in their democracy and puts them back in charge. 2. Amendment T eliminates potential bias and corruption. Safeguards laid out in Amendment T make it illegal to use political party identification and incumbency as factors

when drawing voting maps. This protects the rights of voters and ensures fair and impartial elections. 3. Amendment T gives all voters a voice. Not only does Amendment T establish an all voter committee, it also provides South Dakotans with a 30 day public comment period to express any comments or concerns with the voting maps before they are finalized by the committee. So even if you are not selected to serve on the committee, you still have an opportunity to participate in this important process. Voters will be given a choice to vote Yes or No on Amendment T; the language below is what you will see on the ballot in November: A vote "Yes" is for changing the Constitution to provide for state legislative redistricting by a commission. A vote "No" will leave the Constitution as it is. 7 Steps to Success Amendment T will be the second amendment voters see when they are handed their ballot this November. From our standpoint, regardless of party affiliation, Amendment T is a win-win for ALL voters. However, passing ballot measures is no small task. Below is a list of seven steps we can all engage in to ensure Amendment T becomes

a permanent part of our Constitution. 1. Register to vote. Simply stop by your County Auditor’s office or visit this website: sdsos.gov/elections-voting. 2. Write a Letter to the Editor to publish in your local newspaper. Contact our office for a list of newspapers in your area, 605-3526761. 3. Share information with your family and friends about Amendment T. Find more information here: www.yesont.us. 4. Make a contribution to the campaign. Campaigns are costly and every donation helps us educate voters on the importance of passing Amendment T. 5. Volunteer to hand out campaign information at fairs and in your community. For volunteer opportunities, contact our office at 605-352-6761. 6. Notify our office of speaking opportunities in your community with various civic clubs and other organizations, 605-352-6761. 7. Request a barn sign. Please contact our office to be added to the list, 605-352-6761. Legislators shouldn’t choose their voters; voters should choose their legislators. To learn more, please give me a call at 605-352-6761, ext. 122, or visit our website: www.sdfu.org/legislation/sdrtthing2do.

Departings Ronald Foster, 79, of Estelline, passed away July 10, 2016. Funeral services were held Thursday, July 14th. Ron was a lifetime member of the SDFU, serving many years on the SDFU Board of Directors while President of District III. He enjoyed attending the Brookings County Camp and watching the children participating in learning activities along with the history of Farmers Union. He received the award for Meritorious Service upon his retirement from the board. He is survived by his wife, Jeanette, and three children: Carla (Tom) Clarke of Estelline, SD; Jeffrey (Tammy) Foster of Watertown, SD; and Todd (Jolynn) Foster of Brookings, SD; seven grandchildren, Justin (Beth) Clarke, Jameson Clarke, Nolan (Miranda) Clarke, Jordan Foster, Kelsi (Brandon) Houge, Spenser Foster, and Mitchel Foster; one great granddaughter, Emma Rose Houge; one brother, Kenneth Foster of Estelline, SD; three sisters-in-law, Jean Foster of Cary, IL; Joanne Foster of Estelline, SD; and Sharon Johnson of Estelline, SD; one brother-in-law, Robert Hutt (Darlene Pedersen) of Estelline, SD; and a host of nieces, nephews, and relatives.

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Second Tuesdays Tune In To South Dakota Farmers Union Radio Show

South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation Offers $2,500 Agricultural Graduate School Scholarship

Since 1915, South Dakota Farmers Union has provided a voice to the state’s family farmers and ranchers. The century-old, grassroots organization continues its legacy with a radio show hosted on second Tuesdays during KELO Radio's It's YOUR AgriBusiness Hour (10-11 a.m. CST). Pictured here (clockwise from left) during the airing of the first show is S.D. Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, Jim Woster, Bill Zortman and guest, Ellie Highstreet.

ince 1915, South Dakota Farmers Union has provided a voice to the state’s family farmers and ranchers. The century-old, grassroots organization continues its legacy with a radio show hosted on second Tuesdays during KELO Radio’s It’s YOUR AgriBusiness Hour (10-11 a.m. CST). “We’re excited about this opportunity to connect with our consumers,” said Doug Sombke, SDFU President and fourthgeneration Conde farmer. “Consumers are interested in knowing where their food comes from. As the numbers of family farmers and ranchers in our state continues to decline, the need to share our story increases.” Hosted by Bill Zortman and Jim Woster, the engaging news hour highlights farm and ranch families through live interviews. It delves into policy impacting ag producers, cooperatives and rural South Dakotans, answering consumer questions along the way. “I enjoy meeting the people of Farmers Union and South Dakota agriculture one-byone,” explained Zortman, a member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting,

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who celebrates more than 50 years in broadcasting. “They have great stories to share. Whether it’s a veteran farmer I got to visit with during the D.C. Fly-In or the next generation during the recent golf tournament, their drive to produce food is infectious.” Targeted to Sioux Falls-area consumers, the hour-long program is thoughtfully developed to spark conversations around our state’s number one industry and its people. “When it comes to reaching our state’s largest population of consumers, radio is an excellent platform,” said Kecia Beranek, SDFU Communication Specialist. “Until now, we worked with all other media to get our members’ stories out – this is yet another way to connect.” It’s YOUR AgriBusiness Hour can be found at 1320/107.9 KELO Newstalk, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Tune in to the most recent episode of the Farmers Union show at www.sdfu.org and click on the News tab.

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pplications for the South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation Graduate School Scholarship are now available at www.sdfufoundation.org. The Farmers Union Foundation Scholarship is designed to help retain talent in South Dakota to support South Dakota's agriculture industry. It is open to students from South Dakota pursuing a graduate degree in research, animal science, agriculture business or agriculture education at an accredited South Dakota school. "Education is our future. This scholarship is one way Farmers Union works to help retain highly skilled individuals in South Dakota," said Doug Sombke, SDFU President and fourthgeneration Conde farmer. Application deadline is November 1, 2016 Also sponsored by Travelers Motor Club, scholarship preference is given to students from South Dakota who have/had an affiliation with Farmers Union. Awards are for one academic year, beginning in the fall, and students may reapply at the end of the award period. Eligible graduate students include oncampus and distance education students who are pursuing any master’s or doctoral program, agriculture teacher certification program (CERT/FCSC) or graduate certificate program (GCERT). To learn more, contact Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director, South Dakota Farmers Union, at khofhenke@sdfu.org or call 605352-6761, ext.114.

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UNION FARMER Honey Production in South Dakota: From Pollination to Harvest – One Sweet Industry BEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION ARE A FOCUS OF FARMERS UNION YOUTH PROGRAMMING DURING THE 2016 SUMMER CAMP SEASON. SINCE SOUTH DAKOTA RANKS SECOND IN THE NATION IN HONEY PRODUCTION, WE THOUGHT OUR MATURE MEMBERS WOULD ALSO ENJOY LEARNING A BIT ABOUT BEES AND HONEY PRODUCTION IN OUR STATE. ENJOY!

ach summer, more than 400,000 bees call Joel Keierleber’s alfalfa fields home. The third-generation Colome crop and cattle producer and District 4 SDFU President says he welcomes 40

Richard Adee, 80, is a Farmers Union member and second generation honey producer and co-owner of Adee Honey, Bruce.

hives from local beekeeper Jack Bachmann. “Bees are nature working at its best,” explains Keierleber, who raises alfalfa for both seed and forage. “Having the bees on my land benefits both of us. My alfalfa needs them for pollination and they need my alfalfa for honey production.” Keierleber is among 150 South Dakota farmers who Bachmann, 77, works with to house his more than 7,000 hives each summer. Anywhere from 40,000-60,000 bees live in a single hive, or colony, as they are referred to by beekeepers. Each colony has one queen who lays 1,500 to 2,000 eggs daily. The rest of the bees are kept busy caring for the queen and her young larvae or gathering pollen, which feeds the young, and nectar, which is converted to honey to feed the rest of the colony. “Bees are really workers. I tell you what, if we had people who could work like those bees, we’d really have something,” Bachmann explains. “A bee will work their wings right off them bringing pollen and nectar back to the hive.” Growing up, Bachmann worked for area beekeepers. When one of his employers was ready to retire in 1975, he bought him out and established Bachmann Bee Farms Inc. It takes almost 20 acres of alfalfa to feed one colony, so Bachmann depends upon farmers like Keierleber, who have ample pastureland and raise flower-producing crops like alfalfa, soybeans and sunflowers to sustain his hives. When he first got into the business, finding farmers with abundant flower producing crops or pastureland full of wildflowers wasn’t much of a challenge. Today, however, it’s become a bit tricky for Bachmann and other beekeepers to find enough pollen and nectar-producing acres to maintain their colony’s food needs, explains Alan Schroeder, President of the S.D. Beekeepers Association. “Bees are nature working at its best; having the bees on my land benefits both of us. My alfalfa needs them for pollination and they need by alfalfa for honey production.”

Joel Keierleber, Dist. 4 SDFU President & Colome crop and cattle producer

Each summer more than 400,000 of Jack Bachmann's bees (left) call Joel Keierleber's alfalfa fields and pasture home. Keierleber is among 150 South Dakota farmers who Bachmann, 77, works with to house his more than 7,000 hives each summer. It takes almost 20 acres of alfalfa to feed one colony, so Bachmann depends upon farmers like Keierleber, who have ample pastureland and raise flower-producing crops like alfalfa, soybeans and sunflowers to sustain his hives.

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“Fence lines and shelter belts have been taken out to plant to corn. We’ve also lost a lot of pasture and native grassland,” Schroeder says. Today, less than a million acres remain enrolled in CRP (Conservation Reserve Program), compared to 2007 when South Dakota boasted nearly 1.6 million acres of CRP grassland. The loss of pollinator plants has impacted his yields. When Schroeder first got into the business in the 1970s, his bees produced about 14 gallons of honey per colony. Today, production has dipped to about 2 gallons per colony. “I don’t blame farmers. They need to do what’s right for their farms. However, we need to work together to sustain the food supply,” Schroeder said. Thirty percent of food would disappear without bees to pollinate, explains Schroeder, referencing research conducted by Dr. Roger Morris of Cornell University.

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UNION FARMER “We need bees and we need them bad. Today, it’s not profitability that keeps me beekeeping, like it was in my early years; it’s because I want to be part of making sure that the crops that need bees are able to survive,” Schroeder said. In fact, each winter Schroeder and most other South Dakota bee keepers are paid by California almond growers to overwinter their bees in groves. “California needs our bees to pollinate their almonds,” explains Richard Adee, a second generation beekeeper. “That’s a $5 billion industry dependent upon bee pollination. The health of bees is of national concern; not only for beekeepers, but everyone – we all eat.” Farmers love soil, we love bees At 80, Adee has a long history with bees and honey. Honey, he explains, helped his family survive the Depression years. “My father and his four brothers were school teachers during the Depression and got into raising bees to support their families,” Adee says. He explains that his dad, Vernon, was looking for a way to bring in some cash. Like many school teachers during the Depression, Vernon was paid in commodities – hogs, potatoes, eggs – so when his brother bought some bees at a farm sale and sent him a letter encouraging him to get into the honey business, he decided to give it a try. “The letter read, ‘I can’t sell produce, but I’m selling honey.’ So he began selling honey to anyone he could,” shares Adee, of the family legacy that he and his children, Bret, Kelvin and Marla Roseland, as well as some grandchildren, continue today. Expanding over the years to 80,000 colonies, today three generations of Adees operate the family-owned wholesale honey business, headquartered in Bruce, which employs 80 people year-round and sells honey by the semi load to packinghouses across the nation and Europe. “I just love working with bees. To be a good beekeeper you have to love the bees. Just like a good farmer loves the soil,” says Adee. Like Schroeder, Bachmann and the nearly 89 commercial bee keepers in South Dakota, Adee depends on farmers and ranchers. During the summers, Adee’s bee hives are spread out on 1,500 farms and ranches across South Dakota, southern North Dakota, Minnesota Alan Schroeder, President of the S.D. Beekeepers Association.

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and Nebraska. He explains that the northern climate is excellent for nectar production. “Cool nights and warmer days brings the nectar up in the plant, which is why South Dakota is so good for honey production.” Back in the early days of Adee Honey, South Dakota’s climate aided in the production of more than 10 gallons of honey per colony. Today, production is down 50 percent due to lack of pollinator plants and loss of bees to disease, insecticide applied during daylight hours near hives, and systemic pesticides (seed treatments) which the plant carries into their pollen and nectar as it grows. “We need bees and we need them bad. Today, it’s not profitability that keeps me beekeeping, like it was in my early years; it’s because I want to be part of making sure that the crops that need bees are able to survive.”

Alan Schroeder, President of the S.D. Beekeepers Association & Colome crop and cattle producer “The bees take it home and eat it; it breaks down their immune system making them more susceptible to viruses,” Adee explains. “It also breaks down their ability to navigate, limiting their ability to find their way home – thus the term Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). When this happens, bees fly out looking for pollen and nectar and never find their way back to the colony. Right now it is the biggest cause of bee loss.” Prior to the introduction of seed treatments, Adee would typically lose about 10 percent of his bees each season. Today, on average he loses 45 percent of his bees each season. Keeping bees alive is a constant battle, says South Dakota State Apiarist, Bob Reiners. Since he became the keeper of honeybees for the state in 1984, Reiners says he has seen a diversity of diseases and environmental hazards impact honeybees and in turn the South Dakota families who care for them. “It is just challenging to stay ahead of the pests. Bees get viruses like other livestock,” says Reiners. “And then there are pesticides. If bees are nearby, farmers and applicators need to be aware of the time of day that they spray.” He explains that if spraying is done early morning or late evening, when the bees are in their hive, often there is little impact. And then there is colony collapse, when the majority of the bees in a colony leave the queen nearly unattended. “I have seen more colony loss in recent years,” Reiners says. “Although, I cannot attribute it all to true colony collapse, I do see more holes on the pallets where the colonies are gone due to illness or pesticide. Is there a resolution? I sure hope so. Many researchers are trying to look at it and find causes.” Reiners, like the bee keepers he works with daily, is amazed by bees. “They are so intelligent. They can sense a half-degree temperature change; they can detect ultraviolent light, which helps them navigate for which blossoms to go to. There is division of labor and chores in a colony – they actually carry water into the hive as a form of air conditioning.” Fascination with bees, Reiners explains, has led to an increase in commercial and cottage industry of bee keepers in South Dakota. Reiners says to date there are more than 150 South Dakotans who make bee keeping a hobby. “They are doing their part in helping sustain bee populations in our state,” Reiners says. By Lura Roti, for SDFU

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2016 Farmers Union Foundation Open Golf Tournament Held June 21 Sixty-two golfers enjoyed a day of fun and raising funds for the next generation of agricultural leaders during the 2016 Farmers Union Foundation Open Golf Tournament held June 21, 2016, at the Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell. The winning team shot 15 under and included: Brendon Hansen, Kyle Mork, Ben Olsen and Chuck Olsen. The Best Dressed team was the Kingsbury Kings: Wayne Soren, Jason Soren, Doug Kazmerzak, Dave Jones and Ryan Soren. Nearly $10,000 was raised to benefit Farmers Union Education Camp Programs, Leadership Development Programs, Young Producers Group and Youth Farm Safety Awareness.

The winning team for the 14th annual South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation 14th Annual Dakota Prairie Open was Hansen Agency with a score of 58. (Left to Right) Kyle Mork, Brendon Hansen, Ben Olsen and Chuck Olsen.

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UNION FARMER 2016-2017 Junior Advisory Council Members Selected to Serve

The 2016-2017 Junior Advisory Council members include: AJ Schoenfelder, Parkston; Abbey Tschetter, Huron; Cole Van Gorp, Stickney; Jonah Murtha, Parkston; Shaun Snedeker, Woonsocket; and Madelyn Kline, Huron.

uring the 2016 State Leadership Camp, a six-member Junior Advisory Council was selected by the Youth and Education Council to serve as leaders, role models and representatives in planning and conducting the 2017 State Leadership Camp. The 2016-2017 Junior Advisory Council (JAC) who were announced during State Camp include: Cole Van Gorp, Corsica; Shaun Snedeker, Stickney; AJ Schoenfelder, Parkston; Madelyn Kline, Huron; Jonah Murtha, Parkston; and Abbey Tschetter, Huron. In addition to coordinating, implementing and guiding State Camp, these individuals participate in a number of leadership development opportunities throughout the year. They are involved in activities such as serving as a page at the Farmers Union State

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Convention, helping with Farmers Union events across South Dakota and assisting the State Education Director with promotion of education programs. “SDFU offers a unique learning environment to the JACS. This is a safe way to test leadership skills by the youth creating a camp and agenda and then implementing all the moving parts until the event is completed. Normally students are given the opportunity to test or present in school but not always to coordinate and plan a four day event. This is truly the campers camp and I am just here to support the vision” explains Rachel HaighBlume, SDFU Education Director. “State Leadership Camp is developed to provide rural youth with leadership and professional development skills that will help them throughout high school and well into their future. The Junior Advisory Council plays an

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important role in making this happen.” Read on to learn more about these youth leaders: Madelyn Kline, Huron Madelyn, 17, is the daughter of Neal and Kristin Kline. She attends Huron High School. Initially she learned about Farmers Union summer camps online. “My sister and I wanted to go to summer camp and that’s when my mom found out about Farmers Union District camp online.” Friendship and fun are what kept Madelyn returning to camp year after year, but

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UNION FARMER JAC Continued from Page 9 leadership development is the reason she is excited to serve as a member of the Junior Advisory Council. “I love being around all my friends and getting to spend the whole week with everyone,” she explains. “As a JAC I know that as I help plan camp for everyone, I will further develop my leadership skills.” Although she does not live on a farm, Madelyn does raise cattle. Through Farmers Union youth programming she says she has been given insight into what it means to be a farmer or rancher. “I have learned that it takes a bunch of work to live and work on a farm and how much time and effort is needed.” Jonah Murtha, Parkston Jonah, 17, is the son of Becky and Kevin Murtha. He attends Parkston High School and first became involved with SDFU youth programming by attending district camp. “I value Farmers Union camp and attend each year because of the opportunities it provides, friends I have made and the skills I have learned,” Jonah explains. He wanted to serve on the Junior Advisory Council because of the impact JACs have had

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on him during his early years as a camper. “The JACs were the reason I had a great time at camp. They create everything we do at camp and make sure everyone is having fun and making friends – I look forward to doing that for campers in 2017,” he says. “I look forward to watching campers grow and learn through the week and seeing kids break out of their shells and open up. I look forward to helping kids feel appreciated at camp.” AJ Schoenfelder, Parkston AJ, 17, is the son of Beth Polreis. He attends Parkston High School. AJ was introduced to Farmers Union camp by his friend and fellow JAC, Jonah Murtha. “I thought it was really cool, so I went on to State Leadership Camp the next year,” he says. Now that he will be helping develop the 2017 State Leadership Camp, AJ is eager to create a similar experience for others. “The amount of work and care that past JACs put into camp each year gave me a great experience. I want to pass that on to younger campers. State Leadership Camp makes me a better person all around – I learn something

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new each year,” he says. “I also look forward to working alongside the friends that I’ve made through all my years of camp to create an amazing camp experience for younger campers.” AJ lives on his grandpa’s farm. Through Farmers Union Youth Programming, he has gained a new appreciation for cooperatives. “I’ve learned how much a local co-op can help rural farmers, especially when some farmers hit a rough patch and need a bit of support.” Shaun Snedeker, Woonsocket Shaun, 17, is the son of Mark and Lisa Snedeker. He attends Woonsocket High School and has been attending Farmers Union camps since he was in kindergarten and has been a "can't miss" summer highlight ever since. He keeps returning year after year because of the friends he has made. “It’s an opportunity to meet and spend time with some of my closest friends,” Shaun says, adding, “Through Farmers Union Camp you learn how to make the best of everything. It has helped me develop and enhance my public speaking and social skills.” Now as a member of the Junior Advisory Council, Shaun looks forward to being a role

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UNION FARMER model for younger campers. “I have always looked up to the JACs and will work hard to help our team make the 2017 camp fun!” Cole Van Gorp, Stickney Cole, 17, is the son of Randy and Jan Van Gorp. He attends CorsicaStickney High School. Cole looks forward to serving on the Junior Advisory Council this year because of the opportunity he has to help make camp as fun as possible. “I always look forward to the fun times at State Leadership Camp and spending time with my friends. Now I’ll be able to help make the 2017 fun for campers,” he says. On a more serious note, by attending State Leadership Camp, Cole says he has developed the ability to talk in front of groups and gained the ability to take charge and lead. Abbey Tschetter, Huron Abbey, 16, is the daughter of Lisa Tschetter. She attends Wolsey – Wessington High school and is active in volleyball, basketball, Health Occupations Student of America and FFA. 2016 was her fourth year to attend S.D. Farmers Union State Leadership Camp. She says that the experiences she has had at Farmers Union camp have instilled leadership skills which will help carry her into the future and lead others – including during next year’s camp. “I am a creative person and hope to help our team create a unique camp experience for campers in 2017,” Abbey says. “I wanted to become a JAC because I love coming to camp and the previous JACs taught me how to impact younger campers. I look forward to creating a week of activities filled with fun and education.” I

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UNION FARMER State Leadership Camp Continued from Page 1 has also given me a better understanding of cooperatives. I think they are very interesting because they help solve problems and provide necessities to rural communities.” Jonah Murtha To immerse youth in cooperative education, campers work together to form five working cooperatives during the weeklong camp. “Over the years of coming to Farmers Union camp, I have learned a lot about how to understand other people’s personalities and the fact that you need to respect everyone’s opinion and work together,” says Murtha, who was one of six teens selected to serve on the 2016-2017 Junior Advisory Council. Junior Advisory Council members help plan the next year’s camp and serve as role models to other campers. Other Junior Advisory Council members include: Abbey Tschetter (Huron), Madelyn Kline (Huron), Shawn Snedeker (Woonsocket), Cole Van Gorp (Stickney) and Al Jordan Schoenfelder (Parkston). To learn more about these youth, turn to page 9. “This year’s Junior Advisory Council and Senior Advisory Council did a great job planning camp,” says Rachel Haigh-Blume, SDFU Education Director. “Ultimately this is the camper’s camp; this is a camp planned and implemented by the students it serves. The students work very hard on relevant programming and developing leaders for tomorrow and it is amazing when it all comes together and you witness the impact it has on those who attend – especially first time campers.” Camper, Kathryn Nightingale, would agree. “I really look up to the members of the Junior Advisory (JAC) and Senior Advisory Council (SAC),” says the White Lake High School freshman. “It’s my goal to be a JAC Kathryn Nightingale someday.” Growing up on a ranch, Nightingale explains that she also appreciates being able to connect with other farm kids from across

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the state. “It’s easier to relate to kids who also live on farms. At Farmers Union Camp no one excludes you. It’s easy to make friends here. Seeing my old friends has to be my favorite part of Farmers Union camp,” Nightingale says. Connecting with their peers from rural communities across the state not only results in friendships, but also helps expand campers’ outlooks, explains Haigh-Blume. “Getting to know people from other communities and backgrounds is a good way for teens to learn to look outside themselves to the larger world around them and better understand how everything is intertwined,” Haigh-Blume says. “Learning to communicate with a broad group of people is just one more step in building a strong foundation as they continue on the path to leadership development.” New Underwood teen, Taylin Montague, 16, agrees with Haigh-Blume, explaining her personal growth through connecting with other teens like this. “Through the Taylin Montague camp experience, you build a great sense of compassion for other people and find so many ways to connect with kids older than you, younger than you and your same age. I’ve really gained a lot of people skills and learned a sense of respect for others over the years of coming to camp,” says Montague, who has been attending Farmers Union camps since she was in elementary school. This is her fourth year to attend State Leadership Camp. The camp experience has helped Matt Olson, 13, break out of his shell. “Before I came to Farmers Union camp, I was the kind of person who had to grow up with a person before I would Matt Olson visit with them. Now I can approach whomever I want to,” says the Frederick eighth-grader who has been attending Farmers Union District camp since the fourth grade. This is his first year attending State Leadership Camp.

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Growing up on a farm, Olson said that although his dad purchases some inputs from the local cooperative, everything he knows about cooperatives and how they work he has learned from Farmers Union. “I learned that there are many different types of cooperatives – they aren’t just for farmers.” In addition to hands-on cooperative education and leadership development, campers had the opportunity to learn from a strong line-up of speakers including: Lisa Snedecker, Understand Your Personality Style; Scott Jensen spoke about his time in the service and what it means to be a Veteran and a leader; two highway patrol officers presented on safety practices and the importance of smart decisions; Malcolm Chapman discussed leadership and motivation; and Amy Provechek presented on Winter Storm Atlas. The Junior Advisory Council and Senior Advisory Council members discussed national leadership opportunities and Kiana Brockel presented on cooperative principles and the impact it had on a neighborhood in North Carolina experiencing a food desert. Campers also toured the Black Hills, visited the Journey Museum, participated in the Mount Rushmore lighting ceremony and enjoyed outdoor activities like hiking and canoeing.

Bob Janish Memorial Friendship Award Samuel Schumacher of Stickney was awarded the Bob Janish Memorial Friendship Award during State Leadership Camp. Each year this award is given to a camper who exemplifies the most friendship toward other campers throughout the week. It is given in memory of a former state camper and Junior Advisory Council member, Bob Janish, who was killed in a tragic accident in 1980. To learn more about Farmers Union camps and year-round educational programming, visit www.sdfu.org.

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UNION FARMER Highlights from S.D. Farmers Union State Leadership Camp

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UNION FARMER Around the State With Farmers Union Read on to learn how South Dakota Farmers Union members and staff are making a difference in rural communities across South Dakota.

All States Camp Women in Ag More than 270 women attended the Agricultural Women’s Day event held in Faulkton on June 1, 2016. The event included a day of speakers, shopping, lunch and visiting. Pictured here, Pam Evenson, SDFU Membership Specialist, stands with Trisha Hadrick of Faulkton, who was the SDFU door prize winner.

State High School Rodeo Meal

Karla Hofhenke with Jaycob Smith of Rapid City

Six youth South Dakota Farmers Union members traveled to Bailey, Colo. to attend the 80th annual National Farmers Union (NFU) All-States Leadership Camp. SDFU Campers Include: Back row (L to R): Reece Schulte, Orient; Kiana Brockel, Shade Hill; Alexandra Farber, Britton; and Kaden Kummer, Parkston. Front row (L to R): Jesse Carlson, Seneca; and Braeden Walton, Mitchell. Hosted each June at the NFU Education Center, All-States Camp encourages youth to explore their leadership potential, discuss issues important to their generation and identify ways to affect positive change in their communities. “All States Camp gave me the opportunity to take what I learned about myself from SDFU State Leadership Camp and put it into action as I met people from different states. We are all different and by working to understand each other’s differences, we all benefit,” explains Reece Schulte, a graduate of Faulkton Area High School who will be attending Dakota State University this fall. Three of the South Dakota youth served on NFU’s National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC), representing thousands of Farmers Union youth across the country. These youth include: Kiana Brockel, Shade Hill; Alexandra Farber, Britton; and Jesse Carlson, Seneca.

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Winner of Membership Incentive Contest Jeffrey Vogel of Turton was the winner of the new iPad membership drive drawing for all new members from January 1st to May 31, 2016. Jeffrey said he didn’t even know there was a drawing for a prize when he joined Farmers Union. “I joined South Dakota Farmers Union because I appreciate what they stand for. I like that they go out to Washington, DC, to fight for issues that are important to me and my community,” Vogel said. Pictured here is South Dakota Farmers Union membership specialist, Pam Evenson, with Jeffrey Vogel of Turton.

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UNION FARMER Painter Family Continued from Page 3 Aug. 1 and then spend a month hauling it all in.” The family will rely on last year’s excess and buy hay to overwinter their yearlings and their cow/calf herd this year. No strangers to dry years, in the early 1990s the family began dividing 2,000 to 4,000-acre pastures into three or four smaller pastures and installing miles of pipeline so that regardless of rain, their cattle would have access to fresh

water. “We rotate cattle through the pastures based on availability of grass to make sure we don't over graze,” Casey explains. The smaller pastures also help with winter herd maintenance. Because storms on the open range can become quite severe, over the years Joe has built nearly 40 large V-shaped wind breaks.

Over the last two decades, the family has also planted several tree breaks. “Everyone’s goal in life should be to leave the land better than they found it for the next generation. That’s always been our goal,” Joe says. To view more photos of the Painter family, visit www.sdfu.org. by Lura Roti, for SDFU

Family Farmers and Ranchers May Find Drought Recovery Assistance from the USDA FSA Disaster Assistance Programs

f the current drought has impacted your family’s farm or ranch, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) disaster assistance programs may be able to help. The disaster assistance programs are designed to assist agricultural producers in their recovery efforts following drought or similar qualifying natural disasters. Available programs include: • Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) - provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters (includes native grass for grazing). Eligible producers must have purchased NAP coverage for 2016 crops. Producers must file form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, as soon as the loss becomes apparent.

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• Livestock Forage Disaster Assistance Program (LFP) - provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing. Eligible producers must complete form CCC-853, Livestock Forage Disaster Program Application. • Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) - provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs. Producers must submit a notice of loss to their local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent and complete form CCC-851, Emergency Loss Assistance for Livestock Application.

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• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters and to implement emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. Submit an application at your local FSA office. • Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Emergency Haying and Grazing authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disaster on qualifying CRP acres. Acreage reports (CCC578) must be complete in order to meet eligibility requirements for disaster assistance programs. For more information on these programs, contact your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov. To find a local FSA office near you, visit http://offices.usda.gov.

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UNION FARMER Family Farmers and Ranchers Receive Less than 20 Percent of Food Costs, NFU Infographic Shows

s consumers gather together and grill this summer, National Farmers Union (NFU) is making sure family farmers and ranchers are recognized for growing and producing the food served at cookouts and barbecues across the country. In a special holiday edition of the NFU Farmer’s Share, the organization points out the mere pennies producers receive for every food dollar spent by consumers to make an All-American favorite, the cheeseburger. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, consumers will spend approximately $2.45 to purchase the food items to cook a cheeseburger this

holiday. Yet, the family farmers and ranchers that work tirelessly to produce the food will only receive 45-cents of that cost. The remaining $2 accounts for food supply chain costs, such as marketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing. “It is a common misconception that producers are driving up the price of food and getting rich off consumers’ food purchases, but that’s not true. There is a difference between the price of food at the grocery store and the market price of commodities,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “The majority of food costs account for all the steps of getting the food from the farm gate to your plate, while the family farmers and ranchers who actually produce your food receive pennies of the dollar.” On average, farmers receive approximately 17.4-cents for each dollar spent on food at home and away from home in the United States, and for some food products, the farmer’s share is significantly less. According to the infographic, the cost of a bun for your cheeseburger is about 37-cents, but farmers will only receive a penny of that cost. “Whether gathered at a cookout or out to eat, the food we all enjoy with family and friends this summer all started with America’s family farmers and ranchers,” Johnson concluded. Courtesy of NFU

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Preventing an Unwanted Baler Fire

urrent dry conditions make field fires a very real concern. Tracey Erickson, SDSU Extension Dairy Field Specialist encourages folks to conduct maintenance checks before heading to the hay field to reduce the risk of fire. “Dry conditions this year have reminded many how quickly fires can ignite causing damage, destroying equipment, future feedstuffs and potentially putting lives at risk,” Erickson said. “Prevention and maintenance only takes a few minutes versus trying to recover from a catastrophic loss caused by a potentially avoidable fire.” Baler Maintenance 1. Remove any trash or plant material accumulation on the baler and take time to blow off dust, leaves, and dry stems. 2. Keep the baler free and clean of oil, grease or hydraulic fluid accumulation, which

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also attracts and holds dust while baling and is highly ignitable. 3. Carry an ABC fire extinguisher on the baler or in your tractor at all times. An ABCrating on fire extinguishers means that it is rated to control the following: “A”-Trash, Wood, Paper; “B”-Liquids; “C” – Electrical. Make the extinguisher easy to access and check it to make sure it is still adequately charged with fire retardant and is not beyond its expiration date. 4. Carry a minimum of 4 gallons of water to use if a fire would ignite. 5. It is also recommended to have a shovel or spade with you to throw dirt on a fire or pat out the “hot” spots. 6. Take time to inspect all moving parts for wear or friction before heading out to bale. 7. Do not over fill the fuel tank as the overflow of fuel can have a potential to

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become ignited. These spills should be cleaned up immediately. Shut off the engine and electrical equipment while filling the fuel tank. The fuel nozzle should be grounded against the filler

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South Dakota Farmers Union Welcomes Kayla Foreman

he Board of Directors for South Dakota Farmers Union recently hired Kayla Foreman to fill the new state staff position of Controller. “In the last decade, we’ve gone from a $4 million organization to Kayla Foreman nearly $16 million Controller organization,” explained Doug Sombke, President of SDFU. “With such incredible growth, the Board saw the need

for a Controller to provide oversight of all three entities of South Dakota Farmers Union – membership, foundation and insurance.” With a Master’s in Professional Accountancy from the University of South Dakota, Foreman brings integrity, experience and a fresh outlook to the new position. “I have great respect for the membership of Farmers Union. South Dakota’s family farmers and ranchers work to be good stewards of their resources. I take this role seriously and want the members to know that I will work to provide the necessary information for the organization to best

manage its resources,” said Foreman. Prior to accepting the Controller position with Farmers Union, she worked at Eide Bailly and as an accountant at ELO CPA, LLC. “Just as Farmers Union membership is growing, so has our Foundation’s endowment and the insurance business. This new position allows us to provide the additional oversight this type of growth requires,” said Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director. “We are impressed by Kayla’s background and drive. She will serve the membership and organization well.”

South Dakota Farmers Union Links Farm & Ranch Families to Farm Safety Videos this Summer

outh Dakota Farmers Union, in conjunction with National Farmers Union, is working to raise awareness about farm and ranch safety issues and best practices through a series of 10 educational videos. “Farming and ranching is a family business – which means parents and their children are often working together during the summer months. It’s a great way to promote a healthy work ethic, but we cannot forget that this work can also be dangerous – no matter how old you are,” said Doug Sombke, S.D. Farmers Union President and fourth-generation Conde farmer. Sombke currently farms with his sons. He encourages farm and ranch families to take time to watch these videos to increase safety awareness. “We live and work on our farms and ranches; it’s good to have a reminder of the dangers so we can keep ourselves and the ones we love safe,” Sombke said.

www.sdfu.org/farm-safety Nearly 500 farm work-related deaths occur annually, according to a 2013 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study, and machinery accidents account for approximately a quarter of them. Four of the farm safety videos focus on topics related to farm equipment. Other video topics include safety measures for livestock handling, grain hauling and storage, chemical use and keeping kids safe on the farm.

The videos can be accessed by visiting www.sdfu.org/ farm-safety. South Dakota Farmers Union makes farm safety education a part of their summer youth programming. The annual Team Up For Safety Quiz Bowl is yet another way that S.D. Farmers Union engages teens in farm safety education. During Farmers Union Day at the South Dakota State Fair, Farmers Union hosts the Team Up For Safety Quiz Bowl. The farm safety videos produced by National Farmers Union were made possible by the generous support of CHS Foundation, National Farmers Union Foundation, National Farmers Union Insurance, Hastings Mutual Insurance, Midwest Agency, North Dakota Farmers Union Insurance and Montana Farmers Union. To learn more about South Dakota Farmers Union, visit www.sdfu.org.

10. Do not smoke near the baler or tractor as this adds to the potential for a spark to cause a fire ignition. 11. Carry a charged cell phone with you to make an emergency call if necessary. 12. Be able to give directions to your location in an emergency situation. 13. Communicate with others where you

will be working so that you can be located in case an emergency situation would arise. SDSU Extension Contact: Tracey Erickson, SDSU Extension Dairy Field Specialist Tracey.Erickson@sdstate.edu http://igrow.org/about/authors/traceyerickson/ Courtesy of iGrow.org.

Baler Fire Continued from Page 16 neck to avoid sparks. 8. Immediately repair any hydraulic or fuel leaks and clean up any spills. Hydraulic fluid is flammable. 9. If welding repairs are required, take care not to weld near pipes, tubes or hoses filled with flammable fluid such as gas, oil or hydraulic oil.

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30-For-30 Celebrates Home-Grown Renewable Fuel

SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION CAMPS—2016 For times, locations and registration information, and any rescheduling information, visit www.sdfu.org and click on the Youth Calendar tab. JULY 24-27 District III & VII Camp, Aberdeen 28 McCook County Camp, Salem 31-Aug. 2 District IV,V,VI, Camp Bob Marshall

outh Dakota Farmers Union hosted a 30-For-30 event at the Highland Travel Plaza in Mitchell July 14, 2016. The event celebrates the benefits of fueling up with Premium E30. During the 30-For-30 event, drivers receive .30 cents for every gallon of Premium E30 purchased. “Fueling up with a 30 percent blend of ethanol not only saves folks money, but it supports South Dakota’s family farmers who market their corn to the state’s many ethanol plants,” explained Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union.

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AUGUST 2 Charles Mix Co. Camp, Geddes 3 Lincoln Co. Camp, Tea 3 Harding Co. Camp, Buffalo 4 St. John’s Local Co. Camp, Parkston 5 Aurora Co. Camp, Stickney 5 Clay Co. Camp, Vermillion 8 Miner Co. Camp, Howard 8 Perkins Co. Camp, Bison 9 Hanson Co. Camp, Alexandria 11 Dewey-Ziebach Co. Camp, Dupree

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Get to Know ... Brookings Insurance Agent Nathan Kirby

Get to Know ... Pierre Insurance Agent Gary Ray

ary Ray got into the insurance business by accident; however, he is very intentional when it comes to helping his customers protect their risk. “We make farm or ranch visits each year because there are a lot of moving pieces on an agriculture operation. If disaster strikes, we want to ensure our customers’ assets are covered,” explains Gary, who joined Farmers Union Insurance after answering a newspaper Gary Ray ad shortly after moving to Pierre for his wife, Annette’s, career more than 20 years ago. Working in the Pierre area since the mid-1990s, Gary has enjoyed another benefit of these yearly visits – developing friendships with his customers. “Our customers are more than a commission. I like to get to know their family, kids and grandkids,” explains the father of three grown children and a new grandpa. “I’ve become engaged with the families I work for. They have become like a part of my extended family and I enjoy being included in their life events.” Gary says this connection is one of many reasons he enjoys working for Farmers Union Insurance. “That’s something Farmers Union agents do that most other agents don’t. We are very hands-on with our customers – meeting with them at their kitchen table or machine shed.” You can contact Gary by phone at 605-224-4123, or email garyray@midconetwork.com.

everal years ago Nathan Kirby’s dad, Cory, and grandpa, Stanton, were in a terrible car accident. As Cory waited beside Stanton’s hospital bed, he called Larry Sutton, his Farmers Union Insurance Agent. “Larry told my dad to focus on my grandpa. He told him that it was his job to worry about the insured vehicle. Larry took care of everything,” Nathan explains. “After that, once my grandpa healed, he transferred Nathan Kirby every insurance policy he had over to Larry.” Today, Nathan works to provide his customers with the same level of customer service Larry provided to his family in their time of need. “You hope you never need to use insurance, but you purchase it for those emergencies that happen. And if an emergency happens, you want your agent to take care of you,” Nathan explains. A native of Brookings, Nathan works out of the Brookings Farmers Union Insurance Agency. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University. Prior to joining the Farmers Union Insurance team, he lived in Minneapolis working in liquor sales. Nathan and his wife, Emily, live in Brookings. You can contact Nathan by phone at 605-692-6735, or email kirby.farmersunion@gmail.com.

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UNION FARMER Roger Johnson

National Farmers Union President

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has once again proposed Renewable Fuel Standard target obligations below their statutory levels, undermining the Administration’s climate agenda. The U.S. International Trade Commission released a highly anticipated economic assessment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in May, forecasting minimal economic gains and an increase in the nation’s trade deficit. NFU, along with the American Antitrust Institute and Food & Water Watch are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to challenge the merger of Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is coming to the relief of cotton producers by providing $300 million in costshare assistance payments. EPA Proposes Low RFS Target Levels The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2017 at 18.8 billion gallons, which fall more than 5 billion gallons below the statutory volume levels set by Congress. NFU is deeply disappointed to see the EPA undermine the RFS once again by falling significantly short of the statute with their proposed volume obligations, which does not track with other admirable, important advances on climate that the Administration has made. Farmers and ranchers understand the impacts that climate change has on the planet, its environmental resources, and our ability to feed a growing world population. The investments made in renewable fuels and advanced biofuels have helped bridge a divide between agriculture’s current environmental impact and the climate goals set forth by the Administration – goals that we cannot meet without the participation of our family farmers and ranchers. Unfortunately, this action by the EPA comes at a time when economic distress is increasing in farm country and this halfhearted proposal from EPA will add to that distress. It is time that the Administration stop

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placing the agenda of Big Oil above the country’s own climate objectives. NFU is urging the Administration to return the volume obligations to their statutory levels in the final rule. Find out how you can help on the NFU website. Comments to the EPA’s proposed rule are due July 11. ITC: TPP To Increase Trade Deficit The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) released their highly-anticipated economic assessment of the widely contested Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement in May, predicting minimal gains for the overall economy and an increase in the United States’ already massive trade deficit. These reports are often overstatedly positive, which is why it is striking that the USITC’s “optimistic” results only project minimal economic gains for TPP. The commission’s assessment of a gain of just .15 percent in real U.S. GDP over the next 16 years, while increasing our massive trade deficit, should raise serious alarms about the proposed benefits of this trade agreement. Even agriculture, which is often touted as the most beneficially impacted sector of the economy, is only estimated to see a half percent gain over 15 years. The report also highlights how damaging TPP will be for the nation’s trade balance, increasing the already massive trade deficit by $21.7 billion. The trade deficit currently represents a 3 percent drag on GDP, negatively impacting the overall economy. NFU will continue to urge Congress to thoughtfully consider opposing the TPP agreement in its current form. Challenging Dow-DuPont In a letter sent to the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Renata Hesse, NFU joined the American Antitrust Institute (AAI) and Food & Water Watch (FWW) in urging the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division to challenge the proposed merger of Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. The letter details the group’s analysis of the proposed merger that would create the

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largest biotechnology and seed firm in the U.S. The deal would further consolidate an already highly concentrated biotechnology industry and would likely curtail innovation, raise prices, and reduce cultivation choices for farmers, consumers and the food system. AAI, FWW, and NFU urge the DOJ to critically review the implications of the pending deal. The letter unpacks three major areas of concern, including eliminating headto-head competition in the corn and soybean markets, reducing vital innovation competition, and creating a large, integrated “platform” of traits, seeds, and chemicals that would make it harder for smaller biotechnology rivals to compete. The proposed merger would create a powerful duopoly between Dow-DuPont and Monsanto. Together, the two companies would control 76% of the market for corn and 66% of the market for soybeans, giving them the power to charge farmers higher prices and effectively decide which seeds farmers could plant. The groups conclude that the proposed Dow-DuPont merger “would be difficult, if not impossible, to remedy.” The letter notes accumulating evidence on failed remedies in other mergers, the difficulty of finding viable buyers of to-be divested assets, and the ineffectiveness of divesting assets to other members of the Big Six firms. NFU Farm Bill Survey The 2014 Farm Bill expires on September 30, 2018, so it is absolutely critical that NFU works with membership to identify key policy areas for improvement in the 2018 Farm Bill. In doing so, NFU has created a survey on the 2014 farm bill and is asking its members to fill it out online so that the organization can better advocate for farm programs that work for farmers. The survey is meant to compliment a series of member listening sessions held across the country. Please visit http://bit.ly/NFUSurvey to participate in the survey. Current as of July 5, 2016

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From the President....

Celebrate Freedom Together

Doug Sombke SDFU President

et’s discuss freedom as we wrap up the month of July. It’s the month we as Americans celebrate the birth of our country. It’s also a great opportunity to thank those who have served to give and protect such a right or privilege. Webster’s New World Dictionary definition of freedom: noun 1 the state of being free; a) independence b) civil or political liberty c) exemption from an obligation, discomfort d) being able to act, use, freely e) ease of movement f) frankness 2 a right or privilege. Note: Webster lists a right or privilege as the second meaning of freedom. I note this because so many times we as Americans seem to forget the price of our freedom and our obligation to keep such a right or privilege. One freedom we have in America is our freedom to live in a great rural state like South Dakota. As great as it is to live in a rural state, we do have our challenges. One of those challenges is rural child poverty. According to the USDA’s economic research services June 2016 Amber Waves Magazine, the share of rural children living below the official poverty line rose from 20.1% in 2003 to 26.7% in 2012; its highest level since 1968 before declining in 2014 to 23.7%. The cause of the net increase wasn’t primarily a reduction in average family incomes in rural areas. It was an increase in income inequality between low-income and more affluent rural families. Though some of the increase in rural income inequality is attributed to changing rural demographics, the majority reflects a general increase in earnings inequality in rural areas across all demographic groups. Rural child poverty is a challenge family farmers and other rural community leaders cannot ignore! The efforts by SDFU and other rural organizations like South Dakota Cattlemen’s collecting donations for Feeding South Dakota are wonderful and certainly

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commendable. Yet, if we truly believe living in rural states like South Dakota is the backbone of our country, we need to do more to right the wrong of income inequality today. We need to be more Christlike and put others before ourselves or our efforts are futile. According to the Amber Waves article, by 2014 the average income for rural families with children has almost recovered to its prerecessionary level, yet rural child poverty remained elevated, implying income inequality in rural America had worsened. The gap between the bottom and the middle of income distribution that existed prior to the Great Recession of 2003-09 had widened and that growth in income inequality accounts for most of the net increase in rural child poverty between 2003 and 2014. Economic research service also found that inequality not only has risen between the top 1% and the other 99%, but also between the bottom income earners and the rest of the population, and this effect has exacerbated rural child poverty. According to the article, labor income is the largest component of family income. The primary source of rising inequality lies in the labor market, suggesting that creating jobs in rural areas may help alleviate rural child poverty. However, only if low income families have the skills to fill the jobs available can rural child poverty be addressed. This leads us to another issue SDFU has advocated for having an effective education policy to meet today’s and future agricultural job skill challenges. Our efforts lifting others to a better life in turn help everyone. God bless all you do!

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A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

South Dakota Union Farmer, ISSN 0745-8797, publishes ten times per calendar year, with issues printed in January, February, March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, November and December. Periodical postage paid at Madison, S.D. POSTMASTER: Address changes to: SDFU, PO Box 1388, Huron, S.D. 57350-1388

Contact SDFU • 605.352.6761 1410 Dakota Avenue South, PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 www.sdfu.org sdfu@sdfu.org

SDFU State Office Staff Karla Hofhenke.......ext. 114 Executive Director Huron Matt Sibley .............ext. 122 Legislative Specialist Huron

Luanne Thompson.......ext. 111 Administrative Assistant Virgil

Pam Evenson ..........ext. 116 Membership Specialist Doland

Rachel Haigh-Blume ....ext. 125 Education Director Tulare

Kecia Beranek.........ext. 113 Communications Specialist Miller

SDFU Board of Directors Doug Sombke.........President Groton Wayne Soren..........Vice Pres. Lake Preston Terry Sestak..............District I Tabor Jim Wahle ................District II Salem Franklin Olson ........District III Pierpont

Contact NFU

Joel Keierleber .......District IV Colome Dallis Basel ..............District V Union Center Lynn Frey................District VI Lemmon Chad Johnson .......District VII Groton

National Farmers Union 20 F Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001

Roger Johnson, President ~ Donn Teske, Vice President Doug Peterson, Secretary ~ John Hansen, Treasurer 202.554.1600 www.nfu.org

The South Dakota Union Farmer is published 10 times per calendar year. Karla Hofhenke, Publisher Lura Roti, Editor ~ Jodie Fenske, Copy Editor Tri-State Graphics, Layout and Design

Doug Sombke South Dakota Farmers Union President

UNION FARMER

All information for publication must be submitted by the 15th of the month. You may submit items by mail to the State Office, P.O. Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 or email items to: sdfu@sdfu.org

JULY/AUGUST 2016

UNION FARMER

Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program Helps Sturgis Ranch Couple Focus on Work-Life Balance

uring the mid-June Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program event held in Tofte, Minn., Sturgis ranch couple, Mary Ellen and Randy Cammack, had an opportunity to learn about work-life balance from Tom Kidd, Balanced Wellness Services of Osseo, Wisc. “This seminar focused on balancing our life personally, professionally & family, with a strong emphasis on self-care,” explained Mary Ellen. The Cammacks are among five couples from other states selected to participate in this program which was developed to substantiate and empower future leaders for rural America and Farmers Union by providing training and hands-on experiences to enable couples to become knowledgeable leaders. “This is the first time either of us have participated in a leadership-focused program together,” Mary Ellen explains. “As producers, we spend our days working sideby-side, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.” Mary Ellen and Randy have been involved in Farmers Union for several years. The final seminar will be held in September during the Farmers Union Fly-In to Washington, D.C. “Harley & Irene Danielson do an outstanding job organizing and leading this program, from seminar locations to featured speakers,” says Mary Ellen of the FUE leaders. “This is a unique opportunity for couples within Farmers Union to gain skills and

Mary Ellen (far left, pictured here during a recent Farmers Union event) and Randy Cammack were selected to represent South Dakota and participate in the 2015-2016 Farmers Union Enterprise Couples Leadership Program.

experience to prepare for leadership positions locally, regionally and beyond. Networking with couples from other states and learning their challenges and successes in agriculture are very inspiring, as well as the bonus of building friendships.” More about the Cammacks Ranching together for almost 40 years, Mary Ellen and Randy Cammack look forward to sharing a bit of what they’ve learned with younger couples, as well as gaining knowledge they can bring back to their Sturgis ranch through their participation in the 2015-2016 Farmers Union Enterprise

Couples Leadership Program. “History does repeat itself and we’ve learned a lot over the years which we can share. And, we still have more to learn from others,” Mary Ellen says. The Cammacks are third generation ranchers. They operate a cow/calf operation, Flying C Ranch, along with their daughter, Shelby, near Sturgis. Their other three grown children, Tyler Cammack, Loni Brown and Paige Komes still have cattle on the ranch, but they have lives and careers off the ranch.

Cooperative Highlight: Sioux Valley Energy

fficient, member-focused and democratic. These are the words that Carrie Law, Director of Communications and Government Relations for Sioux Valley Energy, uses when she describes what makes the rural electric cooperative unique. “You can’t get much better than that! We work to make sure our members feel a part of this cooperative,” explains Law, pointing to the 10 district meetings and the annual meeting they host each year to keep member-owners up-to-date on cooperative financials, upgrades and provide a face-to-face opportunity for members to share their thoughts and vote on cooperative leadership. During the June 6, 2016, annual meeting, membership passed a new bylaw amendment which impacts how the cooperative fills board vacancies. “The bylaw passed unanimously. It truly gives the member-owners more power,” she explains. With about 5,600 miles of line providing power to 24,000 businesses and families in rural communities, Law explains that Sioux

JULY/AUGUST 2016

Valley Energy employees work to balance excellent customer-service with increased efficiencies. “Customer service is a large focus of everything we do. We run our business as though we are competing for our members’ business. At the same time, when you figure we have less than four members per mile of electric line, we have to be extremely efficient in our operations to make the business model work for our members,” Law says. She explains that along with member-ownership, it’s the rural nature of electric cooperatives that sets them apart from investor owned utilities. Recently, Sioux Valley Energy expanded its membership by about 900 households as one of 12 electric cooperatives to participate in the historic acquisition of Alliant Energy Minnesota assets. To learn more about Sioux Valley Energy, visit www.siouxvalleyenergy.com.

UNION FARMER

WWW.SDFU.ORG

Thank You

Farmers Union Foundation Scholarship Committee, Thank you for the scholarship awarded to me on behalf of the late Ben & Dorothy Radcliff, and the Cliff Ott, Dick Pastian and Adam Seidel families. It will help with my expenses pursuing a degree in Finance at Dakota State University. I appreciate this very much. Thank you again. Sincerely, Shannon Meyer

Departings Ardis Anderson, 88, of Willow Lake, passed away on June 17th at Huron Regional Medical Center. Her funeral was held in Willow Lake. Ardis is the mother of former South Dakota Farmers Union Insurance bookkeeper, Lorrie Nelson. Lloyd Battest, age 89, Clark, died Thursday, May 19, 2016. Lloyd was a

UNION FARMER lifetime member of South Dakota Farmers Union, since 1952, serving many offices on the county and district level. Donna Larson Knippling, 64, died May 23, 2016, at Sioux Falls. Donna was a very caring and compassionate individual and truly enjoyed being around others. She was the step-mother of Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director. Ella May Varilek, 93, died Thursday, April 14, 2016. Funeral services were held in Geddes, SD. Ella had been a member of South Dakota Farmers Union since 1955. Junice McKee, 74, passed away on Monday, May 9, 2016, at Watertown, SD. Junice and her husband, Doug, have been members of SD Farmers Union since 2008. Burt Nehl, 85, passed away July 9, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and children. Karen (Alan) Voller, daughter, of Bison, is an insurance agent for Farmers Union Insurance.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS:

Are you celebrating a life event or honoring the life of a Farmers Union member? We’d like to share the news. Please send photos and membership updates, anniversaries, awards, birthdays, birth announcements, obituaries and other updates to SDFU Executive Director, Karla Hofhenke, at PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 or karla@sdfu.org. The date we receive the information will determine in which Union Farmer the information will run.

Order Your Own Copy of the Farmers Union Centennial Cookbook Cookbooks are $15 plus tax and shipping. Contact Pam Evenson, 605-352-6761, ext: 116, to place your order today!

COOK’S CORNER

Cucumber Bites

Submitted by: Bonnie Graves Clark, SD Lifetime Member

SDFU CLIP AND SAVE CALENDAR AUGUST

4 oz. cream cheese ¼ c. ranch dressing 2 T. dill 3-4 long cucumbers 15 cherry tomatoes Sprinkle of salt Sprinkle of spice

Board Meeting, Pierre

County Councilors , Ft. Pierre

Ag Appreciation Day, Sioux Falls

5-14 Sioux Empire Fair, Sioux Falls 15-21 Brown County Fair, Aberdeen 16-18 Dakota Fest, Mitchell 19-28 Central States Fair, Rapid City

SEPTEMBER

Mix together the cheese, dressing and dill. Slice cucumbers into 1 inch chunks after peeling. Use melon baller to make ½ inch deep dimple in the cucumber. Put a spoonful of cream cheese mixture in dimple and top with a tomato; salt and spice to taste. WWW.SDFU.ORG

UNION FARMER

1-5

SD State Fair, Huron

SDFU Day at SD State Fair, Huron

State Office Closed

12-14 Washington D.C. Fly-in, D.C. 17

District II Annual Meeting, Mitchell

27-30 NFU Education Conference, Minn., MN

JULY/AUGUST 2016

Aberdeen Aberdeen Bison Bison Britton Brookings Brookings Brookings Brookings Buffalo Clark Doland Doland Faulkton Huron Irene Irene Kadoka Lemmon Lemmon Marion

Darrel Kessler J.R. Johnson Alan Voller Karen Voller Tom Farber Larry Sutton Beth Reams Nathan Kirby Heidi Fields Jim Erk Lon Reidburn Bonnie Wagner Mark Rozell Jason Lee Blaine Anderson Brendon Hansen Brian Hansen Donna Enders Brad Derschan Carrie Derschan Kevin Albrecht

229-3945 725-3003 244-7431 244-7431 448-5150 692-6735 690-3018 692-6735 881-2830 375-3311 532-3299 635-6511 635-6511 598-6570 352-2130 263-2121 263-3342 837-2144 374-3462 374-3462 941-0650

Menno Menno Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell Mitchell Piedmont Pierre Rapid City Rapid City Rapid City Sioux Falls Sisseton Spearfish Sturgis Watertown Webster Webster Winner Yankton

Brendon Hansen Jon Schempp Richard Hofer Nathan Hofer Andrew Mefferd Jessica Mefferd Ce Faulkner Gary Ray Black Hills Agency Kasey Keller Lewis Agency Jeff Nord Erica Steiner Megan Schoon Scott Sabers Todd Nichols Debbie Baumgarn Larry Baumgarn Jeremy Clay James Murphy

387-5555 660-6193 996-9651 996-9651 222-7979 290-3852 737-0463 224-4123 342-5555 343-4213 342-3585 338-5302 698-7316 642-8870 347-4507 886-9683 345-2640 345-2640 842-1556 664-2121