Curious Yearlings by Acacia Anderberg

April/May/June 2021

Curious Yearlings by Acacia Anderberg

WIN!

Proceeds will benefit the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association a 501(c)5 non-profit. The winning ticket number will be drawn during the 130th Annual Convention on September 10, 2021. The winner need not be present to win. Additional rules and exclusions apply. Contact South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, 605-342-0429, 426 Saint Joseph St, Rapid City, SD 57701.

Winner will receive a Silencer Hydraulic Squeeze Chute. Ranch Model worth appoxomatiley $10,674. Participants must be 18 years of age or older to enter, have a valid driver’s license as required by state law. All applicable state and federal taxes, license, registration fees, insurance, and other expenses not listed herein are the winner’s responsibility and must be paid when prize is claimed. Prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. Winner need not be present at time of drawing to win. Drawing will take place on September 10, 2021 during the 130th Convention of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association held at the Holiday Inn in Spearfish, SD. Prize cannot be substituted except by sponsor who reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Void where prohibited by law. Contact South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, 605-342-0429, 426 Saint Joseph St, Rapid City, SD 57701.

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From Dubas Equipment

April /May /June 2021 South Dakota Stockgrowers Association 1

Of ContentsTABLERegular Features

3 Wagon BossPresident Scott Edoff

4 Congressional Contacts Magazine Adver-tising Membership Comparison

5 From The Desk of Editor and Execu-tive DirectorJames Halverson

6 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes January 20, 2021

8 All Hat and No Cows by Matthew J. Trask

10 Lobbyist Reportby JeremiahMurphy

22 Blast From The Past

28 Inheriting Firearms in Estate Planning and Administration by Elliot Bloom

32 January to March 2021 Long Range Outlook

34 AssociateMembers

41 SDSGAMembershipApplication

42 Just One Cow Welcome New Members

Special Features

12 Winners of the Photo Contest

16 Varilek’s Beef Review

18 Range Round-up: Plan Now to Control Weeds with Grazing Next Season by Pete Bauman

26 Stockgrowers Asso-ciation, Wall Meats, and Edoff Ranch support Club for Boys with beef donation

31 Why Should I Sign the Beef Checkoff Petition?

35 Standing Up for Rural Constituents by Karen Budd Falen

37 FFA Relocates South Dakota State Convention to Rapid City for First Time

38 Biosecurity For Beef Cow-Calf Op-erations: Managing the Entry of New Animals by Russ Daly

40 In Memorium: Edward Engle Thompson

43 Checking in on the Check-Off by Suzy Geppert

8All Hat and No Cows by Matthew J. Trask

Winners of the Photo ContestSee Page 12

Skull Between High Pole Gateby Markus Erk

40In Memorium:Edward Engle Thompson

18Range Roundup

10Lobbyist Reportby Jeremiah Murphy

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South Dakota Stockgrowers Association April /May /June 2021


Winter 2021 - Volume 78, No 1USPS # 503-240, ISSN #00383384

MEMBERSHIP FEE: Annual membership dues are $75 in accordance with the bylaws of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:THE STOCKGROWER426 St. Joseph, Rapid City, SD 57701

EDITOR: JAMES HALVERSON, Rapid [email protected]

Published quarterly at Rapid City, SD by the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, Inc. Periodicals Postage Paid at Rapid City, SD and additional mailing offices.

PRESIDENTSCOTT EDOFF, Hermosa

VICE PRESIDENT VAUGHN MEYER, Reva

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMES HALVERSON, Rapid City [email protected]

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTSRegion 1 - LES SHAWRegion 2 - ERIC SUMPTION 329-7859Region 3 - STEVE LIVERMONT

DIRECTORS AND DISTRICTSDis# Director Phone1. BILLY CLANTON 375-39952. BRIAN FOX3. SHAWN FREELAND, Caputa 545-3082 RANDY VOLMER 798-56214. BILL PAULTON, Edgemont 673-46415. JT RICKENBACH6. JUSTIN KOLB , Belle Fourche 786-78347. CHANCE ANDERSON, Isabel 466-23418. COREY LEVIN MATT KAMMERER9. MARK KROGMAN, Quinn 10. ROSS CUNY11. CASEY BACHAND, Kadoka 12 CHUCK WILLARD 344-257613. BRYAN HANSON, Ft. Pierre 280-128314. GEORGE KENZY15. JASON FRERICHS, Wilmot16. ZEB HUSTED, Highmore 280-256117. JOHN KARLEN, Howard 772-5437

PAST PRESIDENTSGARY DEERING, HerefordSHANE KOLB, Meadow 244-7145KENNY FOX, Belvidere 344-2516BOB FORTUNE, Belvidere 344-2200BILL KLUCK, Mud Butte 748-2428

ASSOCIATION OFFICE 1-877-529-2333 (BEEF) 342-0429

Design: Computer [email protected]

SCOTT EDOFFPRESIDENT

ne thing I struggle with as President is writing the Wagon Boss article. Despite having written several at this point, James usually surprises me by saying Wagon Boss is due Monday. Panic sets in as I wonder what to write about and whether I will choose the best subject for the issue. I want to begin this issue by reporting that the annual SDSGA mixer in Ft. Pierre went over very well. It was well attended by Stockgrowers members, and we were able to host our senator and representatives. I am also proud to report a special appearance by lieutenant governor Larry Rhoden. Thank you to everyone who attended. Now on to our fundraising success so far this year. In January, I decided to pull the trigger and choose a Silencer hydraulic chute for a fundrais-ing project. James took charge of purchasing the chute and organizing the raffle. We started selling tickets at our mixer in Ft. Pierre right way. Next came the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo. SDSGA members stepped up to the plate and sold enough tickets to break even on the Silencer just a few weeks into the raffle. Now, we are mak-ing money on every ticket sold, so keep up the excellent work, everyone. Thank you for putting in the effort to ensure that the Stockgrowers have funding to continue their advocacy for the agricultural community. I am very proud of our membership, and I hope your efforts continue to make this fundraiser a success. On January 14, Vaughn Meyer, our 2021 vice president, held the second annual SDSGA, R-Calf, and I-COW rollover auction fundraiser at Belle Fourche Livestock Auction. Thank you to Vaughn for organizing such a great opportunity for our Association and membership. In just one year, the event grew considerably, and we were able to double our proceeds over last year’s generous contributions. I want to give Vaughn a special thanks for his efforts in getting this event started and for donating the steer that started it all. Also, a special thanks to Baxter Anders and the fantastic crew at Belle Fourche Livestock Auction for their help in making this happen. Great job, everyone! Just a year ago, I received a phone call from Harding County rancher Ronnie Floyd. We discussed how the SDSGA could make a beef donation to the Club for Boys. While I thought this was a great idea, we could not find a locker plant to take a beef despite our lengthy efforts.

So, the idea was put on the back burner. Then, out of the blue, my neighbors Dennis and Gwen Zelfer had an open spot at Wall Meats, the Edoff ranch gathered a dry cow, and we were good to go. Ken and the crew at Wall Meats processed the beef for free, and on February 23, James Halverson, Tiff Robertson, Mark Kline, and I packed 600 pounds of hamburger into the Club for Boys’ freezer. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a thing like this that separates the SDSGA from any other organization around. It really is what comes from your heart and soul that counts. Before I let you all go, I want to offer a quick comment on the recently concluded legislative session. The session went at a fast and steady pace as usual, and we had many bills to wade through. I think the SDSGA did a great job of representing the ag industry in this session. In late February, SDSGA had a big scare when Jeremiah Murphy went down with COVID-19. James stepped in for Jeremiah and did a great job taking on that respon-sibility. Thank you, James, for your willingness to help. I want to use this as an opportunity to let Jeremiah know we all hope he gets some rest and recovers soon. My prayers and thoughts are with you, Mr. Murphy. Lastly, some of you may have heard of the fire that took our executive director James Halverson’s home and pastureland. I want to take a moment to recognize James for all he does for the SDSGA. His contributions to this organization are invalu-able, and I know I am not alone in saying that we all appreciate the work he does. I also want to say thank you to our members for stepping up and supporting him and his family during this time. In the coming months, I would like to encourage everyone to keep his family in their thoughts and prayers and to do what you can to help these incredible people out. Our community is different because we support each other in our times of need. It’s what makes agriculture more than an industry. You’ve got a lot of people in your corner, James. Thank you again. And with that, I know calving and branding time is just around the corner, so I’ll leave you all until the next time James surprises me. Hang in there, everyone. It’s just another year living the American dream.

OO

CONGRESSIONAL CONTACTS

ABERDEEN Contact: Jennifer Hieb 514 South Main; Suite 100 Aberdeen, SD 57401 605-225-0366

RAPID CITY 1313 West Main Street RapidCity,SD 57701 Phone: (605) 343-5035 Fax: (605) 343-5348 Adam KaemingkPIERRE 111WCapitolAve, Suite210 P.O. Box 309, Pierre, SD 57501 Phone: (605) 224-1450 Fax: (605) 224-1379SIOUX FALLS 320 North Main, Suite A SiouxFalls,SD 57104 Phone: (605) 336-0486 Fax: (605) 336-6624 Tyler TordsenWASHINGTON LoganPenfield DC HartSenateOfficeBldg.,Suite502 Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-5842 Toll Free: (844) 875-5268 Fax: (202) 224-7482

Mike Rounds SENATOR

South Dakota

John Thune SENATOR

ABERDEEN Contact: Judy Vrchota 320 S First Street; Suite 101 Aberdeen SD 57401 605-225-8823

RAPID CITY Qusi Al-Haj or Mark Haugen 246 Founders Park Drive Suite 102 Rapid City, SD 57701 Phone: (605) 348-7551SIOUX FALLS 5015 South Bur Oak Place Sioux Falls, SD 57108 Phone: (605) 334-9596

WASHINGTON 1508 Longworth HOBDC Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2801 Toll Free: (855) 225-2801ABERDEEN 304 6th Avenue SE Aberdeen, SD 57401 Phone: (605) 622-1060 Fax: (605) 262-0150RAPID CITY 2525 W Main Street Suite 310 RapidCity, SD 57702 Phone: (605) 646-6454SIOUX FALLS 300 North Dakota Avenue Suite 314 SiouxFalls, SD 57108 Phone:(605)275-2868

Dusty Johnson CONGRESSMAN

4

Circulation• Circulation of 1,600 to 1,800• Reader base: 5,000• Character of circulation: Agricultural • Character of publication: Devoted to all aspects of livestock production, farming and ranching

Subscription rate: $75.00 per yearPublished Quarterly *4 issues per year

Deadline:February 5, May 5, August 5, November 5

MAGAZINE ADVERTISINGNOTICE TO MEMBERS &

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Members who wish to advertise

in the South Dakota Stockgrowersmagazine may take 20% off the

rates listed here. We’d like toencourage our membership to

share the advertising rateinformation with local merchants.

The office will be happy to mail rate sheets upon request.

THANK YOU!

Editor:James Halverson

[email protected]: 605-993-6123

426 St. Joseph Street - Rapid City, SD 57701605-342-0429 - Fax 605-342-0463

southdakotastockgrowers.org

DISTRICT AND REGION MAP

MEMBERSHIP COMPARISON



ost of you know by now that just a few weeks ago my family and I had a devastating fire. Yes, it is tough, but I will not focus on that. We refuse to focus on that. Instead, we will forge ahead and try to concentrate on what we can and must do next. I will admit that focusing on day-to-day tasks has been more challenging lately. SDSGA has had a great winter. Sure, we need some moisture, but everyone I know calving right now is appreciating the nice Spring. In the Legislature, we’ve had some great wins. Jeremiah has summed all that up in his column, but I can tell you anec-dotally we are building our relationships and influence. We are already working with our elected officials on bills to bring forward next year. It is no doubt there will continue to be a myriad of issues to tackle at the state level, and we will continue to have dialogue with decision makers to posi-tively influence policy moving forward. I set this as a high priority. On the national level issues have obvi-ously pivoted with a new administration and party in power. We are hopeful for op-portunities on issues like the New Markets for State Inspected Meats, 50/14, transpar-ency within the cattle markets, MCOOL, and others. However, we must stay educat-ed and up to date on the challenges facing us as well. The 30x30 land grab under the guise of “protection” is one example. A recent announcement from the USDA said that the USFS is administering a new “Land Acquisition Program” that, courtesy of the permanently funded Land and Water Conservation Fund, has $123,000,000.00 to buy private land and put it under the

ever-inefficient management of the federal government. I find it troubling that they aren’t even trying to hide the fact that they want your land anymore and have an unlimited bankroll to do it. And that’s just a fraction of the overly ambitious federal overreach we are threatened with today. This is why another priority for me is education and outreach. Who wouldn’t want to “Protect” our forests and grass-lands? I certainly do. Which is why us producers must continue to reach out to an ever-expanding audience to tell our story of being the true stewards of the land who have been “Protecting” it for generations all while feeding and outfitting the world at the same time. Yes, that part is import-ant too if people would like to continue to eat, have clothes, and many other of life’s necessities. Since the fire at our place I feel like I should be more sad, more troubled, more worried. After all we lost most of these necessities, albeit very briefly. But I simply do not feel that way. Maybe it hasn’t totally

James [email protected]

FROM THEDESK OF THE

Editor and Executive Director

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set in yet, but I don’t think that’s the case. Mostly because this incident has revealed to me, more than any other time in my life, the goodness of men. I cannot tell you how incredibly blessed we have been. Family, friends, neighbors near and far, complete strangers, and the list of people who have reached out to help is nearly endless. It is humbling beyond belief. I am a changed man, a better friend, and a better person who has learned what it means to be truly selfless. I have seen the hands and feet of Jesus and they look a lot like everyday people you pass on the road. My family has resolved to be those same hands and feet. You know it’s sort of funny. The areas that burned are now the first ones to green up. That grass is unimpeded by years past. It’s able to flourish and reap the benefits of rapidly recycled nutrients entering its world with a focus so clear on today’s growth… We could all be so lucky.

I find it troubling that they aren’t even trying to hide the fact that they want your land anymore and have an un-limited bankroll to do it.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGMINUTES

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021Drifters Event Center - Ft. Pierre, SD

1:00 pm CALL TO ORDER by President Scott Edoff Members Present: Scott Edoff, Vaughn Mey-er, Les Shaw, Steve Livermont, Brian Fox, Shawn Freeland, Bill Paulton, JT Rickenbach, Chance Anderson, Cory Levin, Ross Cuny, Chuck Wil-lard, Bryan Hanson, George Kenzy, Kenny Fox, Bob Fortune, Bill Kluck, Gary Deering Members Absent: Randy Volmer, Shane Kolb Members Excused: Matt Kammerer, Eric Sumption, Billy Clanton, Justin Kolb, Mark Krogman, Casey Bachand, Jason Frerichs, Zeb Husted, John Karlen AGENDA – Les Shaw moved to approve the agenda 2nd by Gary Deering, , Motion Carried PREVIOUS MINUTES Gary Deering moved to amend the previous minutes by

changing Bryan Hanson and Ross Cuny from Absent to Excused, 2nd by Chance Anderson, Motion carried Gary Deering moved approve the previous minutes as amended, 2nd by Chance Anderson, Motion Carried PRESIDENT’S REPORT - President Scott Edoff – Donated a beef to club for boys (work-ing on processing fees) Lemmon Area (Windy) Fire – Donated a load of hay in SDSGA’s name SECRETARY’S REPORT – James Halver-son updated everyone on the recent rollover auction, the Black Hills Stock Show plans, Calving books, Grant activities, Legislation we are watching and working on, and outreach activities FINANCE REPORT – Gary Deering –

Gave a brief report and answered any questions Committee reports:Animal ID – Kenny Fox gave a brief reportFederal Lands – JT Rickenback reported that USFS is updating their grazing regulations, comment period is underway (Until Aril 17th) Marketing – Vaughn Meyer reported on the checkoff referendum efforts Property Rights – Bill Kluck reported on soil types and correlating them to property taxes Trade – Ty Littau – Gave a brief report and suggested we keep an eye on TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership), and similar trade deals, with the new Administration Membership – Scott Edoff updated every-one on membership totals

Please see BOARD on page 36


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AALLLL HATHAT AND AND NONO COWSCOWS by byMatthew J TraskMatthew J Trask I mentioned at supper I needed to

come up with a topic for my South Dako-ta Stockgrowers column. My Grace said “write about me!” Ok, Grace, I will. I have two girls, Patty, 14, and Grace, who is nine. Many people say that having a daughter is the greatest thing in life. I do not feel qualified to rate something as “the greatest thing in life,” having only been here forty two years, but having a daughter is really really great. Someone else in the world who can tell exactly what you are thinking because they’re thinking

it too is amazing. I have been divorced four years now, having my daughters every other week-end. Such arrangements are depressingly common these days, and I guess you make the best of it. In my case, it has made me a much more focused dad when I have them, which, interestingly, doesn’t mean that we spend every second of a weekend together, but that the weekend, as much as possible, is about what they want to do. And because I see them every two weeks, I view their growth and matura-

tion as a series of snapshots instead of a steady, unnoticeable progression, which is interesting, I guess. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is when I get the hell out of the way, things go better. Me being me, I embraced the concept rather quickly, I’ve heard it’s harder for some people. Grace, at her own insistence, has decorated each of her last five birthday cakes. I open things, find knives and spatulas, and drink tea. At a certain point, long before anyone else would, Grace declares that the cake is sufficient-ly decorated. I have never heard one guest grumble that there should have been more decorations on her cake. This morning, she cooked me pancakes for breakfast, she drove me home from the neighbors on a section line road, and tonight she made me supper. Last year, with minimal help from me, she baked a heart shaped Valentine cake for her Grandma RoseMary. She has painted me pictures, bought me a broom and a mop when I moved last summer, made me tea, and operated a possibly somewhat illegal roadside stand in Rapid City. All I had to do was say yes and stand there.



I was one of those kids (I actually think there are lots of us) who was all about riding until someone got a horse out, which made growing up on a ranch rather difficult. Grace has never been near as pretentious as I was; she has been steadfastly unashamed to admit that horses scare the hell out of her and she wanted nothing to do with them. Recently I got a text from her mother with two pictures of Grace aboard a full size real-ly for real cowhorse, seemingly having a good time. I didn’t cry, Im a cowboy. Good luck with calving this spring, and Grace (and Patty) I love you.

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A Session LikeNo Other … The COVID virus put its stamp on the 2021 South Dakota legislative session. The operation of the legislature included mask requirements, remote testimony, temperature checks, social distancing, and a reduction in social events. But, the legislature was able to do its work and Stockgrowers had several successes this session in Pierre. Thanks in good part to the grassroots lobby-ing efforts of Stockgrower members, HB 1140, to restrict the entry of conservation officers onto certain private land without permission, will become law on July 1. HB 1140 codifies current GF&P practice and bars conservation officers from entering any private land without landowner/lessee permission or probable cause. Under the bill, CO’s may enter private land to dispatch crippled wildlife or in the event of an emergency situation. That bill came out of the House with votes to spare but ran into an ice-berg in the Senate Judiciary committee thanks to hard resistance from Senate President Pro Tem Schoenbeck. But, our allies in the Senate “smoked out” the bill for a floor vote. Smoking a bill out of committee is a procedure whereby 1/3 of the Senate membership can require a bill to be delivered to the floor for consideration regardless of the committee vote on the bill. Then, a smoked out bill requires a majority of the members of the Senate to agree to calendar the bill. HB 1140 received the requisite number of votes to be smoked out and then calendared and finally was passed by the full Senate. Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 604 is an update of last year’s MCOOL resolution. Like last session’s MCOOL resolution, SCR 604

is directed at US trade policy and promotes removal of penalties imposed against the US for mandating country of origin labelling on beef products. Thanks to Sen. Cammack who led this effort and to Rep. Wink who rode herd on the resolution on the House side, SCR handily passed both houses and has already been refer-enced by our representatives in DC in their push on behalf of producers’ interests. HCR 6006, sponsored by Liz May in the House and Ryan Maher in the Senate, urges Congress to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 with a view to fostering efficient livestock markets and to increasing competition and transparency among packers who purchase livestock, by requiring that at least fifty percent of each packing facility’s weekly value of beef for slaughter be purchased on the spot or open market and that those livestock be delivered no later than fourteen days after the date on which the purchase agreement is signed. Rep. Overweg deserves thanks as a very effective advocate for this measure on the House side. HB 1040, a $5 million fund for grants to small meat processors was tabled as the admin-istration found the money to fund the program within COVID funds. The program opened on March 18. Grants are available to meat processors located in South Dakota with fewer than 60 employees meeting one of the following criteria: State inspected “equal to” slaughter and/or processing plants; Licensed custom-exempt slaughter plants; or Very small federally inspect-ed plants. Applications must be submitted by May1. More information is available at the SD Dept. of Agriculture website. The legislature passed HB 1085, Rep. Chaf-fee’s bill to redefine the criteria for classifying land as agricultural for tax purposes. Revenue asked for and Stockgrowers supplied support for

this measure which tightens up the require-ments for land to be considered ag land for tax purposes. We were less fortunate securing funding for two projects - a new meat lab at SDSU and re-pairs and improvements at SDSU’s Cottonwood Research Station. SB 191 would have provided $600,000 to fund a comprehensive planning study as a first step in the renovation and expan-sion of the meat laboratory within the Animal Science Complex at SDSU. Current facilities are overcrowded and incur significant ongoing maintenance expenses due to the limited size of the facility and the age of equipment at the facility. SB 192 would have provided $3.5 million to renovate and upgrade the Cottonwood Field Station which has suffered substantial damage from windstorms and is overdue for other facilities upgrades. I’m told that there will likely be funds available next year for these projects. Stockgrowers supported Rep. Sam Marty’s HB 1215 to require that no retailer claim that a meat food product is a product of the United States, unless all animals from which the prod-uct is derived were born, raised, and slaughtered in this country. This bill was consistent with our legislation two years ago mandating that prod-ucts marketed as meat be, in fact, meat from the carcass of an animal rather than from a labora-tory. Unfortunately, the House Ag. Committee failed to see the wisdom of our argument and killed the bill. Governor Noem issued an Executive Order merging the Department of Agriculture with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. A resolution was introduced to block this merger, as is the legislature’s prerogative if either house musters a majority to support the opposing resolution. But, that resolution died 17-18 in the Senate. The merger of the two departments will be effective in late April. The new department will be called the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Hunter Roberts will serve as its first Secretary. COVID took a bite out of my time in Pierre as I tested positive on February 12th and so had to isolate for ten days and was subsequently sidelined with a case of post-COVID pneumo-nia. I want to thank James and Stockgrower members including Kenny Fox, Billy Clanton, Bob Johnson, and Larry Nelson for making the time and the effort to go to Pierre and testify on behalf of several Stockgrower bills. Also thanks to the many members who called and emailed their legislators on behalf of Stockgrowers. That grass roots pressure is a valuable lobbying tool and I appreciate your efforts on behalf of the outfit.

By Jeremiah Murphy

LOBBYISTLOBBYIST REPORT



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Old Barbed Wire by Chas Fleshner

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Bale Hopping by LaRonda Gough

Changing Pastures In The Rain by Markus Erk



Checking Me Out by Abby Finn

First Steps by Katrina Kolb

16

Beef Review: Feed costs have changed the scope for cattle producers. Years of a sideways chop for grains came to an end challeng-ing our feed procurement plans. Cost of gains in Kansas for the month of January were said to be increased by 8.6%. Cattle sold in the first quarter may not have had the increase priced in handing out some further feedlot losses. We must keep grain prices more in our sights moving forward in beef produc-tion. Inflation is a buzz word for funds when it comes to grains and rock-solid exports are boosting grain prices. There is a lot of risk this upcoming growing season with decreased subsoil moisture. The pipeline needs to be filled after seeing better than expected grain sales and demand. Hand to mouth may not work as well as the last several years when it comes to feed needs. Pork prices are on a sharp rally with a decreased supply due to disease issues

and a decreased sow herd. China also has rumblings of further African swine fever issues. Higher priced pork does not hurt beef with a consumer that is already demanding high quality beef. I expect smaller cattle on feed sup-ply as we progress in to 2021. Heifer slaughter is coming off a 4-year run of increased data with a smaller cow herd in my opinion. The market will look closely at USDA’s reports for proof. Carcass weights may finally find a decline with the higher feed costs and better slaughter chain movement. The producer has not had any leverage over the packer since the Holcomb, KS plant fire and hold hopes of gaining some back when the new calf crop is next up on the finished market. Demand has been impressive to say the least during 2020. Consumers were showing their cravings of high-quality beef. The producer has been unable to capture a bigger piece of that pie from

the packer. Legislation and studies are dominating the press as the beef industry looks for answers, but we have yet to find common ground on solutions. My hopes are for a long-lasting vital beef industry for the long future, and that is why it is time to get involved now. We all have disagreements, but the challenge is big so that is expected. We all hold a little optimism for the last half of 2021. It will not be without a bumpy road. Ultimately we are blessed to be able to do what we do as beef producers, and good luck in the coming season.

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18

Range Roundup:Plan Now to Control Weeds with Grazing Next SeasonPete BaumanSDSU Extension Range Field Specialist

Figure 1. Canada thistle infestation on exposed soil in a pasture.

South Dakota Invasive Plants

Canada goldenrod is a native flowering plant in South Dakota, but it is generally considered as a grazing ‘increaser’ and is relatively undesirable by landowners at high densities. Canada thistle and peren-nial sow thistle are both common noxious weeds in South Dakota requiring that managers control the production and spread of seed. In all three cases, poor grazing man-agement, such as season-long grazing or heavy soil impacts from livestock, are often the culprit for infestations to start or persist (Figure 1 and Figure 2). A com-mon assumption is that chemical appli-cation is the only solution to weed issues stemming from a lack of understanding of the interaction of grazing and plant biology. The use of targeted grazing can help control these plants in pastures once managers understand the importance of timing, intensity, and livestock habits. Livestock will graze Canada golden-rod, Canada thistle, and perennial sow thistle, and the plants are nutritious at certain times of the year. A review of several reports and our own research and observations confirm that at certain times these plants have crude protein, total digestible nutrients, and invitro dry matter digestibility concentrations similar to alfalfa and other common forages.

Figure 2. Areas that concentrate livestock impacts, such as waterpoints and gates, can often result in weed infestations.



When and How to Graze These Plants in South Dakota

Figure 3. A mature cow consumes Canada goldenrod in SDSU Extension trial.

Canada Goldenrod

Our work here at SDSU Extension suggests that Canada goldenrod plants contain high nutritive value, with the tops of the plants consistently similar to alfalfa. We found that we can train cows to eat Canada goldenrod and that mature cows with calves naturally utilize Canada in early to mid-June, nipping plant tops. This use is nearly imperceptible as the plant continues to grow and flower after

the bud is nipped off, leading many to assume cattle do not utilize the plant. A small high intensity – short duration trial also confirmed that cattle will forage on goldenrod extensively under restricted grazing in August, but it is unclear as to the long-term impact on the goldenrod plant community (Figure 3). Grazing managers should target goldenrod plants in early to mid-June, prior to the onset of flowering (usually late July and August).

Figure 4. Canada thistle response to grazing systems in Alberta. SL = Season Long; SD =Short Duration; HILF = High Intensity – Low Frequency. At all sites, HILF resulted in

the best overall control of Canada thistle. Adapted from Bruijn and Bork (2006).

Canada Thistle

Nutritive value of Canada thistle is perhaps the most well documented of the three plants discussed here. The primary issue for Canada thistle management is when and how to target the plant.Research from Alberta compared three grazing systems for Canada thistle con-trol: 1) season long, 2) low intensity - high frequency, and 3) high intensity - low frequency (Figure 4).They found that season long grazing where livestock are turned out and not rotated or managed resulted in increased Canada thistle populations and reduced overall forage yield.

Figure 5. Canada thistle grazed in mid-June.

Conversely, high intensity - low fre-quency grazing reduced Canada thistle shoot density, biomass, and flowering and resulted in greater weed suppression.Two ‘intense’ defoliations of Canada thistle during the growing season for 2 to 3 years in succession dramatically reduced the Canada thistle population, and the plants that remained stayed vegetative (did not flower) and had higher forage quality. This system proved better for Canada thistle control than did low intensity – high frequency (Figure 4 and Figure 5).

Please see RANGE on page 20

20

Short Duration – High Intensity Grazing

Short duration - high intensity grazing can control Canada thistle over time. The near portion of the grazing cell in Figure 6 is likely impacted too much, and it may result in additional weed issues due to exposed soil and lack of residual vegetation.

Figure 6. Pasture managed with short duration - high intensity grazing.

Figure 7. Cattle may avoid use of Canada thistle in September, even thoughit would appear plants are green and palatable.

General Observations

As a grassland manager, I have spent years manipulating and observing livestock for Canada thistle control, and have come to a few general observations that are also supported in reports: • Canada thistle has the potential to invade anywhere there is exposed soil. Mini-

mizing livestock soil damage is key in preventing new infestations.

• Mature cows will forage on Canada thistle buds in mid-June and may consume a great deal of the plant at certain times and for about 7 days between about June 10 and July 1. However, the exact timing of this period of more intensive use is not always predictable in this three-week period.

• Cows will teach calves to forage on thistle and other plants.

• Yearling cattle will learn to utilize Canada thistle if given the opportu-nity.

• The key to Canada thistle control with livestock is to first stop the grazing practices that promote this-tle expansion (season long grazing, heavy impacts to soils). The second step is to concentrate animals for high-intensity-short duration graz-ing during bud stage before thistle plants flower.

• Finally, I’ve also observed that live-stock often do not re-graze Canada thistle in September, even though the plants might appear green and palatable (Figure 7). Interestingly, yearlings turned out into a stock-piled pasture in early October were observed to select both dead and decadent and younger green Can-ada thistle plants, presumably for their higher protein and nutrition content compared to surrounding forages (Figures 8).

Perennial Sow Thistle

Perennial sow thistle is very palatable and is will be selected by cattle if they are exposed to the plant at the correct time of the year. Largely, this information is based on observation over 10 years with different groups of yearling cattle. I’ve observed consistent targeting of perennial sow thistle from late July through mid-August during the bud and flowering stage of the plant. My observa-tions suggest that yearlings (and likely

Figure 8. A) A yearling heifer grazes on Canada thistle after a mid-October snowfall. B) A mature thistle grazed in mid-October.

RANGE (continued from page 19)



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cows) will generally avoid the plant if grazing in a pasture with perennial sow thistle before this time. And, if they do forage on the plant in early July, the plant may continue to grow and flower. Howev-er, if targeted in the late July to mid-August time period, livestock often con-sume the entire plant, not just the flowers, and thus there is very little opportunity for the plant to rebound, especially if re-peated for several years in a row. Targeted grazing may be necessary if there are large infestations, but generally cattle appear to seek out the plant during this period. Fi-nally, once flowers start maturing, grazing selection drops off dramatically.

Additional Resources:

• Canada Thistle: Profile, Distribution Map. S.D. Department of Agricul-ture.

• Perennial Sow Thistle: Profile, Dis-

tribution Map. S.D. Department of Agriculture.

• Canada Thistle Biocontrol. S.D. Department of Agriculture.

• Integrated Pest Management. S.D. Department of Agriculture.

• Canada Thistle Plant Profile. USDA NRCS.

• Perennial Sow Thistle Plant Profile. USDA NRCS.

• Biological Control of Canada Thistle in Temperate Pastures Using High Density Rotational Cattle Grazing. Bruijn and Bork. (2006).

• Canada Thistle is Alfalfa’s Equal. On

Pasture, R. Gilker. (2013). • Forage Nutritive Value and Palat-

ability of Perennial Weeds. Marten et al. (1987).

• Forage Value of Pasture Weeds. Oregon State University Extension.

• Allelopathic Activity of Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) in Colo-rado, Stachon and Zimdahl (1980).

• The Nutritive Value of Common Pasture Weeds and Their Relation to Livestock Nutrient Require-ments. Virginia Cooperative Exten-sion Service (2009)

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New Secretary of Game Fish And Parks, Kevin Robling

Lt. Governor Larry Rhoden ad-dresses the SD Stockgrowers



New Secretary of the Department ofAgricutlure and Natural Resources

Hunter Roberts

SD Commisioner of School and Public LandsRyan Brunner

House Ag Committee Chair Marty Overwegaddresses the SD Stockgrowers

26

Stockgrowers Association, Wall Meats,and Edoff Ranch support Club for

Boys with beef donationA special beef delivery was made to the

Club for Boys from a collaboration of supporters who want toput locally-produced meat on the tables of local people.

By Anya Mueller

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Years ago, Wall Meats launched their Beef-to-School Program to provide nutritious beef to students, giving them an opportunity to learn about where their food comes from.

Now, as the program has grown into many schools and local businesses, the Club for Boys has been given a similar experience thanks to an organization whose roots run deep. Their relationship goes back to the 1970s; the Stock-growers Association has grown aside the Club for Boys in Rapid City over that time. They also donate money to the Club for Boys.

Beef Donation to Club for Boys

Mark Kline of the Club for Boys

President of the Stock Growers Association, Scott Edoff, donated beef from his ranch and Wall Meats helped to get the meat processed. The commitment to a better community is the bot-tom line.

Scott Edoff & Tif Robertson

Mark Kline began attending the club in 1971 and has worked there 31 years. This donation means a lot to him. Meals are included in Club for Boys membership, and the beef donation goes to meeting one of the basic needs of the members – nourishment.

Scott Edoff, Beef Donor & President of the StockGrowers Association, says, “Oh, it’s great, I’ve been here before and I’ve seen all the boys running and playing and stuff when we have donated money and it’s great. They need all they can get, I mean it’s a great charity, a great bunch. It’s really been a joint effort on a lot of people’s parts.”



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Beef Donation to Club for Boys

Beef Donation to Club for BoysMark Kline, Assistant Exec. Club for Boys, says, “We’ve talked about two years here about getting local beef and how we give back to the community, and this is another way that we can give back to our supporters, you know, the ag community. Stockgrowers have supported us for a long time. It gets better beef for our kids. It’s lo-cal grown, it’s 85/15 % fat so that’s a wonderful thing and it gives jobs to the community…every way around it’s a good project.”

The ground beef totals over 600 pounds. Kline estimates it will last about seven months.

Tif Robertson, the Beef to School Representative & Rancher, says, “It’s growing and the need is growing and us as local ranchers, we obviously want to get our beef out into peoples refrigera-tors and their bellies.”

28

T here is one thing that I consistently address in helping clients prepare an estate plan or in administering estates: the inher-itance of firearms. I am not surprised given that 55.3% of South Dakotans have guns in their homes according to some surveys. Inheriting firearms present many legal issues that need to be reviewed before anyone can just gift a nephew or niece a specific gun. State and federal law are often involved in the process of gifting or distrib-uting firearms to a person’s loved ones. In mostly all circumstances, a review of federal gun laws is needed in most all cir-cumstances in the inheritance of fire-arms, regardless of where the gun or guns are located. Under federal law, specifically

Elliot Bloom is an attorney at the law firm of Beardsley, Jensen & Lee where he focuses his prac-tice on estate planning, estate administration, agricultural law, and general civil litigation.

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TT18 U.S.C. § 922(g), certain persons are prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms, which include a person:

(1) who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprison-ment for a term exceeding one year;

(2) who is a fugitive from justice;(3) who is an unlawful user of or addict-

ed to any controlled substance . . .;(4) who has been adjudicated as a mental

defective or who has been committed to a mental institution;

(5) who is an illegal alien or admitted to the United States under a nonimmi-grant visa;

(6) who has been dishonorably dis-charged from the Armed Forces

(7) who has renounced his or her United States citizenship

(8) who is subject to a court order, after proper notice, restraining such person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child; and

(9) who has been convicted of a misde-meanor crime of domestic violence. Further, a person who is charged but not yet convicted of a felony is prohibited by 18 U.S.C. 922(n) from receiving a firearm through inheri-tance or gift.

Inheriting Firearmsin Estate Planning andAdministration



South Dakota law, like many other states, encompasses the same prohibi-tions as federal law for persons prohibited from possessing firearms. In fact, South Dakota will punish anyone with a felony under SDCL 22-14-16 who knowingly gives, loans, or sells a firearm to some-one who is prohibited from possessing a firearm. However, a prohibited person may get the rights to possess a firearm reinstated after a period of time, which will need to be reviewed in contemplating any gift to a certain individual. Given that certain individuals are prohibited from possessing firearms, it goes without saying that these individuals cannot lawfully inherit firearms. This means that the person you have elected to administer your estate, or personal representative, will have to go through the elaborated task of finding out whether the gift of the firearm lapses, goes to another beneficiary, or if the firearm will have to get sold and the money distributed to the individual prohibited of possessing the firearm. Regardless, the personal repre-sentative would be taking actions against your intent in wanting the firearm to be distributed to a particular individual. Additionally, if your personal represen-tative is unaware that your beneficiary is a person prohibited from owning a firearm, the personal representative could be in violation of federal and South Dakota law, subjecting themselves to prosecution. There are no exceptions to SDCL 22-14-16 mentioned above. Therefore, everyone should be mindful of the beneficiaries that they are choosing to inherit their firearms after they pass away to prevent your personal representative from making a crucial mistake. Indeed, it is a crime for particular per-sons to possess firearms, or for persons to gift guns to particular individuals; however, the prohibition on certain indi-viduals having access to firearms needs even more consideration when executing your estate plan. Every person elects one or two people to administer their estate

when they pass away. This elected person is often called a personal representa-tiveas previously described. The personal representative is charged with the duty of protecting and preserving your assets, as well as distributing your estate to the designated beneficiaries or heirs. This person may have to possess your fire-arms for a period of time before they are distributed to a particular heir or devisee. With this in mind, you should be mind-ful of who you are electing to administer your estate as this person may not be able to possess a firearm under federal or state law as well. If this is the case, and you have not named a successor personal rep-resentative, a court determination will be needed to appoint an alternative personal representative, which may increase the cost of administering the estate. Persons prohibited from possessing firearms are not the only individuals that cause issues in the inheriting of firearms. If a beneficiary of your firearm is located in another state, your personal represen-tative will have to be aware that other state and federal laws may apply. While federal law generally prohibits the transfer of guns between persons in different states unless going through a licensed dealer, there is an exception that permits personal representatives of an estate to distribute firearms to your heirs across state lines without violating federal law. However, the personal representative still needs to be mindful that the state law of the heir may apply. For example, some states require the registration of firearms, require permits or other identification to possess firearms, prohibit firearms in certain locations, prohibit certain types of firearms, prohibit certain individuals from possessing firearms different than those in your own state, restrict the transportation of firearms or ammunition, or restrict how firearms are stored. Thus, it becomes vital to know the laws of the state that the heir is located in to anticipate any issues that may deter your personal representa-tive from carrying out your wishes.

Finally, firearms subject to the Nation-al Firearms Act will present concerns and issues in the administration or planning of your estate. While I won’t discuss machine guns, short-barreled rifles or destructive devices that are subject to this act, I will discuss a common accessory to firearms that is becoming more and more prevalent: silencers or suppressors. The National Firearms Act does make it illegal for anyone to posses a silencer or suppressor other than the registered owner; however, under 27 CFR 479.90(a), an exception exists for your personal representative to possess the restricted accessory during the administration of your estate. Because of the previous restriction, it has become increasingly popular for individuals to set up a “gun trust” for the ownership of silencers or suppressors. Otherwise, an inheriting heir of a silencer or suppressor will need to get approval from the ATF before a transfer can occur. It becomes very important that if you do have silencers or suppressors, you keep a detailed list of such items so that your personal representative may properly assess how to properly distribute to your intended beneficiary. The inheritance of firearms can be-come a complicated process to consider in planning or administering your estate. The process needs to be addressed given the multiple state and federal laws that may be in play. So, I urge everyone to consider the persons you intend to ap-point in administering your estate or the persons you intend to receive a firearm when you pass away, as your intentions and wishes may not be fulfilled depending on the person, type of firearm, or the state law that may apply.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are not intended to constitute legal or tax advice, are those of the author, and do not reflect the policy or position of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Associa-tion or Beardsley, Jensen & Lee, Prof. LLC.

30 South Dakota Stockgrowers Association April /May /June 2021


32

A big question headed into the spring season will be the status of the La Nina weather pattern that has dominated the weath-er patterns across this region since the spring and summer of 2020. The colder sub-tropical Pacific waters has left a large part of the central and western United States in a drier than normal weath-er pattern in 2020 and into the beginning of 2021. Despite the recent uptick in precipi-tation over the past few weeks, and that large storm in mid- March, soil moisture deficits remain across many areas. After a very wet 2019, the dryness of 2020 com-pletely erased what was a very moist soil moisture profile across South Dakota and surrounding states. The graphic above shows the soil moisture deficit in early March 2021 that accumulated over the past year. We are heading into the spring and summer of 2021 with a soil moisture deficit despite some recent precipitation. All indications suggest La Nina will persist through spring, summer and early

April-May-June OutlookBy Don Day Jr., Dayweather.com

Calculated Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm)MAR 10, 2021

fall. If this is the case, then the tendency will be for drier than normal conditions over South Dakota from April to June. La Nina patterns usually last for around a year, but near or during solar minimums (solar minimum in 2020), La Nina pat-terns can last up to two years. An important point is that on average, April, May and June are some of the wet-test months of the year and despite a con-tinued La Nina, there will be some rain/snow events. The period of April to June will be a critical time frame for South Dakota to get moisture to improve soil moisture and range conditions. Trying to catch up from a drier spring is hard to do in July and August as we then must rely

on summer thunderstorms to bring rain which is always a tricky situation as the thunderstorm rains do not fall as evenly as what the spring storms provide. With the dry soil moisture profile and La Nina persisting it is no surprise our long-range modeling tools are indicating a drier than normal stretch of weather April through June. The graphic below show the chances for precipitation across the USA from April to June. The brown areas show the tendency from drier than normal conditions, the white near nor-mal and green above normal. As you can see a large portion of the lower 48 states including South Dakota may be drier than normal.



Mother Nature always surprises us, so one or two big storms in April or May could really help our odds, however, we have the soil moisture and La Nina head-winds to overcome. When it is drier, it is usually warm-er and that is exactly the trend we see from April to June. In a La Nina pattern you would expect warmer than normal

temperatures in South Dakota and that is exactly the trends the long-range model-ing is seeing as well. Almost most of the USA will have a warmer than normal spring. The yellow and orange areas showing the odds of warmer than normal conditions. While La Nina helps to bring the warmer tem-peratures the lack of soil moisture also makes it easier for the temperatures to be

warmer than average. Unfortunately, stock growers need to prepare for April to June to be warmer and drier than normal. Keep your fingers crossed that a slow-moving spring storm or two in April and May can come to fruition. If so, that could help us in June and make those July and August thun-derstorms more productive.

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Standing Up for Rural ConstituentsBy: Karen Budd Falen

Budd Falen Law Offices L.L.C.1

To quote Thomas Jefferson, “The government closest to the people serves the people best.” After spending time in D.C., I think that is truer than ever. However, the Trump regulations and policies that recognize Jefferson’s words are under attack. For example, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the listing of a species should be based only on science, but Congress mandated a different framework for critical habitat designations. Critical habitat – which equally governs private, state and federal land -- requires consideration of economic and other relevant factors. Accord-ing to the Trump regulations, those factors include local jobs, environ-mental factors such as catastrophic wildfire risk or invasive species, the local citizens and their custom and culture. The 2020 regulations recog-nized that State and locally elected governments can best articulate those factors. While there are many fine individuals working for the federal government in Washington D.C., they have little understanding of what it means to live in rural Wyoming, own a federal land graz-ing permit in New Mexico, or farm corn in Iowa. This same sentiment was im-

plemented in the changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. Prior to 2020, the NEPA regulations had not been updated in forty years. NEPA applies to “all major federal actions” from repairing a federal bridge in Pennsylvania, to crossing “waters of the U.S.” in Florida or Oklaho-ma, to conducting a timber sale on federal land in Oregon. The 2020 regulations followed the Supreme Court’s admonition by (1) requir-ing that the effects on the human environment be caused by the proposed action, and (2) including employment as well as the custom and culture of the local citizens most impacted by the proposed federal action or authorization in the “human environment.” These changes did not elevate economic or environmental factors over each other, but required economic con-siderations and noted the ability of local governments to have a voice in

federal decisions impacting their citizens. Under the 2020 Great Amer-ican Outdoors Act, part of the $900 million in annual appropri-ations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is managed by the Interior Depart-ment for recreational activities, including acquisition of private land to federal land. Not all State and local governments see the acquisition of land away from the local tax base in the same light. Approximately 92 percent of all federally owned acres is in the 12 Western states. A county in northern Nevada that is made up of 95% federal land will have sig-nificantly different views on more federal land acquisition than one in Alabama with little federal land ownership. Thus,

Please see BUDD FALEN on page 36

i Karen Budd-Falen is an Attorney with Budd-Falen Law Offices, LLC with a primary focus on property rights, environmental, and natural resources law. Budd-Falen Law Offices, LLC, has attorneys licensed to practice law in Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. This article should not be understood to state or imply that any lawyers of this law firm are certified as specialists in a particular field of law. Colorado does not certify lawyers as specialists in any field. The Wyoming State Bar does not certify any lawyer as a specialist or expert. Anyone considering a lawyer should independently investigate the lawyer’s credentials and ability, and not rely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise. This article is informational and is not legal advice.

36

BUDD FALEN (continued from page 35)

the Department of the Interior required the approval of State and local govern-ments prior to any federal land purchases. This was an important tool to ensure local voices did not get overlooked. Unfortunately, some people do not believe that the government closest to the people best represents their inter-ests. The ESA and NEPA regulations have been challenged in federal court by those who want to shut out local views, data and knowledge related to decisions directly impacting the use of private and federal land. The Trump Administration’s position on State and local government approval prior to federal land acquisition with LWCF funds has now been elimi-nated by Biden’s Acting Secretary of the Interior through a signature on a Secre-tarial Order. That Order claims that al-lowing local governments to have a voice in land acquisition directly impacting their counties “undermined” the program. This Order shows rural communities and counties that the Biden administration believes in control from Washington D.C., rather than considering local concerns directly voiced by local representatives. This is not a matter of Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal. It is a question of whether State and local gov-ernments should be heard above the noise of well-funded groups that don’t care about local roads, schools and emergency services. I urge all State and local gov-ernments to learn about and advocate for their local elected officials being treated as the government officials they are, and not merely as members of the general public. In my view, local elected officials should have more sway on issues directly affecting them than someone from mid-town New York who has never faced the realities of making a living from the land. Your constituents depend on your action.

BOARD (continued from page 6)

OLD BUSINESS - 130th Annual Convention & Trade Show, 2021 is Scheduled for Sept. 8-11, 2021 in Spearfish, SD at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center - A Silencer Hydraulic Squeeze Chute was bought for a fundraiser. Board mem-bers areasked to sell 25 tickets. Ticket prices are $20 each or 6 for $100. Drawing will be at the Annual Convention in September - Ethan Anderson with Newscenter1/Connectcenter1 gave a brief report on the “Homegrown” show and took questions o Several new episodes forthcoming, Timber Industry will be highlighted NEW BUSINESS ✔Lemmon Area Fire – Chance Ander-son gave a report – working on donating a market steer and doing a rollover auction to support the local fire departments who helped with the fire ✔Brand Board - Discussion was held ✔Approve new members o Moved by Kenny Fox, 2nd by Gary Deering, Motion Carried (List attached) ✔Beef Donation to Boys’ Club o Gary Deering moved allow SDSGA to pay for the processing of the donated beef, 2nd by Bob Fortune, Motion Carried ✔SD Legislative Session o SDSGA Lobbyist Jeremiah M. Mur-phy reported on: ■ Meat Processing grant (currently $5

million in one-time monies) ■ MCOOL Resolution has been intro-duced ■ Chaffe Timber bill (separating timber producers from recreation) ■ Discussed Department merger • Kenny Fox moved to oppose merger, 2nd by Vaughn Meyer, o Bryan Hanson moved to table the motion, Shawn Freeland 2nd, ■ Ayes: Shaw, Freeland, Anderson, Levin, Hanson, Deering, Rickenbach, Liver-mont, Fortune ■ No’s: Edoff, Meyer, B. Fox, Paulton, Cuny, Willard, Kenzy, K. Fox, Kluck ■ Motion Failed 9-9 • Main Motion to Oppose the Merger o Ayes: Edoff, Meyer, B. Fox, Paulton, Cuny, Willard, Kenzy, K. Fox, Kluck o No’s: Shaw, Freeland, Anderson, Levin, Hanson, Deering, Rickenbach, Liver-mont, Fortune o Motion Failed 9-9 ■ Gas wells, pore space bills were dis-cussed ■ 50/14 resolution – working on find-ing a prime sponsor ✔Summer Party/Qrtly BOD Meeting was discussed ✔Black Hills Stock Show – James asked for volunteers to help at the booth - Kenny Fox moved to adjourn, 2nd by Cory Levin, Motion Carried Approved New Members:Dustin Braun, Cody Hansen, Deb Levin, George Paul Michael, Doris & Denny Lau-ing (Vitalix), Jerry Mader



n nearly 100 years of FFA history in South Dakota, the state convention has been held on the South Dakota State University campus in Brookings, but this spring, the event is set to move West River. The 93rd South Dakota State FFA Convention will be April 11-13 in Rapid City. Events will take place at the Cen-tral States Fairgrounds, Kjerstad Events Center and Western Dakota Technical aCollege. COVID-19 caused the 2020 conven-tion to take place virtually and is behind the move to Rapid City. Restrictions on social gatherings and outside visitors are still in place on the SDSU campus, and if case numbers spiked, there was a possibil-ity an event would be canceled last-min-ute. “We’re looking forward to being able to do it in person,” said Dani Herring, SD FFA executive secretary. It’s difficult to

replicate some FFA competitions virtually, she said, listing floriculture, milk quality judging and ag mechanics as a few exam-ples. It’s also important for members to get the opportunity to network with other students, and experience being in a room with judges, she said. South Dakota FFA started in 1928, and since the beginning the state convention has taken place on the campus of what was then South Dakota State College. Only during World War II was the con-vention canceled because of gas rationing. “It’s a big move,” Herring said. “We pride ourselves with being a hands-on organization, and we really wanted to provide an in-person conven-tion,” Herring said. The South Dakota FFA Association Board of Directors voted at their meeting Jan. 22 to hold the conven-tion in Rapid City. The state convention in Rapid City will come with modifications due to COVID.

Attendees will wear masks, and be limit-ed to agriscience fair, proficiency award and scholarship winners, and district qualifying Career Development Events teams. Event sponsors will be welcome but distanced. There will be no student workshops, talent or choir performanc-es. There will be ticketed general sessions Monday evening and Tuesday morning to announce award winners and for the state officers to give their re-tiring addresses. FFA member receiving state degrees and star awards will get two additional parent tickets. The con-vention will also be broadcast through Connect Center 1 TV, and streamed virtually. The South Dakota FFA Foun-dation is still seeking industries to invest in the event and sponsor awards. For program details visit http://sdffa-foundation.org/ or https://www.sdaged.org/ or contact [email protected]

FFA relocates South Dakota stateconvention to Rapid City for first time

Article provided by the Tri-State Neighbor, editor Janelle Atyeo at [email protected]

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BIOSECURITY FOR BEEFCOW-CALF OPERATIONS:

Managing the Entryof New AnimalsRuss DalyProfessor, SDSU Extension Veterinarian, State Public Health Veterinarian

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Infectious disease can impact cow-calf operations in dramatic (death losses and illnesses) and not-so-dramatic (drains on weight gain and reproductive per-formance) ways. Some of these disease issues are caused by endemic germs (those found normally in a herd’s ani-mals), while other problems arise after a novel germ has found its way onto an operation. These novel disease issues tend to be more noticeable and impactful, as herd animals generally have no immunity to these new pathogens. Keeping novel germs out of a herd is therefore of great importance to cow-calf producers. Interventions that prevent the intro-

duction of novel infectious disease agents into a population are termed “biosecu-rity.” Disease agents can enter a cow-calf operation in various ways, including through fenceline contact with other

herds, people or vehicle movement onto a farm, wildlife and rodents, contaminated equipment, or contaminated feed. As biosecurity threats, new animals entering the herd are more important than those other routes of entry. Ani-mals carrying disease agents have more extensive contact with animals compared to other carriers and can transmit germs to other animals in ways not possible with other routes of entry. Disease agents multiply in infected animals but do not do so on inanimate objects, making ani-mals a more effective source of infection. A pertinent example is that of calves purchased to foster onto cows who have

lost their calves. The new arrivals represent a high risk for bringing new scours agents into a herd. While not technically new to a herd, show ani-mals that have had contact with other cattle and cattle environments

should be considered newly exposed and potentially infected. They should be managed in the same manner as a new purchase. Animals traveling to and returning from several shows in a season

may need to be isolated for extended periods of time. Isolating and testing animals coming into the cow-calf operation are the main tools employed in maintaining animalrelated biosecurity. The advice of the herd’s veterinarian will be invaluable in implementing these procedures – and should be sought well in advance of the arrival of new animals.

Isolation The cornerstone of any biosecurity program is isolation and observation of new animal additions upon arrival. Effec-tive isolation includes time and separa-tion considerations. The isolation period should be at least 30 and preferably 60 days. This period is sufficient to allow any acute disease to develop if infection was acquired shortly before movement and will allow time for the animal to stop shedding other potentially harmful germs. During the isolation period, new arriv-als should have no contact with the home herd. This includes direct nose-to-nose contact and contact with manure and contaminated water and feed. Equipment, vehicle, and people movement between the isolated group and the home herd should be managed to limit disease agent transmission through these routes.



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Diagnostic Testing Certain important cattle diseases lend themselves well to diagnostic testing strategies while new animals are in isola-tion. Some diseases present themselves in persistent forms, such that no isolation period is long enough for the animal to stop shedding the germ – e.g., trichomo-niasis in bulls and persistent infections with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus. For other important diseases, such as Johne’s Disease, diagnostic testing is of little use as current tests do not identi-fy animals in early stages of infection. Regardless of the tests chosen, producers should have a clear plan for managing any animals found to be infected.

Minimum BiosecurityConsiderations These steps should be considered min-imum standards for introducing new ani-mals into cow-calf operations. The herd’s veterinarian can provide recommenda-

tions specific to the farm and geography. In many cases, the veterinarian can contact the veterinarian of the purchased animals, allowing for a more specialized transfer of information that can help inform biosecurity-related decisions.

Open Replacement Heifers • Isolate for 30-60 days. • Ear notch test for BVDV persistent infection while in isolation. • Vaccinate to coordinate with the existing herd’s vaccination status.

Bred Cows and Replacement Heifers • Isolate and keep separate until calves are born and BVDV tested (minimum of 30 days). • Ear notch test calves for BVDV persistent infection. • If positive, ear notch test the dam for BVDV. • Vaccinate to coordinate with the

existing herd’s vaccination status.

Bulls • Isolate for 30-60 days. • Ear notch test for BVDV persistent infection while in isolation. • (Non-virgin bulls) Confirm results of trichomoniasis testing performed prior to sale (requirement prior to change of ownership in South Dakota). • Vaccinate to coordinate with the existing herd’s vaccination status.

Foster Calves • Isolate (with dam) for 30-60 days. • Ear notch test for BVDV persistent infection while in isolation. • Vaccinate to coordinate with the existing herd’s vaccination status.

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I n M e m o r i u m

Edward Engle Thompson dward Engle Thompson was born August 30, 1942 to LeRoy and Lois Thompson and spent his childhood at the family ranch on Alkali east of Sturgis. Ed attended 1st-8th grades at North Middle Alkali School. He was active in the Alkali Troopers 4-H Club and ultimately won the coveted 4-H Trip to Washington, D.C. He and his sister, Nancy, entertained many groups in the Black Hills area with their acrobatic routines. Ed attended Sturgis High School, graduating in 1960, where he played football and wrestled. Ed always knew he wanted to ranch on Alkali, but he also knew the value of a college education and attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie from 1960-66, earning degrees in an-imal husbandry and business. He was an active member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, holding several offices. After graduating, Ed returned to Alkali and began ranching with his dad, who died in 1970. Ed would say that his expertise in ranching came from his dad, his uncle, Clayton Thompson, and the application of his education. Ed participated in community activities. He was on the County Fair Board, the Hospital Board, a member of the Jaycees and Kiwanis, and an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. In 1989, he was named the Outstand-

ing Soil and Moisture Achievement winner for the Elk Creek Conserva-tion District. Ed’s sport was definite-ly polo, having played since he was a teenager with the Alkali Polo Team in Ket Ketelsen’s pasture. Ed most enjoyed playing polo on his favorite horse, Poker, at the Rapid City field, which he helped build. All the while, he quietly and patiently cared for and developed the family ranch. Nancy and her family came to the ranch every summer from the Washington, D.C. area. For her sons, Daniel and Peter, life on the ranch was a remarkable experience which formed them into the men they are today. From elementary school on they worked with and, most importantly, learned from Ed, helping with tasks around the ranch each summer. Adults in their home town saw the boys’ work ethic and attributed much of that to their time at the ranch and the values Ed instilled in them. On August 31, 2013, Ed married Rosalita Fritz at the ranch on Alkali. Rosy brought Ed much joy as they traveled and hosted family and friends at the ranch. On Saturday evenings, Ed and Rosy especially en-joyed dances at the Senior Center in Rapid City. They lived at the ranch until October, 2020, when they moved to the Primrose Retirement Village in Rapid City. On October

31, 2020, Ed was admitted to Monu-ment Health Hospital in Rapid City and was diagnosed with COVID-19. After an extended hospital stay, complicated by his Parkinson’s, Edward passed away on December 23, 2020, at the Hospice House in Rapid City. He was surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Rosy, and her children, Veronica (Justin) Kusser and family, Donavan (Renae) Schoon and family, and Gregory (Trish) Schoon and family; his sister, Nancy (Phil) Harlan; his nephew, Daniel (Beth) Harlan and son, Matthew James; and nephew, Peter Harlan (fiancée, Megan Donohue). He was loved by many and will be missed by all who remember his character and presence in the com-munity. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, De-cember 28, 2020 at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis. Due to concerns around COVID-19, a small family burial service will be held, followed by a larger memorial service later in 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family re-quests that you consider a memorial donation to the First Presbyterian Church of Sturgis or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

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(Optional) 1 YEAR 3 YEARS DONATION TOTALSTOCKGROWERMEMBERSHIP Voting $ 75.00___ $200.00___ $15.00___ $_________

ASSOCIATEMEMBERSHIP Non-Voting $100.00___ $15.00___ $_________

STOCKGROWERJUNIOR MEMBERSHIP $ 2.50___ $ 6.00___ $_________

R-CALF USA MEMBERSHIPVoting (must own cattle) $100.00___ $275.00___ $_________Non-Voting (no cattle) $ 100.00___ $_________

TOTAL $_________ $_________ $_________ $_________

HERD FORINDEPENDENTPRODUCERS TODAY

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Lobbying donations are not deductible asbusiness or charitable donations.

Name:

Address:

County:

City:

State, Zip:

Phone:

E-mail:

Date:

Recruited by:

Send your support to:426 St. Joseph Street • Rapid City, SD 577011-877-529-2333 or Fax (605) [email protected]

NAME

Dustin BraunCody HanssenDeb LevinGeorge Paul MichaelDoris & Denny Lauing VitalixJerry MaderAugust AndersonArch Beal, Discount FuelCharlie HoffmanLynn & Gloria SchneiderGerold Schuelke

CITY

Newell, SD

Emesy, SD

Hereford, SD

Quinn, SD

Sidney, SD

New Underwood, SD

Faulkton, SD

Sioux Falls, SD

Kadoka, SD

Eureka, SDHuron, SD

Black Hawk, SD

42

DonateeRandy VolmerJessen BrothersShawn WhiteJim & Carson CarlisleChris IversenMack & Karen WylyLance & Kerry FreiQuentin & Sunshine GerbrachtScott ShounRob CalkinsWayne FortuneJim MurphyMark & Carolyn KrogmanTom Grimes

These individuals have generously donatedall or a portion of their sale to the

Stockgrowers Association, or donated at aRoll-over auction. If you would like to makea donation, ask your auction market to send

your contribution to the SD StockgrowersJust one donation can really make a difference.

Thank you to the generous members whodonated in the last three months.

JUST ONE COWJUST ONE COWCALF, HORSE, or LAMB

can make a huge differencefor the Stockgrowers Association.

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LocationOwanka, SD Oelrichs, SD Ft. Pierre, SD Murdo, SDFt. Pierre, SD Red Owl, SD Faith, SD New Underwood, SD Ft. Pierre, SD Interior, SD Hermosa, SD Quinn, SD Kadoka, SD

Join Us Onlinesouthdakotastockgrowers.org



CONTACT: SUZY GEPPERTExecutive Director

[email protected] - Office: (605) 224-4722

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Check-off✔CheckingIN ON THE

#BeefTogether

“If everyone is moving forward together then success takescare of itself.” - Abraham Lincoln

The Beef Checkoff continues to be a driving force in building and maintaining beef demand and we are continually looking for new opportunities. We look for well rounded, broad scope ideas, programs, and events that allow us to reach a multitude of audiences. From there we strategize. We discuss how we can further develop these opportunities to reach their full capacity and expand on national programming efforts to maximize impact? The SDBIC board meets on a quarterly basis to review programs, events, and authorization requests. This al-lows beef producers to play a ma-jor role in determining how South Dakota’s Beef Checkoff dollars are spent. Please remember that these meetings are open to the public and we encourage you to attend. We understand that raising beef can be a challenge that tests our resilience. Weather, prices, herd health, and consumer trends will continue to play pivotal roles as we move forward and we want to assure you that we are commit-ted in our efforts. You will find the South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) 2020 Annual report posted on our website at sdbeef.org.

Winter Cattle Industry Convention Several South Dakota farmers, ranchers, and beef industry leaders participated in the Cattle Industry 2021 Winter Meetings, held virtually this year. Meetings allowed for producers to participate in Beef Checkoff committee discussions and share input on national outreach campaigns. South Dakota continues to have strong leadership representation at the national level with four cattle producers appointed to Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Current beef board members include Cory Eich, Canova, SD; Vaughn Thorstenson, Selby, SD; Eric Sumption, Frederick, SD; and Bill Slovek, Philip, SD. Congratulations to Bill Slovek as he was elected to serve on the Cattle-men’s Beef Board Executive Committee. Four South Dakotans also serve as directors to the Federation of State Beef Councils. These include: Todd Mortenson, Hayes, SD; Becky Walth, Glenham, SD; Gary Deering, Hereford, SD; and VeaBea Thomas, Harrold, SD. Gary Deering has also been elected to serve on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee.

Black Hills Stock Show Stock Show numbers were strong this year. We were able to visit with several consumers and had some really good Beef Checkoff discussions with producers. New to the stock show this year was the Claim Your Steak promotion. The SDBIC partnered with four local steakhouses to carry out the event, congratulations to the Longhorn Steakhouse for winning the BHSS People’s Choice Award. The Chili Cookoff has really changed and improved over the years. They were extremely wor-ried on participation this year due to Covid but we decided to move forward and ended up having 6 teams enter into the contest. Event attendee numbers actually increased this year. The Youth Beef Cooking Contest offered several kids from across the state an opportunity to showcase our favorite protein including two of our Jr. BeefAmbassadors. Congratulations to Coyle King on his 2nd place finish! Jr. Beef Am-bassadors participated on stage with

Please see CHECKOFF on page 44

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Miss Rodeo America in a panel discussion skit where they discussed commonly asked consumer questions. They did a great job. Miss Rodeo America, Jordan Tierney, recently endorsed the Build Your Base pro-gram and spent time with us throughout the week signing autographs and discussing the importance of the sports nutrition and training program utilizing beef as its pre-mier protein. She is a great spokesperson for the program. Several interviews were conducted with KBHB, Heartland Consumer Reports, Da-kotaFarm Talk, and News Center 1. Thank you to all who volunteered to help at the booth and participate in interviews. Team Beef South Dakota Team BEEF South Dakota’s 2021 race season is underway! Registration closed in January for potential members with this year’s team consisting of approximately 150 runners and cyclists of all ages. Partici-pants recognize the nutritional benefits of beef and the vital role high-quality protein plays in their training. The program, in its nineth year, is open to all South Dakotans who want to promote beef, be physically active, and showcase eating beef as part of a healthy lifestyle. Through the program, Team BEEF members receive nutrition education on how best to incorporate beef into their diet during training. They learn that beef is a high-quality protein containing all the essential amino acids the body needs to help with maintenance, repair, and growth of lean muscle mass.

Education Consumers, youth, and influencers continue to be priority targets as we work towards building beef demand. • This Spring finds us evaluating the third year of the Build Your Base with Beef

program. This program continues to exceed expec-tations and we are excited to have several endorse-ments from pro athletes and influ-encers. We have been able to reach several Olympic hopefuls and have even placed jerky within the Olympic Training Center.

Please stayed tuned as U.S. profession-al pole vaulter, Chris Nilsen represents the program on the world stage. Chris is competing in Europe this spring and is currently 2nd behind the world leader in the event. You will find our logo on his uniform as he competes and represents our power protein. o We continue to work with University

of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, Black Hills State University, and Augustana Uni-versity athletic departments and their athletes throughout the year and are expanding our education efforts this spring as we work to engage these young mil-lennials in topics ranging from beef nutrition, preparation, and the utilization of beef as a recovery protein as part of the collegiate program.

o Please follow us on all our social me-dia channels or visit www.buildyour-base.org to learn more.

• We will continue to move forward as scheduled with events and Ag days as current conditions allow. • February was Heart Month and the SDBIC partnered with the American Heart Association. The Beef Checkoff appreci-ates the partnership with the AHA and the opportunity to share scientific research showing that lean beef can be part of a heart-healthy diet that can lower both cho-lesterol and blood pressure. A social media

campaign has been planned throughout the month with larger events planned for later this spring and early summer in hopes that the pandemic pressure is relieved and in person events can resume. The SDBIC held its quarterly board meeting February 22, 2021 in Ft. Pierre, SD. Several producers and industry leaders were in attendance as Cattlemen’s Beef Board CEO, Greg Hanes and John Hinners, United States Meat Export Federation, VP Industry Relations were in attendance providing updates on National and Inter-national efforts. The next SDBIC meeting is scheduled for June 28-29, 2021. All SDBIC meetings are open to the public. The SDBIC 2020 Annual Report is available at sdbeef.org. As always, we feel communication with our producers is key. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at (605)224-4722 or email me at [email protected].


Angus. America’s Breed.

A reliable business partner is difficult to come by. Contact Rod Geppert to locate Angus genetics, select marketing options tailored to your needs, and to access American Angus Association® programs and services. Put the business breed to work for you.

© 2020-2021 American Angus Association

3201 Frederick Ave. | St. Joseph, MO 64506816.383.5100 | www.ANGUS.org

Rod Geppert,Regional Manager

Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota

Contact Regional Manager Rod Geppert:Cell: 605-295-3673

[email protected]

Bob Fortune: (605) 488-1003Chuck Fortune: (605) 891-8197

Bulls and Heifers for Sale!Available at the Ranch, or atour Annual Production Sale

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