Volume XCVI, NO. 9
Huron, SD
Nov. 2013
South Dakota
Union Farmer A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION
November 18th Fall Conference & Open house
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“Survivor’s” holly hoffman talks with jr. real students
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Sen. Johnson visits with local farmers and Ranchers
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ATLAS BLIZZARD WREAKS DEVASTATING HAVOC ON SOUTH DAKOTA’S LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY
As summer turned to fall, 2013’s ranching season was shaping up well for the family farmers of South Dakota. Just a few weeks before herds were to be moved for the winter and calves taken to sale, the sun was shining – with no sign of the devastation that would soon come. Considered one of the state’s worst agricultural disasters, the Atlas Blizzard dumped more than four feet of snow in some parts of the Black Hills. Reports of 20 inches or more were common in the prairie ranching region. The cattle were drenched by torrential rain before being hit by heavy snow and strong winds that pushed them over fences into roadways and other ranchers’ pastures. State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven said recently that he now estimates that 15,000 to 30,000 cattle died in the blizzard. Early estimates indicated livestock losses at 10,000 to 20,000, but he said reports from ranchers, emergency officials and others caused him to raise his estimate. Some ranchers are not yet sure how many cattle they lost because they are still discovering carcasses or finding live cattle that mixed with neighbors’ herds after being pushed by the snow and high winds.
Update of 2013 Farm Bill
AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER Nothing could have prepared South Dakota Farmers Union member and cattle rancher Scott Reder and his wife, Angela, for how their operation would be impacted by this unprecedented early storm. “The day after the storm I started counting cattle that were dead of ours and I got sick to my stomach,” Scott said. The Reders’ losses are steep. Out of 750 head of cattle they grazed across 40,000 acres, approximately 230 are dead. They lost 100 of the 450 calves they had planned to market this month. The remaining calves have now been sold. “This has definitely been an emotional rollercoaster. Now that the initial shock is over and the weather has improved, we are trying to figure out what the next step is, financially,” said Reder. “This is a huge burden. Each of us is in a different situation, but relationships with lending institutions will be important. We are fortunate that our institution is working with us on a workable solution.” Other ranchers may not be as lucky. “It’s not going to be easy,” said Reder. “It has set everybody back – we all have goals – so when something like this happens, it just jerks that out from under you.” see ATLAS BLIZZARD page 7
SDFU has been encouraged by some recent progress on the 2013 Farm Bill. U.S. House of Representatives leadership recently announced the appointment of a number of House members to the farm bill conference committee, including Rep. Kristi Noem. Noem and the other 28 House members join 12 Senators already appointed to the committee. Previously, House leaders had been reluctant to appoint conferees despite having completed floor action on the farm bill. Now that conferees from both chambers of Congress have been identified, the committee can begin meeting formally and informally to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. Once conferees were appointed, Senate and House Agriculture Committee leaders announced that the first public meeting for the see UPDATE page 7