South Dakota Farm & Ranch February 2023

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

On the cover Farm Snow

Removal Hassle .................10

FAMILY NOW

IN ITS SIXTH GENERATION ON THE FARM

Features

Publisher JONI HARMS

Editor

LUKE HAGEN

Advertising Director

LORIE HANSEN

Layout Designer

JEN PHILLIPS

South Dakota Farm & Ranch is an agricultural publication dedicated to informing SD and Midwest area farmers & ranchers about current topics and news.

This publication fits the niche of our unique farmers and ranchers of the Midwest, and the diverseness we have in our area. Although the Missouri River divides our state, we are all South Dakotans and thank the land for supporting us each and every day.

Our readers may be livestock ranchers or row crop farmers, and everywhere in between, however, we all have a common goal in mind. We feed and support the growing population, and want the next generation to find that same love and support that agriculture can offer.

We’re all SD Farmers and Ranchers’ and when you advertise in South Dakota Farm & Ranch, you are immersing your company, product, and service into a growing community of dedicated farmers and ranchers. Welcome to South Dakota Farm & Ranch!

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PO BOX 1288 • MITCHELL, SD 605-996-5514

Elk Point’s Chicoine family continues long family farming tradition

Lura Roti

South Dakota Farmers Union

ELK POINT, S.D. — Brian Chicoine’s dad, Roland, encouraged his eight children to leave the family’s Elk Point farm and see the world.

“Then, if you decide you want to come back to the farm, it is your choice – it is not a directive,” Brian explained.

The sixth of eight children, like his older siblings, Brian followed his dad’s suggestion. After graduating from South Dakota State University in 1983 — his parents also encouraged all their children to pursue a college education — he began his career working for an agronomy company in Denver, Colorado.

While in Colorado, Brian married Terri, a CPA. A few years later, in 1988 when Roland was ready to retire, the couple decided to return to the family farm.

“My older siblings were already

well established in their chosen careers, so we had the opportunity to move back home,” Brian said.

Thankfully, Terri was not opposed to settling in Brian’s home state of South Dakota. Together the couple raised three children on their farm: Amanda, Corey and Anna.

“When we first moved from Colorado to Elk Point, we lived in town, but I knew that I wanted our family to live on the farm because farming is not an 8-to-5 job, so I wanted the kids to have more time with Brian,” Terri said. “It turned out to be a wonderful place to raise them, and it created a close sibling bond because if they wanted to play, they played with each other.”

MADE IT THROUGH THE ‘80s BUT BARELY

Brian is the fifth generation of Chicoines to farm in South Dakota.

CHICOINE: Page 4

Erik Kaufman / Mitchell Republic

Just keeping driveways open has been a challenge this year for many farmers in the area, with deep snow impacting nearly all aspects of life on the farm.

Photo Courtesy of South Dakota Farmers Union The Chicoine family farm family farms in Union County: Brian, Terri, Anna, Amanda, Kathleen and Corey.

Brian still farms the land that was the family’s original homestead.

“They came from Canada and settled in this area in the 1880s. They said Canada was getting too crowded, and they had heard about the expanse of the Dakotas,” Brian said.

When he began taking over farm ownership in 1988, the operation was not thriving.

“It was small. Like a lot of farmers my dad’s age, they made it through the ‘80s, but barely,” Brian explained. “Interest rates and high land prices really took their toll.”

And then there were the 1983 and 1984 floods.

“Where our farm is situated, we are at the mercy of the Big Sioux River,” Brian said.

The early years were a struggle, but over time, Brian was able to expand his farm acres. When land prices shot up in recent decades, Brian said his focus changed.

“I decided I would invest in the ground we own and rent and do what it takes to make it better and more productive,” he said.

Improving drainage and implementing irrigation have been key to improving land productivity. Brian knew the value of irrigation because his dad began implementing

open ditch flood irrigation in the late 1950s.

“This land is flat. We have some ground where there is only 6 inches of fall per mile – flat as a tabletop, so it is easy to do flood irrigation,” Brian said.

And water is accessible. Their water comes from the Missouri/Big Sioux rechargeable aquifer.

“Most of our wells are 80 to 120feet deep. There is an abundance of water. We are blessed in that way down in this area,” he said.

Brian has since converted most flood irrigation to center pivot.

“Obviously there is quite a bit of initial cost, but irrigation pays big dividends.”

In typical moisture years, they may put on 3 to 4 inches of water during crucial times, like pollination, and irrigated fields of corn and soybeans respond with about a 60 bushel an acre advantage.

The yield advantage increases dramatically in dry years, like 2022. Brian applied between 11 and 13 inches of water throughout the dry growing season. The crops responded with yield advantages of as much as 100 bushels per acre.

Because of the farm’s proximity to the Big Sioux River, Brian also focuses on helping reduce erosion and runoff by implementing buffer strips.

Being near the Big Sioux River also means Brian is responsible for the dikes on his land.

“Since 1993, maintenance of the dike system falls on the landowners. You hope if you do a good job, then your neighbors will do a good job,” he said.

Being a good neighbor is another focus of the Chicoine family.

“Giving back is in our blood,” said Terri and Brian’s son, Corey.

Corey’s grandpa Roland was a founding member of the South Dakota Irrigation Association. He also helped start the Big Sioux Watershed Conservation District and served as a South Dakota State legislator.

Brian has served on the local Union County Extension 4-H board. He currently serves on the Elk Point Township board and serves on the board of Southeast Farmers Co-op.

Today, Corey serves on the Elk Point Economic Development committee and is a member of the current class of South Dakota Ag & Rural Leadership (SDARL).

THE SIXTH GENERATION COMES HOME

Harvest 2022 saw Corey return to the farm with his wife, Kathleen.

“It’s funny, as dad was talking about how grandpa encouraged him to get an education and go out and see the world, I realized he and mom did the same for me and my two sisters,” said Corey, who like Brian, is a graduate of SDSU.

After graduating in 2017 with a degree in agronomy, Corey moved

to Sioux Falls and built his career in the seed industry, working with farmers across the eastern half of South Dakota.

Because Brian is not ready to retire, Corey’s opportunity to return to the family farm came when a neighbor asked him to work for their seed business: Southern Plains Seeds.

“At SDSU they always told us, ‘if you are going to go back home to the farm or ranch, you have to bring something with you – skills or a business,’” Corey explained.

When it comes to transitioning the farm to the sixth generation, Brian and Corey are taking it slowly –putting a small number of farm acres in Corey’s name.

“I have a sticky note in my office that says, ‘Be very clear about where you are going, but very flexible about how you get there,’” Brian said.

That means having patience as you go along, he said.

“Transition is not a one-year process. It is a several-year and slow process,” said Corey on how things are going so far.

He adds that he is happy he is going through this process with Brian. “We are very close and our communication with each other is open and honest. We talk most days –this is how we were, even before I moved home.”

Mitchell resident Laura Larson looking to serve South Dakota in animal medicine

South Dakota Farmers Union supports veterinary student through graduate scholarship

Mitchell Republic

MITCHELL — Lauren Larson knew from a young age that she wanted to become a veterinarian.

“I was four or five when I understood what a vet was, and from that time on, it was the career I set my heart on,” said Larson, the recipient of the 2022 South Dakota Farmers Union $2,500 Graduate Scholarship.

In middle school Larson began taking care of neighbors’ pets when they traveled. This is how she ended up adopting her first dog, Sydney. Her neighbors had recently become grandparents and they ended up traveling too much to care for Sydney.

“From the first day I began taking care of her, she became my dog. She loved to cuddle. There’s just something about your first dog that will always be really special,” Larson said.

It is this connection to Sydney and other companion pets that influenced Larson to focus her studies on small animal medicine. But because she wants to build her career in South Dakota, Larson said as a veterinary student, she is trained to care for all animals — large and small.

“I love South Dakota. I see myself building my career here so, there is a good chance I will also care for cattle and other livestock. We are trained in large and small animal medicine, so I will be ready,” she said.

Even though Larson knew she wanted to become a veterinarian as a kindergartener; and she was a good student, taking college-level courses in high school, getting accepted to veterinary school was not easy.

“It is very competitive,” said Larson. Nationwide, only 10 percent of students who apply get in.

The first time she applied as a junior studying animal science at South Dakota State University,

Larson was not accepted.

“It was really hard to work for something my whole life and when it doesn’t happen, it was very disappointing. But it really pushed me,” Larson said.

In December 2020 Larson received degrees from SDSU in animal science, animal health and biology. Driven to strengthen her veterinary school application, Larson worked full-time as a veterinary assistant for Creekside Veterinary Clinic in Mitchell.

“It was such a good experience — getting my hands on so many different animals and seeing all sides of veterinary medicine and getting to be a part of surgeries and really hard cases, it all prepared me for what I will be doing in my future,” Larson said.

The second time she applied, Larson was among the 20 students accepted into the veterinary medicine program hosted by SDSU and the University of Minnesota. Since then she has excelled, maintaining a 3.5 grade point average. She currently serves as class president.

Larson is on track to graduate in 2025. By the time she graduates, Larson’s school tuition will total about $250,000. She says the South Dakota Farmers Union Graduate Scholarship means more to her than its financial support.

“It reaffirms that South Dakota is supporting me in my journey,” she said. “This means a lot to me. I really look forward to serving South Dakotans as a veterinarian.”

Supporting the next generation of agriculture professionals is the reason South Dakota Farmers Union and Traveler’s Motor Club team up each year to sponsor the graduate student scholarship, said Gene Hammond, president and principal owner of Travelers Motor Club.

“We are a rural motor club so rural America

is important to us. We believe the best way to preserve rural America is to invest in the next generation,” Hammond said. “To provide for someone who wants to advance themselves and provide services through becoming educated as a veterinarian, or agronomist or another career to benefit rural citizens, we just see great value in that.”

Applications are now open for the 2023 Agriculture Graduate School Scholarship. ◀

Craig Dodds

Kari Fagerhaug

Photo Courtesy of South Dakota Farmers Union Mitchell resident Lauren Larson is a veterinary student at SDSU and the recipient of South Dakota Farmers Union Graduate School Scholarship cosponsored by Traveler’s Motor Club. Larson is pictured with Arlo.

By Lura Roti South Dakota Farmers Union

DEADWOOD, S.D. — Young farmers and ranchers from across South Dakota, North Dakota and Oklahoma came together in Deadwood Jan. 20 and 21 to gain skills and information to help them succeed on their families’ farms and ranches.

The Young Producer event was hosted by South Dakota Farmers Union in coordination with Farmers Union organizations in North Dakota and Oklahoma.

“Bringing young producers together to gain personal and professional skills has long been the focus of South Dakota Farmers Union Young Producer events,” said Karla Hofhenke, SDFU executive director. “And networking with other producers has always been a key component and benefit. This year we thought we’d enhance the networking opportunity by collaborating with other states’ Farmers Union organizations.”

Fifty young producers attended the weekend event and based on enthusiasm for this new concept, Hofhenke expects the numbers to increase.

Ipswich, S.D. producer Lance Perrion said he will definitely attend future events. This is the third Young Producer Event Perrion and his wife, Sarah, have attended.

“It is interesting to visit with producers from across our state and other states because it gives me a different perspective and a broader understanding of what they are trying to do to help themselves,” Perrion said.

Together the couple raise crops and cattle and operate several custom ag businesses.

In addition to learning from other producers, Perrion found value in the marketing workshop led by Janelle Guericke, a Mitchell Technical College ag business instructor.

“You know, farming is like any industry, you need to change with the times and evolve and stay at the forefront, or you are going to get left behind,” Perrion said.

Addressing Perrion’s comment, Guericke said farmers of her dad’s generation did not have to worry about the different types of marketing contracts and tools.

“If my dad needed money, he went and sold some of his crop. But agriculture is a business, and today it’s a big business. So, young producers need to be able to understand all the marketing tools available, so they can understand which tool will work best for them,” she said.

FUTURE AG: Page 8

THE

LOPE &

Photo Courtesy of South Dakota Farmers Union Janelle Guericke, Mitchell Technical College ag business instructor, visited with young producers about various marketing tools.

Implementing interactive examples, Guericke ensured the young producers understood how various marketing tools worked.

“I want to keep these young producers on the farm,” Guericke said. “To stay on the farm, they have to learn how to market their crops and livestock.”

After Guericke’s presentation, Parade, S.D. rancher Travis Spiel asked her some questions about marketing small grains.

“I appreciated how she explained different options because it is difficult for me to find the best avenue to go down,” Spiel said.

Spiel attended the event with his wife, Mercedes. In addition to Guericke, the young producers also heard from a panel of experts discussing challenges as well as opportunities in the beef industry. They also engaged in a communication workshop where they learned about their own and others’ personality traits led by John Beranek of Intersection Consulting.

“Communication is big. I learned a lot from John’s presentation that I will use,” said Carleyn Petersen. Petersen lives with her husband, Cole, on his family’s ranch near Parade.

Supporting family farmers and ranchers through policy and education is fundamental to the mission of National Farmers Union (NFU), explains Aberdeen farmer Jeff Kippley. Kippley serves as National Farmers Union vice president.

“It was great to see so many young producers

energetic about our organization and hear from them on what they like or want to see changed at the national level,” Kippley said.

Doug Sombke agrees. As president of SDFU, he and the presidents of Oklahoma and North Dakota Farmers Union organizations took time to sit down with the young producers to discuss common challenges ahead of the national policy discussion that will be held during NFU Convention held March 2023.

“Supporting the next generation of family farmers and ranchers is the reason our organization exists. And as president of SDFU, it is my mission to do what is right for family farmers and ranchers,” Sombke said. “Family farm and ranch agriculture is not only important to the families engaged in raising our food, but it is important to consumers because family farmers keep competition in the markets. We all think food prices are out of control today. If all farms were owned by food processors, we’d really be in trouble.”

Policy is the reason Oklahoma cattle producer Dillon Travis got involved in Farmers Union. He appreciated the opportunity this event provided to discuss common challenges with other producers.

“We are all in this together. This becomes obvious when you meet with producers from other states,” said Travis, who raises hay and cattle in north-central Oklahoma with his wife, Kaylee. “It is important to me that I make time to fight for the rights of farmers. And I definitely sleep better at night knowing I am part of an organization who will fight for me and other farmers.” ◀

Russia situation likely to continue to upend fertilizer markets

By Jeff Beach Agweek

FARGO, N.D. — It has been almost a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, and the possibility of Russia “weaponizing” its energy resources or unleashing a nuclear attack have the potential to create new turmoil in global markets, according to an expert in the fertilizer industry.

Josh Linville, the director of fertilizer at StoneX, addressed the AgFocus conference hosted by Ag Country Farm Credit Services in Fargo on Jan. 25.

Linville outlined how Russia is a huge player in the energy and fertilizer markets and uncertainly about whether those commodities would continue to flow as the war heated up has had markets reeling.

He said trying to predict prices in this climate is a “fool’s game.”

“We’re talking major global events and that’s why risk management and long-term profitability is so much more important today than it’s ever been,” Linville said.

Russia has been able to find buyers for fertilizer in markets such as India.

Belarus, on the other hand, had its port access on the Baltic Sea cut off by Lithuania, crippling its ability to move fertilizer.

Russia, Belarus and China are three of the big players in global fertilizer production.

“If they decided they want to start weaponizing fertilizer flows, they could have a huge effect,” Linville said.

He said farmers need to keep in mind that things such as weather and global politics are important to their business

“World factors absolutely mean something to your organization,” Linville said. “Something that happens in China, it matters to you. Something that happens with Russia invading Ukraine, it matters to you. A good or a bad harvest in Brazil, it matters you.”

On the Ukraine front, Linville said Russia keeps talking about using nuclear weapons and could unleash a “scorched earth” tactic on a huge grain producer.

“What do you think happens with grain values around the world if they started taking that approach and they completely destroy that country? And if grain values go up? I don’t need to tell you what fertilizer prices are going to do,” Linville said. “Trust me, the fertilizer market has never met an emergency it couldn’t take advantage of.”

Even short of a nuclear attack, he sees a prolonged fight in Ukraine.

“It looks like Russia is trying for a new offensive,” Linville said. “They’re calling people up, even though they don’t want to fight, they’re forcing them into the military. It looks like they’re starting to stage in Belarus in the northeast and southeast sides of Ukraine.

“So unfortunately, we can be hopeful that this thing was going to come to a peaceful conclusion and Russia is going to get defeated. It actually looks like they’re going to continue to press on.”

With some of Ukraine’s allies now willing to send in tanks, he said it’s an escalation of a bad situation.

“You start to see other things spiral and spiral. It’s really hard to get out of this cycle,” Linville said.

Some of the other emergencies that the fertilizer industry has met in recent months have been low water levels on the Mississippi River and the threat of a strike by railroad workers.

While he said both situations have improved, they could get worse again.

And there’s the threat of a recession.

Linville encouraged farmers to think of themselves as CEOs.

“It does not matter how big or how small you are. You are part of this world economy.” ◀

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HEAVY SNOWFALL HAS FARMERS WORKING EXTRA HARD THIS WINTER SEASON

By Erik Kaufman Mitchell Republic

MITCHELL — Farming is a tough job year round, but the weather cycle this season is making the winter of 2022-23 one of the toughest winters for farmers in recent memory.

“This is exponentially worse than what we’ve experienced in a long time,” said Scott Stahl, who farms in the Emery and Bridgewater neighborhood and serves as the president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association.

With snowfall totals around South Dakota exceeding anything seen in at least the last decade, snowplows have worked since November at keeping the rural roads and city streets free of snow. Home and business owners have pulled out the shovels and snowblowers to create a path for customers to simply

navigate the sidewalks safely.

It’s more work for everyone just to get around, and it’s no different on a typical South Dakota farm. Farm yards need to be cleared so work can proceed and vehicles can operate smoothly. Pathways must be cut to make sure feed can be hauled to livestock. If a township or county road gets blocked with snow, it can keep farmers from picking up supplies or even groceries.

Mitchell has recorded 18.1 inches of snow for the season since early January, well ahead of last year’s pace, with Mitchell receiving 10.2 inches of snow at this point in the 2021-22 winter season. Other communities in the region are also experiencing increased snowfall totals.

It’s a drain not only on machinery but manpower, said Stahl, who both trades in row crops and livestock.

Snow removal takes time and man hours, but necessary to good operations.

“There’s been a lot of extra labor involved and machinery time just managing the snow, and working hard to give the cattle and the livestock the maximum comfort possible,” Stahl said. “Yeah, it’s what you deal with in South Dakota. We’ve experienced all sorts of weather this year, and now we’re getting a snowier winter.”

Some farmers contract snow removal from sources outside the farm, and some do what they can to handle it themselves. Stahl said he has an array of equipment that he throws at the mounds of snow and so far he’s been able to keep up.

That’s important, as cattle need care, especially in snowy, cold winters like this one, with recent temperatures dipping below zero.

“I’ve got a payloader and snowblower and skid loader and tractor loader and box scrapers. It’s taking an army to get the snow moved but you do what you gotta do because you want to make sure those cattle are well taken care of,” Stahl said.

Steve Friesen, who has farmed near Freeman since 1976, said he occasionally brings in outside help to manage the snow, and it’s still a challenge to keep up. He has seen some tough winters in the area and they all bring their own challenges.

“It’s as much snow as I’ve seen as far as I can remember,” Friesen said. “Just the main roads from the farms to Highway 81 — the township roads are probably the worst we’ve had. I don’t know why exactly it’s so bad, but we didn’t burn out the ditches like we usually do.”

Friesen said he had already hired a bulldozer to clear some space, and he and his crew work alongside extra hired help when needed to get things cleared on his yard. Like Stahl, keeping pathways open so he can feed cattle is a must.

“You spend four or five hours after a snowstorm opening up everything so you can grind feed or haul in corn if you need to put feed in the feeders.

You need those alleyways clean,” Friesen said. “We also try to keep the lots clean where the cattle are and put some straw down on top to keep them dryer.”

Even in the relatively open space of a farm yard, finding places for snow can be a challenge.

Snow crews in towns and cities stack snow high on right-of-ways and parking lots, but on a farm snow can be pushed into fields if convenient. If it’s stacked on the yard, the pile can stay there until it needs to be moved.

“We’ve got little piles all over, and if it gets too big we have a payloader and we haul it out to a bigger pile in the field. Right now there’s all kinds of little piles, and some are not so little anymore,” Friesen said.

Matt Mehlhaf, manager at Menno Livestock Auction in Menno, needs to keep his in-town parking lot and yard clear for the producers coming from around the region to the regular livestock sales. And this year’s snow is keeping him and his employees busy hauling the white stuff around.

“I would say this is the most we’ve seen in at least a dozen years,” said Mehlhaf, who also farms north of Menno.

Mehlhaf has to make sure his parking lot can accommodate the 50 to 60 people who show up on average for a typical weekly sale. Counting the auction employees, Mehlhaf said about 75 to 80 people can converge on the auction every week, and most of them are driving large pickups with livestock trailers.

The space is vital not only for visiting farmers, but for the livestock as well.

HEAVY SNOW: Page 12

“It’s not just for the people but for the livestock. All those pens need to be cleaned out,” Mehlhaf said. “You gotta move snow, and we’ve made it so you have the major alleyways you’re using. If we have to feed hay we push it all the way to the hay pile. We push a lot of snow.”

Being an auction located inside Menno, Mehlhaf and crew don’t have the wider range of options when it comes to relocating the snow. They tend to find a place to put it and then continue to add to it until they need to start a new pile.

“We’re not out in the country, where there’s lots of room to push it. Here in town the piles just keep getting taller,” Mehlhaf said.

Stahl said even in the country relocating snow can be difficult, but it’s a task that needs to be done. It’s a necessity that eats up daily work time and equipment hours, and it continuously costs money in man hours and fuel.

“You do what you gotta do, and hopefully you find room for it,” Stahl said. “That’s the goal. It’s a negative return on investment shoveling it around, but it’s one of the things you do to keep moving forward.”

There is still plenty of winter left to go, and producers will be keeping an eye on the weather right up to the traditional start of spring. In addition to operating the Menno auction, Mehlhaf raises livestock and calves, though he waits until May, unlike some of his friends who do their calving earlier.

It’s too early to tell what conditions will be like in May, but he’s glad he’s not doing it in January.

“I have friends who do it this time of year, and they truly are tough. We pushed our date back to

May, and that’s when we’ll lamb our ewes, too,” Mehlhaf said. “(We wait) not just for the fact that we get rid of some snow, but because you have nicer weather. It’s a little more natural for calving and lambing.”

While the snow is a nuisance this time of year, the spring melt should help get some early moisture into the ground. That’s no substitute for healthy spring rains, but it’s a start, and every little bit helps.

“I’m an eternal optimist. I think it’s going to help. I would have loved to see it come as rain, but that’s the way it is,” Mehlhaf said.

Friesen agreed.

“They usually say snow doesn’t break a drought, so when I get that two-inch rain in spring, I’ll feel better. I just hope it doesn’t come when we have two feet of snow on the ground,” Friesen said.

SCOTT STAHL

There’s been a lot of extra labor involved and machinery time just managing the snow, and working hard to give the cattle and the livestock the maximum comfort possible.

Steak Au Poivre Soup

2 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp. chopped leaves

Ingredients

3 tbsp. whole black peppercorns

4 (4-oz.) filet mignons or 2 (8-oz.) sirloin steaks, sliced in half

Kosher salt

1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. extravirgin olive oil

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter

2 large shallots, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced into rings

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. cognac or brandy

5 c. low-sodium beef broth

1 1/2 lb. waxy baby potatoes, quartered

1 c. heavy cream

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Step 1 Grind peppercorns on the most coarse setting of a pepper mill (you can also use a mortar and pestle, or wrap peppercorns in cheesecloth and smash with a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy skillet). Season steaks on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and crushed peppercorns, pressing peppercorns into meat.

Step 2 In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp. oil until shimmering. Cook steaks, gently pressing to make sure you don’t lose any peppercorns, until well browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip steaks and add butter and thyme sprigs. Continue to cook, spooning butter over steak, until tops are crusty and well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 135°, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest until ready to use. Strain fat remaining in skillet and reserve.

Step 3 Wipe out any large chunks of pepper from skillet. Return reserved fat to pan, then cook chopped shallot over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and chopped thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour and whisk until combined. Cook, whisking constantly, until flour darkens slightly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in cognac until smooth, then slowly whisk in broth. Add potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender and soup is thickened, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream and Worcestershire. Cook, stirring, until warmed through and combined, about 5 minutes more.

Step 4 Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook sliced shallots and remaining 1/2 cup oil, stirring occasionally, until oil begins to bubble around shallots, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until shallots are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Step 5 Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to a paper towel-lined plate; season with a pinch of salt. Let cool slightly.

Step 6 Divide soup among bowls. Cut steak into cubes, then top bowls with steak and fried shallots.

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SCHLECHT

I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership lately, in particular as we’re gearing up here at Agweek to cover the expiration of the farm bill on Sept. 30 of this year.

I read something a few months back on a coaching blog that caused me to pause. To paraphrase, it said, before you scold a player for doing something wrong, reflect on whether or not you’ve adequately taught the skill or action you want to see. The comment section was full of reflections on how often leaders fail to prepare.

In my case, I am a youth softball coach, a manager at work, and a parent (importance not in that order). I’ve been reflecting on whether I adequately explain tagging up and whether I give bunt signs to kids who I haven’t taught to bunt well enough. As a manager, am I annoyed at errors that I haven’t adequately taught someone how to fix or avoid? As a parent, am I giving direction or guidance or just barking orders?

Leadership is not blustering, bellowing or belittling. It is guiding, learning, teaching and taking responsibility — and a lot of other traits that have nothing to do with people gazing up at one in awe.

So, as I reflect on what’s coming with the farm bill, I’m thinking of policy leaders. The difference, of course, is that policy leaders are representatives of the people, rather than being in charge of the people. But the sentiment doesn’t change much. Simply put, do our leaders reflect

on how their work actually impacts the lives of those they represent? Does the leadership shown by our policy leaders make things better or worse for their constituency? Are they building walls or bridges? Are they representing the loudest voices and the fattest wallets or are they considering the needs and lives of everyone they represent? Are they spending time, effort and votes on what

instead of tearing people down.

What does this have to do with the farm bill? It’s simple: Whether or not a bill gets written before the deadline will come down to leadership. This is massive legislation that must incorporate a lot of thoughts and feelings and viewpoints. Do we have leaders who are willing to take the time to learn the needs of their constituents, and, in turn, explain those needs to their colleagues?

I’ll be honest — I’m not optimistic. I don’t see a lot of leadership coming out of Congress right now. The House Speaker vote debacle and all that has followed shows that we have major leadership problems in Washington. I have very low expectations for the folks we send to Washington to actually listen to problems and find solutions.

The farm bill couples farm policy with nutrition policy — a natural fit, really, since nutrition policy impacts supply and demand on farm products. But so often, our leaders seem to get bogged down in who should get what rather than looking at what this legislation should accomplish.

We need leaders who talk to experts — and listen to them — and who think about the good and bad that can come from policy decisions. I don’t think we need to throw money at everything, but we do need leaders who are willing to look harder at how money is spent and at whether money actually helps or just looks good in a press release.

really matters or just doing what is visible to get re-elected?

We need leaders everywhere — real leaders who step up and take responsibility. Leaders who work to make things better for everyone, not just those who look and think like them. We need leaders who invest in building people up to be their best

Managingrisk. Buildingrelationships

Do we have the kind of leaders who can reflect enough on how they’re really doing their jobs in order to get good, passable legislation together? I guess we’ll find out Sept. 30. I hope they exceed my expectations.

Will farmers catch the goodness of rye as a cover crop?

By Mikkel Pates Agweek

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Fewer than 5% of farmers plant winter cereal cover crop for soybeans and corn in this area, but more farmers should consider it for soil health and to prevent soil erosion, an agronomy specialist says.

David Karki, a South Dakota State University Extension Service agronomy field specialist at Watertown, spoke Jan. 25, 2023, in the first of the three-day

David Karki, a South Dakota State University Extension Service agronomy field specialist at Watertown, on Jan. 25, 2023, warns a Sioux Falls Farm Show audience that a rye cover crop is not advised before a corn crop. If it’s necessary they should terminate the rye two weeks before corn seeding.

Sioux Falls Farm Show in the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Karki said there are many factors, but hopes the practice will grow and that more farmers will choose rye for its winter toughness and biomass potential.

“The word is getting out more and more every day,” Karki said.

Karki, speaking to a room of fewer than 20, underlined that planting cover crops like rye is not so much about big yield increases, but it

will make the land more tolerant of fluctuations in weather.

“Mostly, it’s for a sustainable and resilient system you are building for the future generations. It could be a slow ride, but you’ll get there,” he said.

Karki has held his post since 2014 and worked on rye as a graduate

student in projects with Pete Sexton, an SDSU associate professor and Extension alternative crops ag specialist based at Beresford. Rye here is also called always “winter rye,” or “cereal rye.” It is a different species than ryegrass.

Farmers typically plant rye on a field after a corn crop and before a

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

soybean crop, Karki said. He shared data from SDSU research trials.

“Now we’re trying to get into rye, not only just for soil cover, but also for forages,” he said.

They started a forage trial a couple of years ago.

“Rye can be helpful in both,” he said. “If you have small grain or wheat in the rotation, you have a bunch of different choices of cover crops you can grow after wheat is harvested in the summer. But if you have corn and soybean rotations, then your choices of cover crops get so limited. You have to choose a winter cereal.”

In some of his charts, he showed how farmers in some part of the country plant rye because it competes with difficult weeds — even the dreaded Palmer amaranth.

Winter rye is “tougher” than winter wheat or winter triticale in its ability to survive northern winters. It grows very fast in the spring, producing residue which improves the soil and prevents erosion. The forage in the spring can be used for grazing, baling, or even chopping for silage.

“Lately, if there is good moisture and a little open fall, or some heat units in the fall, you can actually graze your rye,” Karki said. “It regrows and you can regraze that in the field in the spring. Most producers use lower seeding rates and use it for soil health, or covering the ground.”

Planting rates

SDSU and Karki recommend planting a cover crop of rye at 35 pounds per acre and up to 40 pounds per acre — broadcast or drill — after corn. Increase the rate up to 75 pounds per acre for weed control, and 90 to 100 pounds if it is strictly grown for forage.

Karki doesn’t recommend it before planting corn in this part of the country. If that must happen, he urges killing at least two weeks

prior to corn seeding.

Growth from fall-planted rye in the spring tends usually to be good, even if the fall was dry.

If the spring has been dry, spray it out by early May so that it doesn’t compete for moisture or nutrients with corn and other crops.

Rye grows very quickly in May, he cautioned.

“So don’t let it get out of hand unless the biomass is a target issue,” he said.

In a dry spring, without significant precipitation on the horizon, farmers should terminate rye before planting soybeans. Waiting too long to kill the rye could impact soil moisture, sulfur and possibly potassium availability for following crops. Normal rates of glyphosate are sufficient.

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

The 26th Sioux Falls Farm Show started Jan. 25, 2023, with 330 exhibitors in three buildings, headlined by the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The free-admission show makes no estimates of attendance.

FARM SHOW: Page 18

Mikkel Pates / Agweek Ron Bormaster, show manager for the Sioux Falls Farm Show, works for Midwest Shows of Austin, Minnesota, which manages six farm shows in the Midwest. The three-day Sioux Falls Farm Show started Jan. 25, 2023.

FARM SHOW

From Page 17

A bit of caution

Don’t use rye if other small grains are planned, especially if that crop is grown for seed, Karki said.

If a farmer had planted rye as a cover crop in the fall of 2022, and the 2023 is wet, and planting is

delayed or uncertain, Karki said it is the field planted to rye would be the best seedbed.

“So you could go out and plant your cash crop at an ideal time,” he said.

Ron Bormaster has been the show manager for the Sioux Falls show for all of its 26 years, and expected the show to draw good crowds, with 330 exhibitors, marketing and agronomy seminars like Karki’s.

The Sioux Falls Farm Show is one of six shows owned and run by Midwest Shows, Inc., of Austin, Minnesota.

“We are the largest indoor show producer in South Dakota,” Bormaster said.

The Sioux Falls show has 330 exhibitors, from Canada to Texas — anything from combines, to seed, to feed to fertilizer, and a great variety, in three large buildings.

“Anything you might be looking for is right here at this show,” Bormaster said.

Farmers at the show, like Chad Nelsen of Viborg, South Dakota, talked about uncertain delivery schedules for whole goods, including high-speed planters.

“Most guys who ordered planters mid-summer probably won’t get them until this mid-summer of 2023,” Viborg said. ◀

Chad Nelsen of Viborg, South Dakota, (center in vest), at the Sioux Falls Farm Show on Jan. 25, 2023, checks out a new Kinze high-speed precision planter with Terry VanMeeteren, of Hudson, Minnesota. Farmers at the show talked about uncertain timing for delivery of whole goods that depend on electronics.

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Zoey Kooikers of Sioux Center, Iowa, daughter of Bill and Heidi Kookiers, steps down after inspecting the cab of a Fendt tractor at the Sioux Falls Farm Show, Jan. 25, 2023, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.