South Dakota Farm & Ranch November 2016 by South Dakota Farm & Ranch

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FARM&RANCH S

NOVEMBER 2 016

SITTING ON

GRAIN

C O R N & S O Y B E A N S TO C K S RISE AS PRODUCERS D E C I D E N OT TO S E L L

EXTEND

GRAZING Agency of fers solutions

Eggs and turkeys rebound 13

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2 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH NOVEMBER 2016

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FARM& RANCH SOUTH DAKOTA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE On the cover

Sitting on Grain Corn and soybean stocks rise as producers decide not to sell

Compassionate Stewards of Animal Health EXTENDED SATURDAY HOURS 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

Agency oﬀers solutions

Extend grazing season

Eggs & turkeys rebound

Ag secretary awards grants

2017 Insurance deadline

Weed control & soil health

Publisher RORY PA L M Editor LUKE HAGEN

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Advertising Director L ORIE H A N S E N Layout Design J E N P H IL L IP S South Dakota Farm & Ranch is a monthly agricultural publication dedicated to informing South Dakota area farmers and ranchers about current topics, news and the future of agriculture. This publication fits the niche of our unique farmers and ranchers of South Dakota, and the diverseness we have in our state. Although the Missouri River divides our state, we are all South Dakotans and thank the land for supporting us each and every day. You, our readers, may be livestock ranchers, or row crop farmers, and everywhere in between, however, we all have a common goal in mind. We feed and support the growing population and want the next generation to find that same love, dedication and support that agriculture can offer. we want to showcase your successes, new technology, upcoming events, FFA and 4-H club news and much more. To subscribe to this FREE publication, contact South Dakota Farm & Ranch.

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Agency offers solutions to what it states are ‘problems’ Heritage Foundation publishes report criticizing sections of 2014 Farm Bill BY HANNAH RUHLMAN South Dakota Farm & Ranch PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jake Shama / South Dakota Farm & Ranch

fter the 2014 Farm Bill’s passage, some questions remained about solutions that were left off the table that could benefit both the taxpayer and the farmer. The Heritage Foundation recently published a report, “Farms and Free Enterprise: A Blueprint for Agricultural Policy,” edited by Daren Bakst. The report provides not just an alternative to the farm bill, but a free-market vision for agricultural policy and other areas that outline where, in Bakst’s opinion, the 2014 Farm Bill fell short. Bakst and others have written this new report, summarized below, in the hopes it will give legislators a clear choice before the next farm bill is debated: Support a freeenterprise alternative to the farm bill or maintain the status quo.

Move away from subsidies to address agricultural risk

It’s said that agricultural producers, like other businesses in any field, can face a

wide range of risks while doing business. However, unlike other businesses, agriculture producers have a tax-payer funded safety net available to catch them if things don’t go as planned. According to Bakst, this is a misuse of funds, as he says ag producers are well positioned to manage risk and often have private means in order to do so. “The commodity programs and the federal crop insurance program cost taxpayers about $15 billion a year,” writes Bakst. Bakst says instead of meeting the needs of the market, farmers will make planting decisions based on how to maximize the subsidies that are being offered to them. He says this isn’t a criticism of farmers, but it points out incentives created by subsidies. He said Congress has gone beyond providing a taxpayer-funded safety net for agricultural producers, which includes the Agricultural Risk Coverage program in the 2014 Farm Bill that protects farmers from dips in their expected revenue. Bakst

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criticized the program, saying it is just there to make sure that large ag producers do well financially. The report recommends moving away from subsidies and keeping programs that only address deep yield losses, such as losses due to disasters. This includes keeping the federal crop insurance program but getting rid of the revenue-based policies that Bakst says insulate farmers from the market.

End favorable treatment for biofuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard

The report provides detail about how the RFS in particular is harmful. Biofuel policies cost taxpayers $7.7 billion in 2011 and $1.3 billion in 2012 – after the expiration of the ethanol blenders tax credit, a 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit for blending ethanol into gasoline. Over a 30-year time frame, ethanol subsidies have diverted $45 Continued on page 5

Continued from page 4

billion in taxpayer money. The report goes on to explain how the RFS has increased food prices. The USDA’s Economic Research Service states “increased corn prices draw land away from competing crops, raise input prices for livestock producers and put moderate upward pressure on retail food prices.” The report calls for the repeal of the RFS and eliminating the bioenergy programs in the farm bill, and argues that producers should be allowed to drive alternative fuel innovation. It also explains that policymakers should “use the repeal of the mandate as momentum for greater reform in the energy sector. Such future reforms should include a further leveling of the playing field for all energy companies and technologies.”

Promote free trade in agriculture

Bakst states free trade benefits consumers with lower prices and greater choices, while at the same time helping ag producers to export to new markets. “U.S. agricultural exports have had a ripple effect through the economy,” stated the report. “According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, the $150 billion in agricultural exports in 2014 created an additional $190.6 billion in economic activity and over 1 million full-time jobs.” Despite the benefits of free trade in agriculture, Bakst writes the United States continues to create protection schemes through tariff and nontariff trade barriers. A recommendation in the report is for the United States to put its own house in order by getting rid of these barriers. It states the federal government needs to be proactive in seeking to eliminate the barriers that block domestic producers from entering foreign markets.

Reduce and eliminate key regulatory obstacles

The report looks at another ag producer problem: How does federal government intervention, specifically regulations, make it more difficult for farmers and ranchers? The report explores many of the key regulatory obstacles such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, public lands and agricultural biotechnology regulation. “Federal regulations, which often are based on unsound science and data and extended beyond the scope of the underlying statute, impose significant burdens on farmers and ranchers,” writes Bakst. The report recommends significant changes to reduce federal regulations on the nation’s farmers.

The reason behind the report

Bakst writes that, though there are some other gaps that need to be filled, the report is a detailed alternative to the farm bill, which is, at a minimum, a valuable starting point to change the status quo. Although he expects there will be critics of certain sections of the report, the overall goal of the report is to help start a new constructive dialogue about agriculture.

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Farmers sitting on a pile of grain Corn and soybean stocks rise as producers decide not to sell BY JAKE SHAMA South Dakota Farm & Ranch PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jake Shama & Matt Gade/ South Dakota Farm & Ranch

ith prices low, farmers are taking their products off the market. Mark Andres, location manager of CHS Farmers Alliance in Ethan, said farmers are storing more grain this year because of low prices. “It’s more prominent to do that now than it has the last few years because of the price,” Andres said. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the amount of corn stored in South Dakota as of Dec. 1 — when stocks are at their highest — has risen over the past few years. In 2015, South Dakota farmers stored 630 million bushels of corn and 161 million bushels of soybeans. That’s compared to lows of 387 million and 80 million in 2012, when a drought caused yields to fall and prices to jump.

6 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH NOVEMBER 2016

Continued on page 7

Wayne Kaufman, 64, of Delmont, operates a combine Oct. 25 on cropland south of Delmont. (Jake Shama/Republic) _____________________________

Continued from page 6

The price of corn received in August in South Dakota was $3.07 per bushel, sharply below prices over $6 and $7 in 2012 and 2013. The price of soybeans was $9.41, also significantly lower than highs in recent years. National storage has also risen since 2012 to 11.2 billion bushels of corn and 2.7 billion bushels of soybeans. Andres said many farmers are trying to store as much as they can in hopes prices will rise, but he said that’s a bit of a gamble. USDA predicted record yields in areas across the country, so as supplies continue to rise, prices will likely remain low. To mitigate risk, he recommends looking at futures and contracting with buyers to sell grain at a fixed point in the future when prices may be more favorable, but he also said it’s important to sell at different times throughout the year. “That way, they aren’t always looking to hit a homerun,” Andres said. “If you just try to sell all your grain at one time on one sale, you’re missing out on maybe some other options.” Andres said storing grain is actually somewhat beneficial for his elevator, as it spreads business throughout the year, instead of buying a large amount immediately after harvest and struggling to store it before winter. “You hope to get it bought at some point. Right now, it does relieve a little bit of the pressure going into winter, as to having piled grain on the ground and everything,” Andres said. Wayne and Brett Kaufman, father and son farmers from Delmont, are planning to store whatever they can. They plan to keep about half the soybeans they harvest this year and about one-third of their corn. Wayne said harvest has run later this year than usual, as farmers in the Delmont area _____________________________ Wayne Kaufman, 64, left, and his son, Brett Kaufman, 38, both of Delmont, discuss the corn harvest Oct. 25 on cropland south of Delmont. (Jake Shama/Republic)

We’re not going to starve, but we’re not going to be out buying a new Mercedes or nothing. BRETT KAUFMAN received too much rain to plant early in the spring, and rain and fog has delayed harvesting late in the fall. But from what he’s seen, soybean yields have been very good. “The good yields make up for the lower price. It helps a lot,” Wayne said. “We’re storing what we can and then taking the rest to town. We sell what we have

to make the bills, and then keep what we can and hope the price will go up a little bit.” But space is also a concern, as many farmers are holding on to grain from previous years. Storage as of Sept. 1 — just before harvest — has greatly risen from a 10-year low in 2013, according to NASS. As of Sept. 1, South Dakotans

stored 104 million bushels of corn, more than 11 million bushels higher than in 2015. In 2013, only 42 million were stored at the same point of the year. Nationwide trends follow the same pattern. Farmers in the United States stored more than 1.7 billion bushels as of Sept. 1, the highest total since 2006. Brett Kaufman said some farmers’ bins are already filled with other crops, like wheat, so they may be forced to sell. The Kaufmans said they’ll have to sell some grain due to lack of space and upcoming bills, but they’d like to hold on to as much as possible. “It’s smart to hold to a better price, to a price where you’re comfortable that covers all of your bills,” Brett said. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen this year,” his father added. The Kaufmans have found another way to combat low prices. The pair also raise cattle, which require silage to feed. The Kaufmans have always cut their own silage, but in 2012, they came to a crossroads. Because of the drought, they faced 600 acres of crops that were only suitable for silage, and their man-powered machine couldn’t handle the load, so they decided to purchase a self-propelled silage machine, which drew attention from their neighbors. The Kaufmans founded Kaufman Forage Harvesting and continued attracting customers, leading them to twice upgrade their silage machine and hire some help. Brett said silaging makes up between one-quarter and onethird of their total revenue, and they hope the business continues to grow. While they’re still feeling the sting of low commodity prices, the silage business has helped to numb the pain. “It’s a help. Every little bit helps,” Wayne said. “We’re not going to starve, but we’re not going to be out buying a new Mercedes or nothing,” Brett said.

NOVEMBER 2016 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 7

Extend the grazing season SOURCE: SDSU EXTENSION

ROOKINGS — To cut costs this winter, Sandy Smart, professor and SDSU Extension rangeland management specialist, suggests cattle producers leave their balers in the machine shed and put their cattle to work. “Swath grazing can be an effective strategy to extend the grazing season and reduce costs to livestock operations,” Smart said. “Think of the time and money cattle producers will save by having their cattle harvest the resource instead of spending the time and money it costs to bale and feed hay.”

Efficiency of grazing increases after a killing frost

Harvest efficiency of swath grazing can be calculated by multiplying the efficiency at harvest time by the efficiency of grazing the swaths in the fall and winter. If it is assumed 80 percent harvest efficiency at cutting and a 75 percent efficiency during the grazing of the swaths, we would realize a 60 percent overall harvest efficiency (80 percent by 75 percent). In order to increase the grazing efficiency, Smart suggested strip grazing the swaths can help to lessen the wastage

How it works?

On the operation used for the example, Smart explained that the producer spends about half an hour per day moving the temporary Grazing is an inefficient process, during the growing season electric fence to allocate new swaths. when residual leaf material is needed to maintain plant vigor, but “Feeding hay using round bales would take a similar amount of after a plant sets seed or time but would also include after a killing frost, grazing the costs of running the becomes an efficient and tractor,” Smart explained. effective tool. “Therefore, the producer “At this point in the is eliminating the costs At this point in the growing season, less residual growing season, less associated with baling and residual leaf material is leaf material is needed to ensure plant vigor, bale-moving portions of the needed to ensure plant haying enterprise.” vigor, and therefore, a and therefore, a greater grazing pressure can be Before implementing greater grazing pressure can swath grazing, Smart be applied to increase the applied to increase the harvest efficiency. reminded cattle producers harvest efficiency,” Smart to consider and plan for SANDY SMART, professor and SDSU Extension said. water availability. Smart suggested harvest rangeland management specialist In addition, he added that efficiency may increase as cattle producers should test much as 50 percent under the nutrient content of the very heavy stocking rates or swaths prior to grazing so grazing pressures that approach 50 animal unit days. appropriate adjustments in supplements can be made. By contrast, Smart said haying could be as high as 80 percent “Most likely some level of protein supplement would be required,” efficient depending on the cutting height. Combining the advantages Smart said. of these two techniques (high harvest efficiency of cutting and low For more information about extending the grazing season, contact labor costs of grazing) is the underlying principle behind swath Sandy Smart 605-688-4017. grazing.

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8 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH NOVEMBER 2016

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Egg producers & turkey farmers rebound after 2015 avian flu BY HANNAH RUHLMAN South Dakota Farm & Ranch

he 2015 summer bird flu, H2N2 avian influenza, resulted in the natural or euthanizing death of millions of birds in the Midwest. This led to soaring egg prices and hardship for egg producers and turkey farmers. But over a year later, some South Dakota producers are finally feeling some relief, despite the fact that some were ordered to exterminate their flocks. “The rebuilding process took a long time and energy … it was definitely not a fun process,” said Jason Ramsdell, vice president of Dakota Layers, a major South Dakota egg producer located in Flandreau. But Ramsdell says all that time and energy from the Dakota Layers staff has paid off. As of October 2016, Dakota Layers has completely repopulated all of its nine flocks, which according to the company’s website includes 1.3 million hens. “We are back to full strength and the final house is just starting to produce eggs,” said Ramsdell. This is good for Dakota Layers, but also for consumers. In the midst of the bird flu, consumers experienced soaring egg prices. During the summer of 2015, egg prices rose above $2 and sometimes closer to $3 for a dozen. This, according to the USDA, hadn’t happened since the 2000. However, young hens produce eggs at a faster rate than aging hens. Because producers’ flocks of chickens are now mainly populated with young hens, the price of eggs has dropped due to the surplus of eggs in the market. The young hens also began producing the large quantities of eggs in the summer of 2016, which according to

StockPhoto

Ramsdell consumer demand is lower than other seasons, which also helped drive down the price. Though, as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, people are starting to think less about chickens and more about turkeys. Eleven Hutterite colonies in South Dakota, Minnesota and North Dakota suffered turkey losses to the bird flu, which first appeared April 1, 2015. Dakota Provisions, a farmer-owned plant located in Huron that processes the birds raised by the state’s 42 turkey farms, lost 12-percent of its total population during 2015, which equated to about 618,000 turkeys, said Dakota Provisions HR Director Mark Heuston. However, the facility, which currently kills 5 million turkeys a year for luncheon meat, was able to bounce back relatively quickly following the summer bird flu and was back to full production as of October 2015. It hasn’t slowed down other efforts for the company to expand, either. In fact, the company is also planning an $8.5 million expansion of its cold storage unit to triple its size. “The first year of the new facility should take us from $250 million to $300 million sales. Then higher each year after for several years,” said Heuston. Although Dakota Provisions’ turkeys are used for luncheon meat and will not be front-and-center come Thanksgiving, Heuston said there is currently an adequate supply of turkeys in the United States, so the price should not fluctuate much from current prices.

Photo courtesy of Willamette Egg Farms

NOVEMBER 2016 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 13

Agriculture secretary awards $45M in grants Funding will help beginning, veteran and other farmers and ranchers to expand businesses SOURCE: USDA

AU CLAIRE, WIS. — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced recently that USDA is providing more than $45 million to help farmers, ranchers, small businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide develop new product lines. USDA is investing in 325 projects through the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. “Value-Added Producer Grants are one of USDA’s most sought-after funding sources for veteran and beginning farmers and ruralbased businesses,” Vilsack said. “These grants provide a much-needed source of financing to help producers develop new

and hard cider products. Another Wisconsin recipient, Bee Forest, LLC, a logging and sawmill company in Nelson, is receiving a $250,000 grant to market, process and ship shredded bark and sawdust. “Through the Value-Added Producer Grant program, USDA Rural Development invests both in the quality of food and quality of life in rural areas,” Rikkers said. “Wisconsin businesses like Leffel Roots and Bee Forest are creating jobs and growing local economies with their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.” In Guinda, California, Riverdog Farm is receiving a $183,946 grant to increase the

$200,000 VAPG grant to process wheat into flour. Rather than sell its wheat as a raw product, the family farm processes it into flour that it sells to bakers, restaurants and the public. Woodward Canyon has already exceeded forecasted sales. Today’s funding builds on USDA’s historic investments in rural America over the past seven years. USDA has worked to strengthen and support rural communities and American agriculture, an industry that supports one in 11 American jobs, provides American consumers with more than 80 percent of the food we consume, ensures that Americans spend less of their

Value-Added Producer Grants are one of USDA’s most sought-after funding sources for veteran and beginning farmers and rural-based businesses. – TOM VILSACK, agriculture secretary product lines and increase their income, and keep that income in their communities. Economic development initiatives like this one are working — the unemployment rate in rural America is at an eight-year low and incomes rose 3.4 percent last year. Small business entrepreneurship, which ValueAdded Producer Grants support, is a major reason why rural America is a making a comeback.” VAPG grants can be used to develop new product lines from raw agricultural products or promote additional uses for established products. Veterans, socially-disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches, and farmer and rancher cooperatives are given special priority. USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service Administrator Sam Rikkers announced the grants on Vilsack’s behalf during a visit to Leffel Roots, LLC in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Leffel is receiving a $22,530 value-added grant to develop and market bakery, cider 14 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH NOVEMBER 2016

processing of pork into bacon, sausage, ham and packaged pork cuts. These products will expand the farm’s operation at farmers markets and at its own farm stand. Fifer Orchards Inc. in Camden Wyoming, Delaware, has been selected for a $250,000 grant to expand marketing efforts to process, package and receive apples for the family-owned orchard. Fifer sells its produce through its farm and country store, at farmers markets, and wholesale to schools, restaurants and grocery stores. USDA has awarded 1,441 VAPG awards since 2009, totaling $183 million. Congress increased funding for the program in the 2014 Farm Bill. The grants are a key element of USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which coordinates the department’s work on local and regional food systems. Secretary Vilsack has identified local and regional food systems as a key component of rural economic development. In 2014, Woodward Canyon Family Farm, LLC in Lowden, Washington, received a

paychecks at the grocery store than most people in other countries, and supports markets for homegrown renewable energy and materials. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; and invested $38.2 billion in 1,057 electric projects that have financed more than 198,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. USDA also helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/ results. To read more about USDA’s investments in rural America and its successful turnaround, visit USDA’s entry on Medium.com, Rural America Is Back in Business.

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2017

Pasture, rangeland, forage rainfall index insurance sees Nov. 15 deadline

SOURCE: SDSU EXTENSION

ROOKINGS — Landowners and producers with pastures may want to revisit pasture, rangeland and forage (PRF) insurance. Nov. 15 is the deadline to purchase or change coverage for the 2017 calendar year. “Pasture, rangeland and forage insurance is available for 2017 in South Dakota and neighboring states based on a rainfall index, similar to a year ago,” Matthew Diersen, professor and SDSU Extension risk/business management specialist. Diersen explained that the 2017 base price used to pay out for grazing losses has been adjusted from the 2016 rate.

Diersen said. He explained that producers have to select a coverage level from 70-90 percent of the grid base. “Most 2016 acres in South Dakota were covered at the 90 percent level despite its lower subsidy rate,” Diersen said. Producers also have to pick a productivity level from 60 percent to 150 percent of the county base, which Diersen explained, makes the base price an important factor.

Indemnity payments

Any indemnity payment is based on a base price level that has

About pasture, rangeland and forage rainfall index insurance

The insurance, Pasture, Rangeland and Forage Rainfall Index, relies on a relationship between rainfall timing and forage production amounts. “Thus, producers insure against low precipitation during specific intervals for localized grids that ideally match their haying or grazing needs,” Diersen explained. Unlike direct insurance which insures against losses to yields, with pasture, rangeland and forage insurance, haying and grazing is covered against rainfall shortages.

Continued on page 17

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Selecting coverage

In 2016, there were a record 1,699 pasture, rangeland and forage policies sold in South Dakota. These policies covered a record $104 million of production. “The 2.2 million acres insured in 2016 was not a record level and was less than 10 percent of the 22.5 million acres of permanent pasture and rangeland across South Dakota,” said Diersen, referencing data from the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Diersen added that a limiting factor continues to be uncertainty about how to best select rainfall intervals. “Rainfall is grid-level and not farm or ranch-level when measured,”

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Continued from page 16

been set at $190 per acre for non-irrigated haying acres for 2017 in South Dakota and from $19.50 to $39.80 per acre for grazing. The grazing base levels have been adjusted from 2016 but may still align with reported grazing rates when using productivity factor adjustments.

Premiums

The premium subsidy is comparable to other crops, and the historic loss ratio is favorable for insured parties, suggesting long-run positive returns to buying the insurance. Premiums for PRF-RI vary by: • County • Use for grazing or haying • Coverage level • Productivity level • Intervals chosen • Grid location

Spread-out coverage

There are many ways to allocate coverage Diersen said. He added that not all acres need to be insured. “Selected acres are allocated across 11 two-month intervals that cannot overlap a given month,” he said. The loading of acres within a given interval has to be 10 to 70 percent of the total acres insured. For risk reduction, spreading out coverage across intervals is a sound strategy.

Concentrated coverage

If a producer wants to concentrate the coverage, selecting higher loadings for specific intervals becomes more challenging. “Ideally, a producer will know key months that a lack of precipitation would result in less forage production,” Diersen said.

The bottom line

multiple intervals. “Loading up coverage in a specific interval may be attractive in the very long run, e.g., 70 percent in May-June. However, the historic rainfall pattern across intervals at the grid level is fairly sporadic,” Diersen said. “There can be long stretches of very normal rainfall, and thus no indemnity payments, when looking at specific intervals in specific grids.” Diersen explained that such spans are mitigated by diversifying across a few different intervals. Using multiple intervals will likely result in more consistent indemnity payments and a shorter duration of realizing benefits from the coverage. For more information, interested insurable parties can contact a crop insurance agent or go online to the Risk Management Agency’s PRF page: http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/ pasturerangeforage/.

Concentrating coverage in too few intervals may reduce the diversification effect of using

NOVEMBER 2016 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 17

Weed control & soil health go hand-in-hand SOURCE: SDSU EXTENSION

ROOKINGS — Although many landowners may not give much thought to weed control as a soil health measure, Gared Shaffer, SDSU Extension weeds field specialist, said the two go hand-in-hand. “The same management practices that increase soil health, like planting cover crops or a diverse cash crop rotation, also can be deterrent to weeds,” Shaffer explained. With the rise of herbicide resistant weeds not just on the horizon but in your fields, farmers want answers. Most have turned to a new herbicide in the past. He referenced a quote from Dr. Dwayne Beck, manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm. Beck presented during a recent soil health workshop hosted by South Dakota Soil Health Coalition. “Anytime producers do the same thing year after year, the Earth’s ecosystem finds a way around it to make it more diverse,” said Beck during the September meeting attended by farmers, ranchers and area agronomy professionals. Without this diversity, Beck further explained that monoculture farming will give way to a possible proliferation of certain weed species. “This means a potential increase in weed species anytime monoculture crops are Stock Photo planted,” Shaffer explained. Shaffer said many options are still within the hands of producers to control weeds with herbicides, however, he explained that 100 percent herbicide dependence is not sustainable in the long term. Particularly with the products available in the market today. “Herbicides were meant to be just a tool for weed control, not the answer to weed control,” he said.

More Weed Control Options

Some of the weed control options discussed during the soil health school which did not include spraying herbicides or tillage included crop rotation, cover crops and livestock integration. “These options help build soil health by increasing organic matter, soil biology and water infiltration,” Shaffer said. He outlined the principles of soil health: • Armor on soil surface • Very limited soil disturbance • Livestock integration • Plant diversity • Soil covers. Below Shaffer explains each option. Armor on soil surface: If there is armor on the soil surface, such as organic matter or a cover crop, then weed seed germination and competition will be limited. Very limited soil disturbance: With increased soil disturbance (including any tillage), Shaffer explained, comes more weeds, colder soils and dryer soils than in long term no-till fields. Livestock integration: Livestock integration can elevate the need for pasture, but can increase soil health and decrease weeds in your operation through grazing at the proper time in your rotation. Plant diversity: Crop rotation of many monoculture crops with integration of cover crops can be the best way to deal with weeds, especially herbicide resistant weeds. “Finding the right crop or cover crop to compete with a curtain weed is the best option available instead of always reaching for that herbicide in your barn,” Shaffer said. “Each producer must customize their rotation to fit their local ecosystem.” Crop rotations change, but the principles do not, Shaffer said. The top principles of crop rotation include: • Proper water utilization • Proper intensity throughout year • Adequate diversity. Shaffer encouraged landowners to attend the 2017 soil health workshop hosted by South Dakota Soil Health Coalition. For more information, visit www.sdsoilhealthcoalition.org.

18 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH NOVEMBER 2016

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