South Dakota Farm & Ranch February 2022

PRESORTED STANDARD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 55 MITCHELL, SD

Local Postal Customer

FEBRUARY 2022

SOYBEANS SEEING ‘DRAMATIC’ UPTURN IN PRICES CATTLE CONUNDRUM

Producer sees little or no cow-calf profit in the ‘real world’

SCOTT SUPPLY’S 107 ANNUAL TH

LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR HUGE OPEN HOUSE FLYER!

PARTS DAYS FEBRUARY 1 - MARCH 31, 2022

605-996-7704 1-800-952-2308

2800 W. Havens, Mitchell, SD

www.scottsupplyco.com

We Salute Our LOCAL FFA CHAPTER in recognition of

NATIONAL FFA WEEK February 19-26, 2022

2021-2022 MITCHELL FFA MEMBERS: Bottom Row (L to R): Karen Roudabush (Advisor), Paige Guthmiller, Samantha Kludt, Garner Rubendall, Sara Ackman, Becca Long, Samantha Ford

Farm Tire Service

Row 2 (L to R): Lexus Mesmer, Kallie Volk, Ashtyn Sheesley, Tya Hohn, Bailey Henkel, Ally Henkel, Lainee Forst Row 3 (L to R): Marlena Retzlaff, Connor Hagemeyer, Emily Maltsberger, Jacey Royalty, Delaney Zoss, Ashlyn Roudabush, Andrew Machado

Reed Bruns

Thank you to our area Farmers and Ranchers!

A Good Bank in a Good Community!

Checking Services • Savings CD’S • IRA’S Mortgages • Vehicle & Personal Loans

COMMUNITY BANK OF AVON

Chris Nelson General Manager

605-337-3374

36590 SD Hwy 44 • Platte, SD www.pharmco.com

Meyerink Farm Service 1-800-658-2293 • 605-337-2621

• FOOD • FUEL WE OFFER • CLEAN GREATSTORE PRICES! • FOODSERVICE • FUEL • FRIENDLY • CLEAN STORE

FRIENDLY SERVICE I-90 & US •Hwy 281 Row 4 (L to R): Catreana Kingsbury, Plankinton, SD I-90 & US Hwy 281 Dailianys Calderon Acosta, Ace Plankinton, SD 605-942-7138 Halfmann, Grayson Hetland, Lucas Paul,

720 N. Main, Mitchell 996-7709 1-800-529-0061 www.grahamtire.com

www.meyerinkfs.com

WE OFFER GREAT PRICES!

118 N Main St. • Avon, SD

605-286-3213

LOCATIONS IN Platte • Chamberlain Kimball • Winner

• EXPERIENCED • RELIABLE • SERVICE OF CROP INSURANCE

605-942-7138

ROLLING HILLS VETERINARY CLINIC

102 1st Street NE Wessington Springs, SD

605-539-1040

Since 1985

Mitchell, SD Chamberlain, SD 990-2376 234-6086

Tony & Jodi Wolf, Owners 1004 South Ben Street PO Box 89 Parkston, SD 57366

605-928-7335 1-888-595-6717

Winner, SD 842-3050

www.statewideag.com

Statewide Ag Insurance is an equal opportunity provider/employer

ALPENA

Coop Service Scott & Mary Tilberg,

Farmingisyourlife’swork.

Poweringyouroperationisours.

Business: 605-770-2957 Home: 605-449-4939

Agents

Emery, SD | Carl Nordwald

1140 Spruce Street PO Box 128 Alexandria, SD 57311 605.239.4513

Excavation & Utility Construction of All Types

2 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

ORDER CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS:

Mike Fastnacht 605-350-0867 Mike Polancheck 605-770-6537 or 605-539-0236 Al Meier 605-770-9679

www.mpmseeds.net

831 Main Ave • Alpena, SD

605-849-3341

We offer propane, gas & diesel products

INSIDE THIS ISSUE On the cover

Soybeans seeing ‘dramatic’ upturn in prices.................4

Features

Robot hope for safer bins, less work............................................ 8 Cattle Conundrum.......................... 10

Publisher JO N I H A R M S Editor L U K E H AG EN Advertising Director LO R I E H A N S EN Layout Designer JA M I E H O LT E 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 South Dakota 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!

To subscribe to this FREE publication, contact South Dakota Farm & Ranch.

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

sdfarmandranch

UNDERSTANDING SMART FARM AUTOMATION Metro Creative odern agriculture looks little like the early days of farming.

All aspects of farming have been modified by the access farmers now have to technologies to meet the demands of their work and the pressure a growing population places on farmers to produce quality food.

Farm automation, precision farming and smart farming are strategies utilized by today’s farmers. These technologies have become important ways for farmers to optimize the production of food and improve its quality. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, agricultural production must increase by 70 percent in order to meet global food demand by 2050, by which time the population could be 9.7 billion persons.

Smart farming can make raising livestock more accurate and controlled. While farm automation is a broad term, precision smart farming zeroes in on exact measurements between variations in land conditions and livestock, according to Techie Loops, a technology information website. Examples of farming automation technology include: ► autonomous vehicles and machines ► drones

M

► robotics ► GPS guidance ► micro-forecasting and weather forecasting ► soil sampling ► yield mapping ► use of artificial intelligence ► geomatics ► statistical processes, and more.

Farmers can employ these technologies to save time and also manage labor shortages. Robotassisted irrigation systems, for example, can maximize efficiency of water distribution where it is needed the most. Weeding robots can use artificial intelligence and computer vision to target field areas and reduce use of pesticides. Driverless tractors can make labor cheaper for farmers by plotting the machine’s route and letting it run the course automatically. Harvest robots also exist to grab crops gently (some with vacuum technology) and reduce reliance on field workers. Some harvesters can determine ripeness of fruit via AI technology, according to Eastern Peak, a provider of custom hardware and software solutions for businesses.

Technology is changing farming in many ways. Innovations in automation can make operations more efficient and less costly.

FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 3

SOYBEANS SEEING ‘DRAMATIC’ UPTURN IN PRICES

By Erik Kaufman Mitchell Republic Producers around the country are seeing soybeans rise in their per-bushel price to their highest levels since June of 2021.

“I can say what we have seen in the past few months is that we’ve taken a dramatic upturn in soybean prices,” said Kevin Deinert, a farmer from Mount Vernon who also serves as the first vice president of the South Dakota Soybean Association board of directors.

The per-bushel price of soybeans is currently right around $15, a considerable jump from a recent low of $11.89 in November. Soybean prices have not been this high since June, though it has a way to go before it reaches the most recent high of the past year, which was about $16.43 in May. As of Wednesday, Feb. 2, local prices for soybeans in the Mitchell area were listed at about $15.01.

Deinert said, for the most part, the increase in price comes down to old fashioned supply and demand. Demand is certainly up, and some weather factors, such as a dry spell in some parts of South America, have impacted some international supplies of the commodity.

SOYBEANS: Page 5 A farmer harvests a field of beans this past November Northeast of Mitchell.

EXPERIENCE TITAN LSW TECHNOLOGY LOW SIDEWALL TECHNOLOGY WITH ®

®

THE LARGER RIM AND SMALLER SIDEWALL PROVIDES MUCH GREATER STABILITY FOR EQUIPMENT, REDUCES POWER HOP, REDUCES ROAD

LOPE & MINIMIZES SOIL COMPACTION.

1.800.USA.BEAR | www.titan-intl.com American Engineered. American Manufactured. American Owned. © 2015 Titan International, Inc. TWI, Quincy, IL. All Rights Reserved. Goodyear is a registered trademark of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

4 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

Matt Gade / Mitchell Republic

720 N MAIN - MITCHELL - 1-605-996-7709

Matt Gade / Mitchell Republic

Soybean prices are on the rise.

SOYBEANS From Page 4

“There are a variety of factors that contribute. (There is a high demand for) food-grade soybeans and soybean oil and for domestic use for livestock both here and abroad,” Deinert said. “And it’s dry down south, which has contributed to some shortage of their soybean crop.”

According to a United States Department of Agriculture report for January of 2022, Brazil soybean

production for marketing year Deinert said prices have slowly 2021/22 was estimated at a record been on the rise since the bottom 139.0 million metric tons, down 3% fell out of prices with the arrival from last month, but up 1% from last of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since season’s record crop. then, producers have expected slight Harvested area is estimated at a upswings in prices, but the recent record 40.4 million hectares, up 4% trend is taking some by surprise. from last season’s record area. Yield “Overall the supply is tight, is estimated at 3.44 tons per hectare, and a whirlwind of factors have 3% below last month and last season. all contributed to higher prices,” The decrease is attributed to historic Deinert said. “But I’m not sure we dry conditions during November and could have expected this level of December during critical reproductive prices. From a local perspective, we Offering premiums on Non-GMO Soybeans! crop stages in the southern state kind of anticipated a little bounce, of Paraná.

I don’t New Crop Basis levels currently starting atbut +1.70 CBOT know that anyone could

have accurately forecast this kind of boost.”

Deinert said when the pandemic first hit there were a lot of producers who sold off stockpiles of soybeans.

But as the world has slowly adjusted to and rose out of the deepest depths of the outbreak, where lockdowns and public events were regularly canceled or postponed, demand for soybeanbased products and materials has slowly been on the rise again.

SOYBEANS: Page 6

Non-GMO deliveries to our Miller/St. Lawrence, SD plant or Arlington, SD

Proud to Serve the Area Farmers for over 30 years!

Ask us about our Non-GMO Certified Grower Network and how to become a member to take advantage of additional premiums.

For more information, Call Kari or Skyler at OFFERING OUR FARMERS: 1-888-737-7888 or visit sdsbp.com • Revenue & yield protection coverages

• Policy examinations Offering premiums on Non-GMO Soybeans!

• GPS mapping Offering premiums on Non-GMO Soybeans!

NewSoybeans!

Crop Basis levels currently starting at +1.70 CBOT• Crop Hail Offering premiums on Non-GMO w Crop Basis levels currently starting at +1.70 CBOT Offering premiums on Non-GMO Non-GMO deliveries to our Soybeans!

Miller/St. Lawrence, SD plant or Arlington, SD • Sales Closing Date March 15th New Crop Basis levels currently starting at +1.70 CBOT Non-GMO deliveries to our Miller/St. Lawrence, SD plant or Arlington, SD

At Dakota Crop, you get a friendly and experienced team who understands your crop, your business, and your concerns.

Call Scott and Mary Tilberg and Kathryn Culbert Today

Ask us about our Non-GMO Certified Grower Network and how to

Non-GMO deliveriesBasis to our Miller/St. Lawrence, SD plant or Arlington, SD New Crop levels currently starting at +1.70 CBOT

become a member to take advantage of additional premiums. k us about our Non-GMO Certified Grower Network and how to Ask us about ourtoNon-GMO Certified Grower Network and how to become a member take advantage of additional premiums.

Non-GMO deliveries to our Miller/St. Lawrence, SD plant or Arlington, SD become a member to take advantage of additional premiums.

For more information, Call Kari or Skyler at

Ask us about our Non-GMO Certified Network andsdsbp.com how to 1-888-737-7888 or visit For more information, Call Kari or Skyler at Grower For more information, Call Kari or Skyler at become a member to take advantage of additional premiums.

1-888-737-7888 or visit sdsbp.com 1-888-737-7888 or visit sdsbp.com

DAKOTA CROP INSURANCE Alexandria, SD • 605-239-4513 • 605-999-2991 FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 5

SOYBEANS From Page 5

Prices hit a low of around $8.32 about the time the pandemic was taking hold in early 2020.

“When you think about when the pandemic first hit, we saw a lot of sell-offs in the market. If you look back in early 2020 when the pandemic first arrived, we hit some low prices, and since then we’ve trickled upward as we knew we were coming off some high-usage feed years,” Deinert said. “(As the pandemic came more under control) people were getting back out and about, and soybeans are used in a lot of products.”

The increase in prices provides a boost to producers who are dealing with rising input costs on items such as machinery and fertilizer, essential components to a successful planting and harvest season.

“If producers have crop left to sell and are fortunate enough to produce a decent crop, looking at the prices now, these are the highest prices we have had in a long time. We can be profitable when inputs start to climb. Machinery and chemicals are creeping up in price, so (with prices on the rise) we can have profitable levels and reinvest in our farms,” Deinert said.

SOYBEANS: Page 7

Agweek file photo

Beans are harvested this past September.

South Dakota Farm & Ranch

Will You Protect Your Calves?

Your trusted agricultural news source for generation after generation!

Scours Protection

Makes CENTS!

• Full Service/Supplies - On Farm or Haul-In • Pelvic Measure and Bangs Vaccinate Heifers

Lakeview Veterinary Clinic 2020 W. Haven, Mitchell 996-3242 6 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

13,000+ copies are direct-mailed every month to rural households in our 19-county coverage area.

Call your sales rep for information 605-996-5514

SOYBEANS From Page 6

Deinert said it was unlikely that significant jumps in soybean prices would affect consumers or the cost of products that use soybean materials.

Price increases on the shelf stem from more factors than just the price of soybeans.

“Live everything else this year, inflation and the markets will drive everything up, whether that be from commodity prices, input prices or from a manufacturing standpoint.

As farmers, we’re not privy to how manufacturers decide their prices, but at least we can present a good product to the public,” Deinert said.

Of course, some trends simply cannot be predicted. But for the near future, Deinert said producers would continue to keep an eye on what’s going on locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

“We’ll continue to watch how global markets react. Just like the stock market, the food sector or commodity sector gets touchy with geopolitical events. We’re keeping an eye on how inflation affects everything, and we hope we don’t have any major downturns that would negatively impact the farmer sector,” Deinert said.

Corn

Corn prices have seen a similar,

though less spectacular rise recently.

Current prices put corn at about $6.35 per bushel, also the highest it has been since June. Scott Stahl, who farms near Bridgewater and serves as president of South Dakota Corn Growers Association, said it has been encouraging to see those prices on the rise.

He attributed the rise to continued demand for corn-based products from sectors like the ethanol industry and the livestock industry.

Inc.

FOR ALL YOUR AUTO REPAIR NEEDS! WE SERVICE DIESELS

1510 South Burr Street Mitchell, SD 57301 1-605-996-1042 or 1-800-371-1042

“We definitely have seen prices appreciate over the last year thanks to strong demand,” Stahl said. “The ethanol industry is performing really well, and our partners in the livestock industry remain strong.”

Like soybeans, corn prices took a hit when the pandemic took hold, with prices hitting a low of around $3 per bushel in August of 2020. The uncertainty brought on by COVID-19 depressed prices across the board, extending past just the agriculture

markets, Stahl said.

“Anytime there is uncertainty, and COVID-19 caused extreme uncertainty in markets worldwide, the uncertainty is going to depress the price of commodities. That’s what we’ve been facing for going on two years next month,” Stahl said. “Part of what happened during COVID-19 was people weren’t driving. That created a backlog and oversupply of ethanol which hurt the corn market. It just affected every part of everybody’s lives, and farmers weren’t spared from that.”

Stahl said there is no crystal ball for charting the path of where prices will go in the future, though there are certain factors to look for. The number of acres planted in the spring and moisture levels can affect prices, and there’s no telling what the weather will hold before then.

But for now, he said corn producers will keep an eye on their bottom line and balancing it with those rising input costs.

“Farmers are really good at sharpening their pencil and making sure there’s a profit at the end of the day. There is inflation in corn and bean prices, but also in our inputs.

Diesel fuel, propane, chemicals fertilizer especially,” Stahl said. “It’s a moving target all the time.”

AGRICULTURE IS A TOUGH BUSINESS. YOUR LENDER SHOULD BE, TOO. We deliver financial strength to help you grow, attractive rates to give you an edge, insurance to protect your risk and cash-back dividends that deliver something more.

Learn more by calling the Mitchell office at 605-996-2774.

401 Cabela Drive Mitchell, SD fcsamerica.com

FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 7

ROBOT HOPE FOR SAFER BINS, LESS WORK

By Jeff Beach Agweek AURORA, Neb. — Chad and Ben Johnson can envision a day in the not too distant future when a farmer puts a robot into a bin to level the grain inside.

As the farmer goes about other business on the farm, his phone buzzes with a text message from the robot with a report that tells him how much grain is in the bin and that there are a couple of hot spots, and provides photos to help assess the quality of the grain.

The father and son from Aurora, Nebraska, are working on just such a robot, known as the Grain Weevil, designed to improve grain bin safety, make a farm more efficient and enhance grain quality.

The idea was born out of a request from a farmer neighbor, Zach Hunnicut, who had seen robots that Ben had worked on in high school.

“He said, ‘hey, if you can build that robot then you should be able to build me one to keep my family out of the bin,’” Ben said.

Hunnicut said it was a comment made in the heat of the moment, so to speak, after cleaning out a bin on a summer day.

“It was hot, sweaty, dirty job that I didn’t want to do,” he said.

Contributed / Cecil Smalley Photography

GRAIN BINS: Page 9 Ben Johnson, left, and Zane Zents, are developing the Grain Weevil robot to work inside grain bins.

Managing risk.

Building relationships tto las ast.

You have a vision for the future and we’re here to help you succeed. We’ve partnered with agribusinesss clients across the region for more than 40 years.

Farm and Crop Insurance . Commercial Insurance . Employee Benefits . Personal Insurance 8 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

605.996.6565 | fnicgroup.com

GRAIN BINS From Page 8

From there, the idea and the robot have evolved.

“It’s really neat that it’s gone from just the safety aspect to workflow efficiency,” said Chad, Ben’s father.

The initial idea was a robot to just break up crusts and bridges inside the bin.

The Johnsons, who are not farmers and had never been inside a grain bin, said they had no idea what the project would eventually entail.

“We didn’t think of it as a business at first,” Ben said. “It was just a fun project to help out a friend.”

But then came the realization that this could have a reach far beyond a single farm in Nebraska.

So the Johnson’s started Grain Weevil Corp., with Chad as CEO and Ben as chief innovation officer.

The business recently earned the Innovation Award, with a $50,000 prize, at the 2022 American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting.

Teacher and student

Chad Johnson jokes that both he and Ben have a “double-E” degree.

Chad’s EE is in elementary education. While he says he is an “educator at heart,” he’s also a tinkerer and guy who likes to spend

a lot of time in the shop figuring these out.”

He also was heavily involved in the robotics club in the Aurora community where Ben got introduced to the technology. Ben graduated in May 2021 from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a degree in electrical engineering.

Hunnicut and his kids also have been involved in the robotics club.

Ben’s college roommate, Zane Zents, is now the lead software engineer in the company, which is up to four employees, also including Jeremy Heeg, chief technology officer.

Chad Johnson said they just went through a round of seed money investments, raising $1.6 million, and “quite a few farmers invested in that round.”

The Grain Weevil team has been putting prototype robots to the test inside grain bins in Nebraska and Tennessee. It’s been tested on a variety of stored grain, including corn, soybeans, wheat, dry edible beans and rice. One Nebraska farm put a mix of cover crops, peas and oats, for the Grain Weevil to work on.

“It’s not a very good environment.

It’s dusty, they lock together,” which makes it a good challenge as they teach the battery operated robot to operate autonomously, Ben said.

Contributed / Cecil Smalley Photography

The Grain Weevil is designed to break through crusted grain, keeping farmers GRAIN BINS: Page 11 out of grain bins, which are a dirty and dangerous place to work.

Keeping an eye

on ag since

1930.

H & R Salvage Roll-off containers available for Home and Farm Scrap Metal Cleanups.

Giveus usaacall callto to schedule schedule aa container container today!

Give today!

H & R Salvage LLC H & R Salvage LLC Mitchell, SD | 605-996-8271 Mitchell, SD 605-996-8271

Raise Your Expectations Artesian | Letcher | Mitchell | Mt Vernon

CorTrustBank.com

ID 405612

FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 9

CATTLE CONUNDRUM Producer sees little or no cow-calf profit in the ‘real world’

By Mikkel Pates Agweek KULM, N.D. — Excuse him, but Ed Melroe wants to say a discouraging word about … cattle.

Actually, it’s cow-calf economics that put a burr under his saddle.

Melroe, 70, is proud of the art and science of cattle breeding and the miracle of bringing calves into the world. But he has a deep concern that cow-calf producers have been losing too much money for too long: “If the cow-calf producer isn’t successful, where are the calves going to come from that are going to be fed for our table?”

Melroe said most cow-calf ranches, including his Sunnyside Ranch, recently reduced to a 40-cow operation, haven’t seen a clear profit since 2016.

“When we were at the top, and we were making some money, we were paying some of the old loans, the old notes, the old debts,” he said.

Melroe acknowledges it’s not easy to count pluses and minuses in cattle. Shifts often are hidden in equity and condition of cattle and machinery. Sometimes lenders will make operating loans if there are assets to secure it.

Melroe is a member of R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America), a national, non-profit organization. On Jan. 19, 2022, R-CALF submitted testimony to the House of Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law. Bill Bullard, the organization’s chief executive officer, asked Congress to implement emergency help for the industry.

CATTLE CONUNDRUM: Page 11

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Hub City Livestock Auction at Aberdeen, South Dakota, took in feeder cattle until 10 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2022, after selling 1,500 “weigh-up” cull cows earlier that day. The feeder cattle sale on Jan 12, would swell to 6,000. Sale barn co-owner Steve Hellwig figured 20% of the cattle coming in were due to drought-reduced feed or financial pressures.

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Ryan Wolf, 39, of Kulm, North Dakota, and friend Eric Giesler, Edgeley, North Dakota, 35, separately went to the county Farm Service Agency office at Ellendale, North Dakota, to sign up for their payments for 2021 drought relief. The $55 per animal payment helps, but they’d rather packers paid a fairer share of the wholesale and retail prices. Photo taken Jan. 11, 2022, at Ellendale, North Dakota.

Steve Hellwig, co-owner at Hub City Livestock at Aberdeen, South Dakota, with brothers, Rick and Ron, said business has been more than brisk, and for difficult reasons – drought, and financial pressures due to subpar prices. On a feeder calf sale on Jan. 12, 2022, he estimated up to 20% of the animals were sold earlier than the seller would have liked because of feed shortages or other financial pressures.

www.bankwest-sd.bank | (605) 995-5059

Craig Dodds

1920 N. Sanborn Blvd. & 1200 E. Spruce St. in Mitchell

Ag Loans • Ag Real Estate Loans • Lines of Credit • Equipment Financing

Full-Service Ag Banking

10 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

All loans subject to credit approval.

Farm and Crop Insurance Insurance products are not deposits, not FDIC insured, not insured by any federal agency, not guaranteed by any bank, and may go down in value. BankWest is an Equal Opportunity Provider.

Kari Fagerhaug

CATTLE CONUNDRUM From Page 10

Bullard said that since 2015, beef packers have purchased cattle at only 55% of the average weekly wholesale beef prices, causing “horrendous losses to both cattle feeders and cow/calf producers.”

Bulllard said that if packers had paid the same percentage they’d paid from 2007 to 2014, producers would have received an additional $650 per head. The group is asking for “emergency stopgap measure” of tying cattle prices to a “wholesale beef value index” to prevent the “ongoing loss of equity” suffered by cattle farmers and ranchers, and beyond that “meaningful market structure reforms.”

COOL running Among other things, Melroe and R-CALF promote Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) which was in place from March 2009 to 2015. It required that any meat sold in the U.S. be

GRAIN BINS From Page 8

The robot also went through the first harvest season on the neighbor’s farm and will get put to work helping to empty bins when it’s time to make some sales.

Hunnicut has seen the Grain Weevil at work on crusted grain.

“It just busts right right through it,” he said.

He said when seeing it break through a bridge of grain only to right itself, he sometimes thinks “what if that was a person out there,” knowing that grain can quickly bury a person working in a bin.

“It takes out the drudgery and the danger,” he said.

What’s next

Chad Johnson said the prize money

labeled for what country it was raised in and processed in. The World Trade Organization (WTO), which includes Canada and Mexico, took legal action against COOL as anti-competitive. ”Our politicians decided to just cut that (COOL) out,” Melroe said. “That’s when things started to unravel.”

Melroe is upset that four packers together — three foreign owned — control 85% of the market.

Foreign beef can be inspected by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors, and it receives a USDA sticker. He thinks that’s wrong.

It hurts him to hear armchair cattle experts express optimism for cattle producers when prices click upward while downplaying the rising cost of production — inputs and equipment. Melroe notes that his 145 hp tractor probably would cost $225,000 to replace.

“When I buy used machinery, the cost is through the roof!” he said.

This is the first winter in 25 years Mikkel Pates / Agweek Ed Melroe hasn’t had cattle in his yard. The drought made this year’s Ed Melroe, 70, of Kulm, North Dakota, says most cow-calf producers haven’t had a clearly profitable year since about 2016. He blames packer market hay crop “very light.”

concentration and foreign competition. Photo taken on Jan. 11, 2022, near

CATTLE CONUNDRUM: Page 13 Kulm, North Dakota.

earned will go toward achieving safety certifications that are needed before the robot can be sold commercially.

The hope is for commercial sales to start in 2023. The safety certifications are needed to ensure that the robot won’t cause an explosion in a bin filled with combustible grain dust.

Chad Johnson said manufacturing will likely stay in Nebraska, where they have been working with manufacturers to supply components of the Grain Weevil, which the team can then assemble.

While first generation of Grain Weevil is in the works, the wheels are already spinning on a next generation of the robots, perhaps with different attachments, capable of more tasks, such as grabbing grain samples and sweeping up an empty bin.

Chad says he tells farmers that Contributed / Cecil Smalley Photography “we’re ready to replace their shovel The Grain Weevil can churn up grain, helping aerate the grain and help with but the broom will be next.” leveling and emptying bins.

SEED

For Farmers.

By Farmers.

Allegiant Seed from CHS brings you the most advanced genetic technologies. With local plot data, we have the traits that are proven to perform right in your backyard. Ask your CHS Farmers Alliance Agronomist about the right seed for your farm.

Come see the cooperative difference.

chsfarmersalliance.com |Follow us on Facebook & Twitter FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 11

12 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Ed Melroe is overwintering 10 bred beef cows at Wolf Farms south of Kulm, North Dakota, where the Wolfs feed 600 calves and 650 cows. The Wolf families also benefit from wind development income. Photo taken on Jan. 11, 2022

CATTLE CONUNDRUM From Page 11

The price of hay has gone from $35 to $40 a bale to roughly $150 a bale. The average cow will eat seven large round bales through the winter. Melroe said he’d like to fully retire, but in today’s economics, he can’t afford to sell the 40 head he has remaining.

Melroe’s operation peaked at about 100 cows about three years ago, including 30 registered Hereford cows. Today, Ed has trimmed back to the original 320 acres. In recent years, he’s gone commercial — breeding to Angus bulls and calving in late April. He raises first-cross “baldie” heifers and steers, which removes some of the management and breeding paperwork associated with maintaining a registered herd.

Ed took 30 of his bred cows to Nebraska to a feedlot to over-winter.

Another 10 are cared for by Ryan Wolf, a partner in nearby Wolf Farms.

Ryan Wolf, 39, agrees the costprice squeeze is serious. Like Melroe, he thinks the “packers have been skinning us alive for the past five, six years.”

“They’re making record profits and we’re losing money,” Wolf said.

“We’re doing the hard, physical work on the deal. Feedlots are breaking even to losing money.”

Wolf said he’s seen some friends forced out of the cattle business.

He and friend, Eric Giesler, Edgeley, 35, separately went to the county Farm Service Agency office to sign up for their payments for 2021 drought relief. Giesler said the payment is $55 per animal, so based on Geisler’s 250 bred cows, the payment is about $13,500. That helps with cash flow,

but it doesn’t put a big dent in the losses, Giesler and Wolf said.

They’d prefer to get their money from the marketplace.

The Wolfs usually take cattle to 700- to 800-pounds and sell them about March 1 at Hub City Livestock Auction in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

They’ll go to a feedlot and are finished to about 1,400 to 1,600 pounds.

Steve Hellwig, co-owner at Hub City with brothers, Rick and Ron, said business has been more than brisk, and for difficult reasons. Hub City sold 282,000 cattle in 2021, averaging about 5,500 to 6,000 per week, yearround, with no summer lull.

“It’s a 52-week battle,” Steve acknowledges. More than half come from 100 miles to 150 miles away On Jan. 12, 2022, cattle came from as far away as Minot, North Dakota.

Steve said about 15% to 20% of the calves being sold “should not be sold right now,” from producers who would normally keep them another 30, 60 or 80 days and use their feed at home.

“A lot of producers don’t have the choice. They’ve gotta keep the (bred) cows at home. They’re saving the feed they have and selling the calves a lot earlier than normal,” he said.

The average calf price was about $1,100. At 6,000 head, the total was about $6 million to $7 million, for a single sale.

“A producer (who) gets $1,200 for a calf may have $900 to $1,100 into the animal,” Steve said. “He needs all of that and more just to get by.”

He said two big problems are what he calls the “Cs.” That’s COVID and corn prices. COVID hit the market, making prices plummet. Then, corn prices went to $7 per bushel. And now, inflation is causing costs to rise.

“We know a lot of these farmers personally. We’ve know them for 30

years. We’ve grown up with them, we know their kids, their families,” Steve said. “We’ve had a lot of kitchen talks on what do we do. Do we have to sell some cows? How do we make more money?”

Yes, the market has come up a bit, so

some cattle are “slightly profitable,” Steve said. “But it seems like the good times last just a little while, and the bad times last a long while. It’s been a burden on producers to make ends meet here.”

FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 13

HUMANE HOUSING FOR SAFE AND COMFORTABLE LIVESTOCK

By Metro Creative onsumers depend on various agricultural producers to provide the fruits, vegetables and meat and dairy products they rely on for sustenance. The conditions in which livestock are sometimes housed and cared for is a cause of concern for many such consumers.

However, farmers who understand that their livelihoods depend on the health of their animals often do their best to keep their livestock healthy and comfortable.

Animal agriculture is evolving as animal scientists, veterinarians and farmers seek ways to provide for animal health and welfare. At the same time, farmers are seeking ways to minimize the negative impact these changes can have on employees and the environment.

parasites and diseases spread by insects, wildlife and other vectors.

Although some are quick to say that outdoor living is better and indoor conditions can be unsanitary, many studies have proven the opposite.

Increased prevalence of infectious disease and parasites are wellknown risks associated with outdoor housing of livestock, says the USDA. This has been proven by studying both indoor and outdoor chickens, as well as swine.

Indoor housing

Battery cages

C

Data published in 2016 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that indoor housing protects livestock from harsh external environments and serves to decrease exposure to

Many people are concerned about the welfare of hens spending time in battery cages. These cages prevent hens from fighting with one another, but they also put the birds in very

ALL DIESELS • ALL DIAGNOSTICS • ALL SEMIS • ALL MAKES OF VEHICLES

ALL MAKES OF VEHICLES CARS, PICK-UPS & DIESEL: LIGHT, MEDIUM, & HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS

tight quarters. Battery cages were often coveted because their sloped floors allowed clean eggs to roll away into collection areas, making the process less labor-intensive.

Farmers are trying to find a balance between keeping eggs clean and birds safe while providing humane living conditions without affecting the cost of eggs. In some areas, such as the European Union, battery cages are no longer in use. Egg-laying hens in Canada also may find battery cages a thing of the past thanks to the a new NFACC code for the care and handling of Canada’s hens.

In addition, Publix, Wal-Mart, Costco, Denny’s, and more than 20 other major companies have stopped buying eggs from producers who use battery cages.

Group housing

Veal production has long been a point of contention among animal welfare activists. The traditional option has been keep calves alone in “veal crates,” which are small and provide limited movement. Many

veal farmers have slowly transitioned away from veal crates, says the organization Animal Smart. Group pens and indoor barns are climatecontrolled and allow calves to stay together. Some farms even afford the calves some outdoor time for fresh air.

Group housing is more social and less restrictive for the calves.

According to the American Veal Association, veal farmers spent more than $50 million over 10 years to transition to these group housing systems. Calves can stand, stretch, lie down, groom themselves, and benefit from year-round ventilation to thrive.

Furthermore, milk-fed calves raised for veal are raised until age 22 weeks, and marketed at 500 pounds, which is much older and larger than many people likely know, according to AVA. Great strides are being made to ensure that livestock are provided humane living conditions and environments to keep them comfortable and safe.

CAMP OUT ON THE NEW

Brakes and Strut Work Transmission and Engine Overhaul RV/Motor Home Repair Full Line of Diagnostic Repair

TONY WOLF

JACOB MOEGE

NICK COLLINS

42 years experience Certified ASE Master

9 years experience Certified ASE Master • Diesel certified technician

9 years experience

Owner/Mechanic

Mechanic

US MARINE Mechanic

1004 South Ben Street • PO Box 89 • Parkston, SD 57366 605-928-7335 • 1-888-595-6717

WE NOW OFFER AND SERVICE ALL TIRES - AUTO-PICKUP-SEMI-MOUNT & BALANCE God Bless All Our Military Men and Women

ASE Master certified / ASE Master Diesel certified, DOT Inspection certified, Air Conditioner certified.

Tony & Jodi Wolf, Owners

14 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

RESERVE A CAMPSITE AT CAMPSD.COM

ADVANCEMENTS IN LIVESTOCK TECHNOLOGY Metro Creative onsumer demand drives changes in industry, and the agricultural sector is no exception. Consumer demands for improved animal welfare have led to changes in the livestock sector, and various technologies have been developed and are in development to help this particular segment of the agricultural industry thrive.

According to the Animal AgTech Innovation Summit, various startups have developed technologies that can make the livestock industry more sustainable and efficient.

utilizes voice recognition and computer vision technology in its SmartGuard product to prevent piglet deaths from crushing and starvation. The product also makes it possible to track and facilitate obstetrical assistance.

C

Operations

Treatment

The Israeli firm Armenta has developed a non-antibiotic treatment for bovine mastitis that utilizes acoustic pulse technology. The treatment has a 70 percent cure rate.

Another firm working to treat livestock is the United States-based General Probiotics. Animal AgTech reports that General Probiotics develops cellbots and antimicrobial

intelligence and big data to improve animal welfare and farm productivity.

One Faromatics product utilizes a robot suspended from a ceiling to monitor certain variables, including Welfare equipment function and health and Faromatics, a firm based in Spain, welfare, that affect broiler chickens. has combined robotics, artificial The American firm Swinetech probiotics that eliminate harmful pathogens in livestock. That can reduce dependency on antibiotics and make food production safer.

Based in Uganda, Jaguza Tech has developed a livestock management system that utilizes sensors, data science and machine learning to improve the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of modern farm operations. Farmers can utilize Jaguza to perform a host of functions, including monitoring their animals’ health and identifying their livestock.

The Netherlands-based H2Oalert is a water control management system that checks the quality and quantity of cattle drinking water in real time.

The management system also checks for pollution and malfunctions in the water supply.

Specializing in...

Comprehensive Animal Care for both large & small animals

8127 7.5' x 28' Livestock Trailer

6'8" x 24' Stock Trailer

8127 7' x 24' Livestock Trailer

8117 6'7" x 20' Livestock Trailer

8.5 5' x 31' 31 Goosenec Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer

Rolling Hills Veterinary Clinic Dr. Kelli Tobin

rollinghills@venturecomm.net 102 1st St. NE • Wessington Springs, SD • 605-539-1040 Mon- Fri 8:00am to 5:30pm * Saturday 8am to 12pm

600 SOUTH BURR, MITCHELL • 605-996-5683 • IVERSONFEATHERLITE.COM

FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 15

COMMON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRACTICES

T

he concept of sustainability varies by industry. Within the agricultural industry, sustainability is a multifaceted concept that has become increasingly popular in recent decades.

According to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, sustainable agriculture seeks to increase profitable farm income, promote environmental stewardship, enhance quality of life for farm families and communities, and increase production for human food and fiber needs. In an attempt to reach those goals, farmers who embrace sustainable agriculture may look to various practices. ► Cover crops: The Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit

organization that aims to employ independent science to address the planet’s most pressing problems, notes that cover crops are planted during the offseason when soils have traditionally been left bare.

Cover crops can help prevent soil erosion and replenish the nutrients in the soil. Cover crops also can limit weed growth, reducing the need for herbicides that can prove harmful to the environment. ► Reduce or eliminate tillage: According to the UCS, traditional plowing, or tillage, can cause a significant amount of soil loss, even as it prepares fields for planting and reduces the likelihood of weed problems. Eliminating or reducing tillage involves inserting seeds

16 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

directly into undisturbed soil, which can reduce erosion and improve the health of the soil. ► Integrated pest management: Integrated pest management techniques aim to minimize the use of chemical pesticides that can prove harmful to the environment and local wildlife. According to the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, IPM strategies like habitat manipulation and the planting of disease-resistant plants are designed to promote longterm prevention of pests and the damage such pests can cause. ► Agroforestry: The Association for Temperate Agroforestry defines agroforestry as an intensive land management system that

incorporates trees and/or shrubs to optimize the benefits they provide when deliberately combined with crops and/or livestock. The shade and shelter provided by trees and shrubs can protect plants, animals and water resources. ► Crop/livestock integration: The UCS notes that there is growing evidence to suggest that the careful integration of crop and animal production can help farmers make their farms more efficient and profitable.

Sustainable agriculture is a complex concept that can benefit farmers, their local communities and the environment in myriad ways.

USDA ANNOUNCES CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM SIGNUPS FOR 2022

By United States Department of Agriculture WASHINGTON — Agricultural producers and landowners can sign up soon for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a cornerstone conservation program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a key tool in the BidenHarris Administration effort to address climate change and achieve

other natural resource benefits. The General CRP signup will run from Jan. 31 to March 11, and the Grassland CRP signup will run from April 4 to May 13.

“We highly encourage farmers, ranchers and private landowners to consider the enrollment options available through CRP,” said Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator of

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

“Last year, we rolled out a better, bolder program, and we highly encourage you to consider its higher payment rates and other incentives.

CRP is another way that we’re putting producers and landowners at the center of climate-smart solutions that generate revenue and benefit our planet.”

Producers and landowners enrolled 4.6 million acres into CRP signups in 2021, including 2.5 million acres in the largest Grassland CRP signup in history. There are currently 22.1 million acres enrolled, and FSA is aiming to reach the 25.5-millionacre cap statutorily set for fiscal year 2022.

USDA: Page 19

AUCTIONEER D I R E C TO RY Be sure to watch the Mitchell Republic’s Classifieds for upcoming listings of auctions!

See these Auctioneers for all of your Real Estate, Farm, Household, Consignments, Business Liquidation or other needs.

K KER CHERU- LC O AND BR E N AUCTIO N O T T U S

1116 N. West Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Specializing in Land • Real Estate Auctions of All Types

336-6315 OR CALL Kuhle-Sutton Agency 127 2nd Ave. W • PO Box 325 Flandreau 997-3777 • www.suttonauction.com SELLING REAL ESTATE AT AUCTION & PRIVATE TREATY

Livestock www.theauctionpages.com

www.livestockauctionpages.com

www.sdauctions.com Let us share your next auction with the world!

Justin Dean 605.999.4239 Shanda Feistner 605.999.1674

Lori Dean 605.999.4217 Kelbi Dean 605.999.8812

Email: sdauctions@santel.net Owned/Operated by: Dakota Web Design, Inc. 40942 234th Street • Artesian, SD 57314

your

TOTAuLtion Sol

ANDY HARR

AUCTIONEER/BROKER 608 North West Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104

C: 605-201-1559 | O: 605-274-6500 Toll Free: 1-800-817-8999 F: 1-844-605-SOLD (7653) E: andy@totalaar.com www.totalaar.com

AUCTIONS & REAL ESTATE

FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 17

CHANGES TO CLEAN WATER RULE WILL HURT FAMILY FARMERS USDA ember farmers from the American Farm Bureau Federation participated in a roundtable on Jan. 6, about the impact of the proposal to repeal and replace the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR). The event was hosted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy. Arizona Farm Bureau President Stefanie Smallhouse and Colorado Farm Bureau Vice President James Henderson joined several other farmers attending the roundtable to explain why this rule is so consequential for agriculture.

The Biden administration recently proposed a “step 1” Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. Despite claims to the opposite from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers, a new WOTUS rule will have a large impact on small businesses and family farms. The significant nexus test, particularly, will greatly expand federal jurisdiction onto private lands and make it difficult for farmers

M

and ranchers to decipher where their property is impacted.

“Farmers are dedicated to protecting the resources they’re entrusted with while raising the food our country relies on,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We support responsible rules that protect the environment, but we shouldn’t need a team of lawyers to interpret those

rules just to farm our land. The NWPR brought clarity to water regulations, yet farmers and ranchers are again caught in the middle of changing regulations. We urge EPA to return to commonsense protections for the nation’s waterways. Our goal is simple – clean water and clear rules.”

Arizona Farm Bureau President Stefanie Smallhouse said, “There

are three basic elements everyone in agriculture needs to feed and clothe our nation: healthy soils, ample sunshine and clean water.

We take the stewardship of our land and water very seriously. The rules that enforce the Clean Water Act must be clear, concise and honor the law’s intent. Congress charged the federal government with protecting interstate navigable waters and the states to protect all others. The resources and landscapes across this country are incredibly diverse and it’s imperative that the states maintain their role in working at the ground level with farmers and ranchers to ensure clean water.”

Colorado Farm Bureau Vice President James Henderson said, “EPA’s proposal would again extend federal rules to the driest parts of the West. The rules would force ranchers like me to hire lawyers to seek approval for everyday tasks in areas where water runs only a handful of times every decade.”

WATERFURNACE UNITS QUALIFY FOR A 26% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

The future looks so much brighter

above ground At POET, we're proud to be a leader in the biofuels industry, fueling rural economies, lowering costs for consumers, and developing renewable energy alternatives that reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

You may not realize it, but your home is sitting on a free and renewable supply of energy.

A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort system taps into the stored solar energy in your own backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. That’s money in the bank and a smart investment in your family’s comfort. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today for a free quote on your project.We do total Geothermal HVAC system installs.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALER

Affordable Geothermal 24486 422nd Ave Alexandria, SD 57311 605-239-4242

visit us at waterfurnace.com

POET.COM/MITCHELL | 877.777.4084

18 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

©2013 WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.

BEFORE YOU BUILD,

USDA From Page 17

CRP Signups General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland.

Meanwhile, Grassland CRP is a working lands program, helping landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as working grazing lands. Protecting grasslands contributes positively to the economy of many regions, provides biodiversity of plant and animal populations and provides important carbon sequestration benefits to deliver lasting climate outcomes.

Alongside these programs, producers and landowners can enroll acres in Continuous CRP under the ongoing sign up, which includes projects available through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE).

Climate Benefits Last year, FSA enacted a ClimateSmart Practice Incentive for CRP General and Continuous signups, to better target CRP on addressing climate change. This incentive aims to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CRP’s climate-smart practices include establishment of trees and permanent grasses, development of wildlife habitat and wetland restoration. The Climate-Smart Practice Incentive is annual, and the amount is based on the benefits of each practice type.

Additionally, in order to better target the program toward climate outcomes, USDA invested $10 million last year in the CRP Monitoring, Assessment and Evaluation (MAE) program to measure and monitor

the soil carbon and climate resilience impacts of conservation practices over the life of new CRP contracts.

This will enable the agency to further refine the program and practices to provide producers tools for increased climate resilience.

BUILD A RELATIONSHIP

More Information on CRP Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program — for General CRP before the March 11 deadline, and for Grassland CRP before the May 13 deadline. Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. Due to the pandemic, some — are open to limited visitors. Additionally, fact sheets and other resources are available at fsa.usda.gov/crp.

Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the BidenHarris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www. usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Residential • Commercial • Ag Buildings Cattle & Hog Confinements

1-605-227-4224 ethancooplumber.com FEBRUARY 2022 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 19

SOUTH DAKOTA LAND IS IN DEMAND COUNTRY HOME AND HOBBY FARM NEAR MITCHELL ACREAGE

64.2 Acres +/-

Just 14 miles northwest of Mitchell, South Dakota, you’ll find everything you’ve been looking for in a rural country home on acreage. As you enter the property from the south off blacktopped 245th St, you’ll appreciate the welldeveloped tree belt protecting the north and west sides of the home and yard.

The building site is loaded with amenities. The 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom home has an attached, heated 28 x 30 garage.

The home is ideal for a large family or as a getaway lodge for a group of hunters looking for a basecamp. The large, heated shop is equipped with living quarters, a mechanic’s shop, and tons of storage for machinery, equipment, and tools. The barn is mostly original and in amazing condition, including the interior beams and planks and a cupola on the steel roof.

Walk the trails north of the building site to any one of the deer stands, and you will cross several deer highways and pass numerous rubs and bed sites with many shelterbelts, providing tremendous cover for deer and other wildlife. The eastern approximately 35 acres of the property are tillable and were planted into corn during the 2021 growing season. There is potential rental income from the tillable field, or a buyer may wish to add additional shelter and food plots to the property.

If you’ve been searching for a country home with hunting opportunities right on your property and the conveniences of a regional hub city within commuting distance, then this is a property you are not going to want to miss!

BRETT KLEINSCHMIT

Southeast South Dakota Land Specialist

(605) 660-6566

BRETT.KLEINSCHMIT@WHITETAILPROPERTIES.COM

W H I T E TA I L P R O P E R T I E S . C O M Whitetail Properties Real Estate, LLC - DBA Whitetail Properties | In the States of Nebraska & North Dakota - DBA Whitetail Trophy Properties Real Estate LLC | Licensed in IL, MO, IA, KS, KY, NE & OK - Dan Perez, Broker. Licensed in AR, CO, GA, MN, ND, SD, TN & WI - Jeff Evans, Broker.

Licensed in FL, NY, OH & PA - Jefferson Kirk Gilbert, Broker. Licensed in TX & NM - Joey Bellington, Broker. Licensed in IN - Bill Minor, Broker. Licensed in AL, GA, LA, & MS - Sybil Stewart, Broker. Licensed in TN - Tim Burnette, Broker. Licensed in TN - Bobby Powers, Broker. Licensed in AR - Anthony Chrisco, Broker. Licensed in NC, SC, VA - Chip Camp, Broker. Licensed in NC - Rich Baugh, Broker. Licensed in MI - Edmund Joel Nogaski, Broker. Licensed in MD, WV - Debbie S. Laux, Broker. Licensed in ID, MT, UT, WY, OR - Aaron Milliken, Broker

1 209.8x12_Buyer_ad_Brett_Kleinschmit_9-21.indd SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH FEBRUARY 2022

9/3/21 1:43 PM