South Dakota Farm & Ranch December 2020

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NEAR-PERFECT HARVEST CONDITIONS MEAN LESS PROPANE FOR DRYING IN 2020

PRESORTED STANDARD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 55 MITCHELL, SD

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SALES DRIVE ON FOR EQUIPMENT DEALERS

DECEMBER 2020

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May that heartwarming holiday spirit Reside with each of you.

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BOB’S FARM SERVICE INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Be Prepared For Future Grain Weights With These Sioux Grain System Features:

On the cover

Sales Drive On For Equipment Dealers 6

At implement dealerships like Scott Supply in Mitchell, sales have been steady despite the pandemic, including sales of combines. (Sam Fosness / South Dakota Farm and Ranch)

Features

Auctioneer Directory Less Propane Drying in 2020 Understanding Earthworms Assessing Farm-Ranch Stress Silage Safety Tips Gregory-based Rosebud Co-Op Poll: Farming is #1 Industry

4 8 9 10 11 14 15

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 Design C H R I S JO H N S O N 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.

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Sam Fosness / South Dakota Farm and Ranch

At implement dealerships like Scott Supply in Mitchell, sales have been steady despite the pandemic, including sales of combines.

SALES DRIVE ON FOR EQUIPMENT DEALERS Business has been steady for SD ag implement outlets despite pandemic

By Sam Fosness South Dakota Farm and Ranch While the pandemic has impacted the agriculture industry, the ideal harvest conditions and increased crop prices in South Dakota have helped implement dealerships stave off what could have been otherwise a rough year.

At Scott Supply in Mitchell, business has remained steady for the Case IH dealership throughout the pandemic. Owner Chris Scott said the favorable fall harvest weather paired with the recent uptick in crop commodity prices have helped drive sales all year long.

“With everything that’s been going on in the world, we’ve actually been doing well this year, staying in line with the type of business we see on a yearly basis,” Scott said. “Don’t get me wrong, coronavirus impacted the way we do business, but it’s been business as usual for us.”

As an agriculture dealership, Scott knows his business is largely predicated on the success that farmers have in the fields each year.

When crop prices began to jump in the midst of harvest season, some increasing by more than $1 to $2

per bushel, Scott said it sparked more optimism to end the year on a high note.

In early September, corn prices in the Mitchell area were around $2.90 per bushel. Over the next two months, the price climbed to $3.85, as of Dec. 2. Soybeans saw an even larger increase over the same timespan, as prices spiked from $8.80 to $10.94, as of Dec. 2.

“When the farmers are hurting, we’re hurting. The excellent crops and great harvest have helped keep business strong, and I’m optimistic for it to continue,” Scott said. “Commodity prices have been getting better as well, so that’s had a positive impact on us.”

After surviving through South Dakota’s wettest year on record in 2019, Jeff Hruby, a Scott Supply salesman, said last year’s inclement weather had more of impact on sales than the virus has this year.

“Those years when we have really bad weather and wet conditions are harder on sales than the virus has been,” Hruby said. “The type of weather and crop prices have more of an effect because it directly cuts into farmers profits.”

Continued on page 6

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“Where SERVICE Means More Than The Sale It Self” December 2020 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 5

Continued from page 5 To give a glimpse of the improved crop conditions that South Dakota farmers enjoyed this year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Nov. 9 crop report, farmers had 92% of the state’s corn crops harvested, marking a 56% increase from the same timeframe in 2019.

The crop conditions that made for much better yields this year helped farmers rebound and boost their income, which means more business at the dealerships.

“It was such a tough year with all the rain last year, and many farmers took a hit. So many of our customers had to dry their grain last year, which can be a big expense. Scott said. “But most of our customers never had to dry any of their grains and corn this year. Not having to spend the excess money on grain drying helps their bottom line.”

After the historic flooding that took its toll on the agriculture industry in 2019, Mike Plooster, manager of C&B Operations in Corsica, was relieved to put that year behind him. Then COVID-19 hit.

In the midst of being faced with yet another challenge this year, Plooster said the dry weather and

Those years when we have really bad weather and wet conditions are harder on sales than the virus has been.

JEFF HRUBY, Scott Supply

Sam Fosness / South Dakota Farm and Ranch

Jeff Hruby, salesman with Scott Supply, shows off a tractor on Dec. 2 that the Mitchell dealership added to its inventory at Continued on page 7 the shop

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Continued from page 6 unexpected uptick in crop prices during fall harvest was a blessing for the farming community. Without those blessings, Plooster said sales would have likely taken a hit.

“With commodity prices ticking up the way they have over the last two months, which is a rarity, business has naturally picked up with it,” Plooster said. “The nice yields and commodity prices jumping during the harvest season has definitely created some positive energy in the farming community, and hopefully that will continue to reflect in our sales before we end the year.”

Like many dealerships, C&B Operations takes part in farm shows each year that provide an opportunity to showcase their agriculture equipment. But that all changed when COVID-19 came into the picture, which prompted the cancellation of many agriculture events this year.

Perhaps the most notable event that was cancelled this year was Mitchell’s Dakotafest, canceled for the first time in its 25-year history. While the lack of events had an impact on business, Plooster said it was minimal considering farm shows aren’t a big sales driver.

“Those events like Dakotafest are more of an opportunity for us to connect with our customers and showcase our equipment, which still does impact us,” Plooster said.

Sam Fosness / South Dakota Farm and Ranch

Jeff Hruby, salesman with Scott Supply, shows off a combine on Dec. 2 that the Mitchell agriculture equipment dealership added to its inventory.

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NEAR-PERFECT HARVEST CONDITIONS MEAN LESS PROPANE FOR DRYING IN 2020

By Michelle Rook Forum News Service

The 2020 harvest was a breath of fresh air for most farmers in the region after the d i s a s trous fall of 2019 Thompson marked by an early snowstorm and excessive moisture.

As a result of the unusual 2019 conditions, some of the crop did not get harvested until spring. Farmers able to harvest took out an extremely wet crop that had to be dried several points. This caused a bottleneck in the propane supply distribution system and meant record drying costs for farmers. Colton, South Dakota farmer Jeff Thompson even dried his soybeans in 2019, but Mother Nature was much kinder this fall.

Thompson said there were several notable differences between the 2020 and 2019 growing seasons. To start with, the crop got planted early and matured early, as it got pushed along with the heat and dryness in August. The crop dried down quickly, resulting in farmers having to dry very little of their crop.

Typically, it can cost about 3.5 cents per percentage point of moisture to dry corn. Taking

away that cost is a huge savings for farmers like Thompson.

“I’m sure I saved, you know, probably a couple, two to three thousand over last year,” he St. Aubin said. “The gas prices themselves, of the propane, was quite low, but we just didn’t go through the gallons.”

Plus, the near-perfect weather conditions this fall meant it did not require a lot of heat to dry the crop down.

CHS Director of Propane Sales and Marketing Dennis St. Aubin said farmers saved a substantial amount of money drying corn.

“We were hearing in the late part of September into October moistures coming off the field at anywhere from 22% to 14%,” he said. “My experience is talking to marketers and farmers, and we’re seeing, you know, less than the five-year average by upwards of 30% to 40%.”

Compared to last year he said it may be more than 40% due to the heavy demand they saw for propane due to the wet crop.

Many farmers were able to take the crop directly from the field and put it into the bin with just some air,

Michelle Rook / Forum News Service

Grain drying costs have been down significantly in 2020, as near-perfect harvest conditions have allowed for less propane use in grain dryers. That's a stark contrast from 2019 when crops came off the field wet and propane was in high demand across the region. which should also preserve the quality of that crop and help keep it in condition through the winter, which also adds to the value of the grain.

While the demand for propane is down, surprisingly the price point per gallon of propane is comparable to 2019.

“Year over year, we’re really seeing similar costs as far as what our hub price of propane going from the marketer to the farmer,” he said.

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He attributes some of that to farmers being more proactive and contracting propane early and getting the price locked in. Not only was there a sense of urgency due to the supply problems from last year fresh on farmers’ minds, but there was also concern about the ability to get propane due to the COVID19 pandemic. Last year there were bottlenecks and propane shortages

and the region’s governors even had to sign proclamations to extend the hours of service for the delivery of propane.

The outlook for this winter’s grain drying season will be dictated by the weather. Predictions of a strengthening La Niña could mean colder temperatures in the Midwest.

“We certainly are anticipating a colder weather pattern coming in December and Janu-

ary,” St. Aubin said.

He said that will mean increased demand for propane not just for drying but also for swine and poultry facilities. Farmers can use a forecasting tool through the Propane Education and Research Council’s website, https:// propane.com, to help them see what the crop drying demand may be even into the next cropping year.

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HOW’S LIFE IN THE SOIL? ASKING THE EARTHWORMS

By Anthony Bly, Debankur Sanyal, Johnathon Wolthuizen SDSU Extension Agriculture in the 21st Century integrated natural resources conservation while pushing the boundaries in global crop production. Building better soil health has become more and more important Bly in the past few decades with regenerative agriculture being promoted by scientists all around the world. Healthy soils are those that are full of optimally functioning natural organisms from the microscopic all the way up Sanyal to gophers and badgers; earthworms are one of the most important factors in the health of soil.

Earthworms are ‘very special’ creatures on earth and their contribution in soil nutrient cycling and fertility management has been acknowledged from the beginning of agriculture. It is often said that in no-till farming, the tillage is done by earthworms. In search of food and water, earthworms move through the soil while they burrow a series of tunnels, improving soil porosity and ultimately soil health. Their activities above and below ground speed up the breakdown of organic materials in the soil and improve carbon and nutrient status and availability to the crops.

So, the question needs to be asked: how can we help improve earthworm populations? Of course, the best thing we can do to help earthworm populations is to stop doing tillage, but is there more we can do? We chose to look at cover crops

as a way to increase earthworm populations as the additional biomass and living roots might improve earthworm population and activity. Therefore, we conducted a study to understand the impact of cover crops on earthworm populations in eastern South Dakota croplands.

To conduct our study, we selected fields that were long term no-till, specifically 15 or more years, and selected sites where cover crops were planted in the fall 2019 after a small grain harvest.

To incorporate experimental control in our study, we sprayed out 15- by 30-foot plots to kill the cover crops and left cover crops growing in the plots side by side, following a randomized design. We then let the cover crops grow for the rest of the year and came back the following spring and conducted our experiment.

To estimate earthworm populations, we used an established protocol where a mustard-vinegar solution poured into a ring which was used to bring earthworms out from the soil profile onto the surface.

Thereafter, we categorized the earthworms into adults or juvenile depending on their sizes and counted them.

In our experiments, earthworm populations varied mostly due to soil conditions from just over 285,000 up to 2,000,000 worms per acre. Our study found that on average, cover crops had more than twice as many earthworms as the no cover crop plots. Therefore, if the goal with no till is to build a healthy soil that promotes earthworms to function to the best of their abilities, then cover crops are essential.

Bly is an SDSU Extension Soils Field Specialist based in Sioux Falls. Sanyal is a soil biogeochemist based at SDSU trained in agricultural sustainability.

Wolthuizen is an SDSU Extension agronomy associate studying cover crops and soil health.

SDSU Extension graphic

Earthworm population under cover and no cover plots in spring 2019.

SDSU Extension graphic

Counting earthworms after pouring mustard-vinegar solution in the specified area.

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December 2020 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 9

SDSU Extension to assess farm-ranch stress statewide

By SDSU Extension BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University Extension faculty will conduct a statewide comprehensive needs assessment to find more ways to help agricultural producers deal with stress through a new U.S. Department of Agriculture program.

The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network program is a 12-state collaborative that seeks to expand stress management and mental health resources and services to agricultural producers and stakeholders in the North Central region.

The program is supported by a three-year, nearly $7.2 million USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant through the 2018 farm bill.

“We decided to complete a comprehensive needs assessment to get a better understanding of how we can expand our

work in South Dakota to provide more assistance across the state,” said SDSU Extension Mental Health Specialist Andrea Bjornestad, an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development.

She leads the South Dakota team, which will receive more than $440,000 in funding.

Bjornestad has been doing research on the mental health of agricultural producers since 2015. She also leads the SDSU Extension rural behavioral health team, which focuses on farm stress management. Last year, she gave more than

Krista Ehlert, an assistant professor in the Department of Natural Resource Management, who will spearhead the West River effort from SDSU’s West River Research and Extension Office in Rapid City.

SDSU Extension Director Karla Trautman said, “This project will establish the critical foundation needed to identify the mental health needs across rural communities in South Dakota. By establishing this foundation, SDSU Extension is then positioned to provide appropriate resources in accordance with our land grant mission, which is to provide transformational strategies that meet critical needs.”

20 presentations on coping with stress for agricultural organizations across South Dakota.

“This is a statewide effort to identify how to best to serve farmers and ranchers with the hopes of creating an assistance network across the state,” Bjornestad said. Producers already have chronic stress due to external factors outside their control, such as weather and market prices. Now Partnering with ag they have the COVID-19 pandemic, which adds to organizations A statewide task force their stress.

Bjornestad will be composed of represenassisted by SDSU Exten- tatives from 10 agrision Range Specialist cultural organizations,

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is a bit like starting with a clean slate — we do not know what issues or needs will emerge,” Bjornestad said. Guided by the task force, the Extension specialists will develop goals and objectives.

Focus groups with various groups, including producers, will be facilitated in the first year. In the second year, the researchers will survey agricultural producers and stakeholders and conduct key informant interviews.

“We will hear their narratives, their conversations, which makes this exciting work,” she explained.

In the final year, the researchers will develop an action plan, which will provide the task force with a solid foundation for moving forward to creDeveloping ate an assistance netexpanded network work. “We are setting “Doing a comprehen- the stage for everyone,” sive needs assessment Bjornestad said. including the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, will provide guidance on the comprehensive needs assessment. “This provides an opportunity to expand our work by partnering with state agricultural organizations to develop a more extensive distance network,” Bjornestad explained.

The Extension specialists met with the task force this month in a virtual retreat. Other South Dakota organizations represented on the task force are the Wheat Commission, Sheep Growers Association, Pork Producers Council, Soybean Association, Stock Growers Association, Grassland Coalition, Soil Health Coalition, Farm Bureau and Cattlemen’s Association.

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BASIC SILAGE SAFETY STARTS WITH AVOIDING COMMON ERRORS

By Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health Every silage pile poses potential for serious, even fatal, incidents caused by tractor rollovers, equipment runovers, falls from the silage pile or bunker, crushing and engulfment by collapsing silage, and more.

Identifying silage safety principles is one of the aims of Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH). This University of Nebraska Medical Center group is conducting two research projects (funded by National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health) that are designed to make a positive impact on the sustainability of cattle feedyards through increased safety and health efforts.

“Some common errors that lead to silage accidents and injuries include piling silage higher than the reach of unloading equipment, walking up to the face of a silage pile, or working too close to the leading edge on top of the

Photo by Tracey Erickson via SDSU Extension

Three tractors pack and push up a silage pile on a South Dakota dairy farm. Packing is an important part of putting up high-quality silage.

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Average 19 locations

Brand

Variety

Trait

DenBesten

DB31-11

Conventional

Maturity

Yield

Moisture

111 Day

216.7

Dekalb

DKC61-52

19.3

111 Day

214.6

Pioneer

P0825AM

18.3

AMLLRR2

108 Day

207.9

DenBesten

DB31-10

18.5

Conventional

110 Day

206.3

18.2

Hybrid Comparison

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Average 25 locations

Brand

Variety

Trait

Maturity

DenBesten

DB31-88

Yield

Moisture

Conventional

88 Day

162.0

Dekalb

DKC38-01

15.9

RR2

88 Day

156.4

DenBesten

15.3

DB40-92-OR Organic

92 Day

153.3

18.1

DenBesten

DB41-91-OR Organic

91 Day

153.2

16.7

Hybrid Comparison

Average 26 locations

Brand

Variety

Trait

Maturity

DenBesten

DB30-97

Yield

Moisture

Conventional

97 Day

188.5

Dekalb

DKC45-65

16.6

RIB

95 Day

183.9

DenBesten

DB40-02-OR Organic

16.9

102 Day

185.3

16.9

Hybrid Comparison

Average 26 locations

Brand

Variety

Trait

Maturity

Yield

Moisture

DenBesten

DB38-06

Conventional

106 Day

194.5

19

Pioneer

P0157AM

AMLLRR2

101 Day

198.0

18

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Continued from page 11 silage face,” said James Carrabba, Agricultural Safety Specialist at the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety-NEC, Bassett Healthcare Network in central New York State.

“Lallemand, Cargill and Connor Agriscience have also promoted silage safety in the industry,” Carrabba says. “However, there’s always more that can be done.”

The late Keith Bolsen, Kansas State University (KSU) Professor Emeritus of Cattle Nutrition at the KSU Animal Sciences and Industry Department, contributed greatly to silage safety education through the Keith Bolsen Silage Safety Foundation.

Carrabba notes that safely working around silage requires knowledge of the hazards found in three key aspects of feeding silage: filling horizontal silos, covering silage and feeding it out. Before silage storage activities begin, producers should carefully inspect their storage facility to ensure that the integrity of the silo hasn’t been compromised.

“In a silo with concrete panels as sidewalls, inspect the walls to make sure a panel won’t kick out or fail when filling the silo,” Carrabba says. “Be sure workers are properly trained regarding appropriate silage pile height, don’t allow anyone to work around the silage pile by themselves, and make sure employees aren’t fatigued or unsure how to operate equipment.”

No one working with silage should be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Be sure there are enough workers to manage the work being

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S e e y o u r p a r t i c i p a t i n g N e w H o l l a n d d e a l e r i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r d e t a i l s round balers, disc mower-conditioners and small on New Holland Roll-Belt round balers, disc mower-conditioners and silo.small gibility requirements. Cash ba•ckFinancing applied at time oplus f sale. up Offer to is no$1,300 ntransferablecash . Cash baback ck offers aon re onlsmall y availabsquare le when finabalers ncing purchase with CNH Industrial Capital Capital Amerithe ca balers when financing the purchase with CNH Industrial Capital.

Get 0% interest financing for 60 months S*cwith ott Sup upto pl$2,700 y Comcash panyback** EWLCD N ™ k on New Holland Roll-Belt round 8y00 Wdisc estmower-conditioners Havens, Mitchell,and SDsmall 57301 Hawis2pbalers, D la square balers when financing the purchasewwith ww.sCNH cottsIndustrial upplycoCapital. .com **

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JAMES CARRABBA, 15% OFF ng plus upmaximizes to $2,700 Hurcash ry! Oback fin-cab fers eon nvisibility. dRoll-Belt October round 31•, 2Financing 0balers 20. Excluplus des coup mmto erc$2,700 ial hayINTRODUCTORY toocash ls andback equipmon ent.Roll-Belt roundAgriculture and 360° balers Safety Specialist • NEW! HAWK LCD Display integrated on disc mower-conditioners ng plus up to $2,000 cash back with •Back-Up FinancingCamera plus up to $2,000 cashOFFER back on disc mower-conditioners **

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Scott Supply Company 2800 West Havens, Mitchell, SD 57301 www.scottsupplyco.com Sc6o0tt5S C0 o4 mpany -9u9p6p-ly77 2800 West Havens, Mitchell, SD 57301 www.scottsupplyco.com 605-996-7704

Scottparticipation Supplsubject y Coto m pa ny and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America LLC.S ottparticipating Supply Company *For commercial use only. Customer credit qualification Seecyour *For commercial use only. Customer participation subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. See your participating New New Holland2 dealer for details and eligibility requirements.

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T a x e s , f r e i g h t , s e t u p , d e l i v e r y , a d d i t i o n a l o p t i o n s o r a t t a c h m eadditional nts not te or teror m. for CNH Indor ustw rialw CaCNH p i t a l A m e r i c a L L C . s t a n d a r d t e r m s a n d c o n d i t i o n s a p p l w.scwoitthotust u p pl*yFocr coOffer .corcm included in suggested retail proptions ice. Offeor r suattachments bject*tFoorcchoamnnot ge oincluded r cancellatinionsuggested noretail tice. *price. ommesubject ial usetoochange nly. See yoroucancellation r participatingwithout New Honotice. lland de**For aler incommercial the Unw itedw Suse taw teonly. s.fs orcdSee eo tatilyour stsupplyco.com mercial use only. Customer participation subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. See your participating New participating and eligibiliNew ty reqHolland uiremendealer ts. Cashinbthe ack United applied States odef asdetails odne5 tlriagnibs9 arbe6 ase7 hntbs0 rasymareenapplied ielqautime bilreedw. of hOeffnsale. ns cOicntgois r3c1h, a2s0e20w. iNthotCaNll HcuCash Isntodmusertback rsiaolr C appliictaalntCare ty6 aql uA0 ic9 a 96-7704 4kowonffepback Hatotlliamned for laerlefo. rOdfefeand tariliss6 aneligibilty n0 iflierequirements. tyr9 qleu.irCe7 m .aDcCash tomnalyy abve arat erfiennadOffer bpeurnontransferable. apoffers s ampaionly am lavailable i5 feyrLLCfinancing . Offer endspurchase October 3with 1, 20CNH 20. OIndustrail ffer subjectCapital nHceInlldautisotrniLLC. oituatl Anm oends teicriec.a © lxlersi,gfhretisgor eertv-uepd,. dCeNlivHerIyn,without dadudsittriioanlaCnotice. when 31,teInr2020. rgteeromr. cCaNAmerica aw l CitahpOffer LDecember LC2.0s2ta0nC daNrdH mdsusantrdiaOffer cloAnm ditesubject iorincsaaLpLpC lyto fotor rcahteaonCapital .. TAachange hret,sscancellation l oapptiitoanlsa©2020 onrdatNtaecw hCNH mHeonltslaIndustrial nnodt are i n c l u d e d i n s u g g e s t e d r e t i l p r i c e .

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S e e y o u r p a r t i c i p i n g N e w H o l l a n d d e a l e r i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r d e t a i l s t r a d e m a r k s r e g i s t e r e d i n t h e U n i t e d S a t e s a n d m a n y o t h e r c o u n t r i e s , o w n e d b y o r l i c e n s e d t o C N H I n d u s t r i a l N .

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America LLC. All rights reserved. CNH Industrial Capital and New Holland are trademarks registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial nd eligibility requirements. Cash back applied at time of sale. Offer is nontransferable. Cash back offers are only available when financing purchase with CNH Industrial Capital Capital America N.V., its subsidiaries or Laaffiliates.

LC. Offer ends October 31, 2020. Offer subject to change or cancellation without notice. © 2020 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. CNH Industrial Capital and New Holland are

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trademarks registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

*For commercial use only. Customer participation subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America L*LFCo.rSceoemymouerrcpiaalrtuicsiepaotninlyg. C Nuew stomer participation subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. See your participating New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. Down payment may be required. Offer ends October 31, 2020. Not all custoHmoellrasnodr daepaplleircafonrtsdm etaaiylsqaunadlifeyligibility requirements. Down payment may be required. Offer ends October 31, 2020. Not all customers or applicants may qualify for rate or term. CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. standard terms and conditions apply. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additiofonralraotpetoiorntseromr.aCttN acHhm Inednutsstrniaolt Capital America LLC. standard terms and conditions apply. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additional options or attachments not ail price. Offer subject to change or cancellation without notice. **For commercial use only. See your painrtcicluipdaetdinign Nsuew H o l l a n d d e a l e r i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r d e t a i l ggested retail price. Offer subject to change or scancellation without notice. **For commercial use only. See your participating New Holland dealer in the United States for details ts. Cash back applied at time of sale. Offer is nontransferable. Cash back offers are only available when fiannadnceilniggibpiulirtcyhraesqeuwirietm hC aleAomf searilcea. Offer is nontransferable. Cash back offers are only available when financing purchase with CNH Industrial Capital Capital America enNtsH. ICnadsuhstbraiaclkCaapppiltiaeldCaatptiitm

12 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH December 2020

done and take periodic breaks.

Employees should carry water and snacks with them, and work shifts should be rotated to ensure workers are properly rested.

“While filling a silo, make sure all workers know that only authorized personnel are allowed in the silo area,” Carrabba says. “All others should be kept out. Workers should wear high visibility clothing or vests.

Appropriate signage around the area includes signs such as ‘No Unauthorized Personnel,’ ‘Danger,’ ‘Keep Out.’ Signs should be highly visible to anyone who approaches the area.”

A key principle of bunker silo silage safety is knowing how high the silage can be packed without setting the stage for undermining or overhangs.

The pile should never exceed the reach of the unloading equipment.

ROPS-equipped (Roll Over Protective Structures) equipment is critical for leveling and packing silage.

Operators should also wear seat belts.

Use low-clearance, wide front-end tractors equipped with well-lugged loaded tires.

“Use your most experienced operators for this task,” Carrabba says. “All workers operating equipment need to wear their seatbelt. No extra riders should be allowed, unless they are being trained. Make sure new operators are properly trained and observe their work to ensure they follow safety policies and practices.”

Here are some other key tips to know for working with silage. ► Each forage layer must be tightly packed. If new silage has been added to existing old silage in a horizontal Continued on page 13

Continued from page 12 silo, mark that transition point. The new silage will not be interlocked with the old silage and large sections can collapse unexpectedly when feeding out. ► Do not pile new silage on top of existing silage that has a plastic covering in place. Although this may seem in the best interest of forage quality, it can result in excessive hazard of face collapse during feedout. Extra caution is warranted with any activity in these transition areas. ► Rollover hazards are an obvious risk during silage-packing activities. Side slope ratios are an important safety concern during packing. Many factors influence safe operating gradients. ► “Minimize lateral side slopes as much as practical,” Carrabba says.

“Strive to be at least 6:1 side slope and beware of soft spots in the pile. The packing tractor must be able to drive over all parts of the silage pile for safe packing.” ► Safest packing of a silage pile is achieved when the tractor drives up and down the pile. Some references suggest using no more than a 3:1 slope in the direction of travel for this type of operation. ► When filling bunker silos and drive-over piles, pack tractor operators should always form a progressive wedge of forage and maintain a minimum slope of 1:3 on the ends of a drive-over pile. ► Use radios so operators can communicate with one another. Adjust the mirrors on all tractors and trucks.

To help stabilize packing tractors,

add wheel weights and weights to the front and back of the tractor.

When using two or more pack tractors, establish a driving procedure to prevent collisions. ► Trucks should have backup alarms installed. Operators should stay in their trucks while waiting to unload. If someone must exit, they should communicate their intention to the other operators on the site. ► Trucks that are dumping silage should not back up onto the silage pile since trucks become less stable once the bed is raised. Only when the truck is on a firm surface, should the dump bed be raised and the silage unloaded. ► Reverse alarm devices or a remote video camera may be installed on large machines to increase visibility for operators and warn personnel in the area that the equipment will be moving in a reverse direction. ► Bystanders should never be allowed in the silo area, especially children. ► Be vigilant about avoiding worker fatigue and complacency. Even the best worker can become frustrated and resort to shortcuts if they’re overtired and stressed.

“If producers are aware of the hazards related to silage, they will implement policies to protect themselves and their workers from these hazards,” Carrabba says. “Unfortunately, there are no industry standards for horizontal silo safety procedures. We need to continue promoting safe silage practices. Farms should develop written protocols for silage filling safety and train their workers on those protocols regularly. Document all training sessions with a sign-in roster.”

December 2020 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 13

GREGORY-BASED ROSEBUD CO-OP WORKS FOR PATRON-OWNERS

By Lura Roti For South Dakota Farmers Union GREGORY — Cooperatives are unique, explains Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative General Manager Clayton Whitney.

“Unlike other businesses, when you work for a cooperative, you’re actually working for your customers,” he said.

“Your patrons are the ones who own the company.”

Serving Farmers Union Cooperative patrons for 25 years now, Whitney doesn’t wait until the annual meeting to make sure he and his team are meeting patrons’ agronomy, fuel and home heating needs.

“I make a point to jump in my pickup and do farm visits to talk with members at least once a month,” he said. “I value the one-on-one conversations and personal relationships I have with our patrons.”

Growing up in Gregory, Whitney says these same patrons are the reason he returned to the community after taking a brief, threeyear leave to work in Rapid City after high school. “I missed my friends; my family and I like the smalltown life here. We are a very close-knit community.”

Whitney began his career with the co-op driving the tire service truck. Twelve years later, he began managing the automotive side of the shop.

In 2017, he was asked to serve as general manager. With a people-first work ethic, Whitney says he is grateful for his years of experience, working in several areas of the cooperative prior to serving as general manager.

“We’re the kind of operation where, if you’re going to be the general manager, you’d better be able

Courtesy photo

Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative General Manager Clayton Whitney to step in and do anyone’s job,” Whitney said.

Whitney enjoys working with the Rosebud Cooperative employee team because, “it’s like working with a family. We all pitch in together and do what it takes to serve our customers.”

And if that means putting in long hours and working six days a week – or making a home-heating deliver in the middle of the night – that is what he and his team will do.

“I’m not going to ask employees to work harder than I’m willing to work.”

Keeping products and services competitively priced is another focus of Whitney’s.

“We keep an eye on the markets all the time. We do a lot of contracting and try to get products at the least-expensive price we can for our patrons,” he said In 2019, the cooperative paid out $123,000 in dividends.

“This is another advantage of doing business with a cooperative,” Whitney explained.

The cooperative’s efforts are appreciated. A few years ago, when a different local cooperative sold to a large, national cooperative, many patrons left and began doing business with Rosebud Farmers Union Cooperative. Sales of diesel fuel went up $300,000.

“They like doing business with a small, local cooperative who actually recognizes them as individuals instead of a number,” Whitney said.

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PUBLIC PUTS FARMING AS NO. 1 INDUSTRY IN GALLUP POLL

By Jenny Schlecht Forum News Service WASHINGTON — Anyone who believes the public thinks poorly of farmers, farming or food industries should reconsider that notion.

A Gallup poll conducted earlier this year put farming and agriculture as the top-ranked industry, with 69% of surveyed Americans viewing the industry positively, followed closely by the grocery industry and restaurant industry at 63% and 61%, respectively. Only 11% of people surveyed viewed farming and agriculture negatively.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting supply chain disruptions, seem to have played a part, said Betsy Huber, president of National Grange, a 153-year-old fraternal organization based in agriculture.

“When the COVID pandemic started, I think people realized how important agriculture really is,” she said.

The survey, conducted July 30-Aug. 12, asked a random sample of 1,031 adults living in every state and the

District of Columbia about their perceptions of industries. Each of 25 industries was rated by 550 respondents. Gallup surveyed 70% of participants over cellphones and 30% over landlines using random-digit-dial methods.

Farming and agriculture took a big leap in the rankings compared to last year, gaining 11 points in the positive column compared to 2019. Only health care, which gained 13 points to push it to a 51% positive and a 13th-place ranking, gained more.

The pharmaceutical industry ranked 24th out of the 25 ranked industries.

However, that industry made a big jump from last year, when it ranked last and had only 27% of people viewing it positively, compared to 34% this year.

Travel and sports industries decreased in positivity more than any other industries. Travel dropped 11 points to 41%, and sports dropped 15 points to 30%. The federal government brought up the bottom of the rankings, with only 30% of respondents viewing it positively. “(T)he public is expressing greater appreciation for the work of three industries that are crucial to people’s well-being: farming and agriculture, health care and pharmaceuticals,” said a blog post from Gallup about the poll.

Huber said the pandemic has placed the spotlight on essential workers tied to the food chain, whether it be growing, processing, transporting or selling food. She said this year’s high ranking also may tie into the fact that past surveys and polls have shown that people find farmers to be trustworthy.

“People trust that the food they eat is safe and plentiful,” she said.

The pandemic made people think about how they had perhaps taken for granted the abundance of food available to them.

“Of course, people didn’t understand the food was plentiful; it was the supply chain that was the problem,” Huber said.

Not only did farming and agriculture top the charts, but it also increased pretty evenly across various U.S. subgroups. That means there is no partisan push for agriculture but a more across-the-board awareness of the industry’s importance.

Huber said efforts by farmers to reach out to the public need to continue to maintain the positive perception of the industry. Efforts in social media, blogs, farm tours and agritourism help explain and promote agriculture, she said.

“I think that is definitely helping to improve the perception of farming as a great occupation and something that we certainly need,” she said.

December 2020 SOUTH DAKOTA FARM & RANCH 15

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