South Dakota State University hosted the 98^th Little international in Brookings March 26-27. While 4-H and FFA contests were held virtually this year, collegiate showing and fitting competitions took place in the Animal Science Arena.

“Even though we weren’t able to put the 98^th Little International on in its ‘normal’ fashion, the staff and exhibitors were extremely excited and motivated to make this event happen any way we could get it done,” manager Jacob Rausch said. “We simply couldn’t go two years without Little International, and it felt very good to see all the hard work come to fruition.”

Results from collegiate showing, fitting and other contests are as follows:

Overall Awards:

High Point Freshman: Emily Nold – Rutland, SD

High Point Upperclassman: Adam Bierstedt – Pipestone, MN

Grand Champion Round Robin: Ryan Franz – Windom, MN

Reserve Champion Round Robin: Adam Bierstedt – Pipestone, MN

High Point Club: Sigma Alpha Sorority

The Pete Pritchett Memorial Award was established to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of a Little “I” staff member and is given in memory of Pete, the 1988 Little “I” livestock coordinator who was tragically killed in an auto accident that following summer. This year’s award, sponsored by Rosie Nold, was presented to executive committee member Luke Groos of Howard Lake, Minnesota.

The Chamberlain City Commission will have their meeting on Monday, April 5th at 6:00 p.m. at the Chamberlain City Offices located at 715 North Main Street in Chamberlain. The City Commission meets the first and third Monday of each month.

As opportunities to obtain 2021 Private Applicator Certification in South Dakota wind down, SDSU Extension is offering a final online pesticide education course Thursday, April 8 from 6–9 p.m. CST.

“We were thrilled to be able to provide regulatory and pesticide education during our Crop Hour Private Applicator Certification webinar to more than 350 participants across the state,” says Amanda Bachmann, SDSU Extension Pesticide Education and Urban Entomology Field Specialist. “For those private applicators who have not recertified yet or are not interested in taking a self-paced course, this three-hour evening session will be the last opportunity for live private applicator training this season.”

Attendees will need to fill out a survey after the pesticide applicator training on April 8 in order to get credit for the class. Bachmann says private applicators that are not sure of their certification number or expiration date can search for their information using the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) private applicator database.

The April 8 Private Applicator Certification Training will cover the following topics:

• 6 p.m. “Welcome and Tech Orientation,” Amanda Bachmann, SDSU Extension
• 6:05 p.m. “South Dakota Laws and Regulations,” Valerie Mitchell, SDDA Ag Program Specialist
• 6:35 p.m. “Climate Update and Weather Tools,” Laura Edwards, SDSU Extension State Climatologist
• 7:30 p.m. Five-minute break
• 7:35 p.m. “Plant Diseases for Private Applicators,” Connie Strunk, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist
• 8:05 p.m. “Insect Pests for Private Applicators,” Adam Varenhorst, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Field Crop Entomologist
• 8:35 p.m. “Weed Management for Private Applicators,” Gared Shaffer, SDSU Extension Weeds Field Specialist
• 9 p.m. Closing and link to exit survey (required for credit)

There is no fee to attend, but participants will need to register on the SDSU Extension Events page. Confirmation Zoom links and reminders will be emailed to attendees.

Private applicators (new and existing) that do not attend the April 8 webinar have two options for acquiring or updating their certification. They can either take an online certification course by registering with SDSU Extension and participating in a Training House course; or take an online private applicator exam via the SDDA.

This month, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation announced that South Dakota
ProStart has received a $15,300 grant to support education efforts.

This generous assistance for South Dakota ProStart is
made possible by Ecolab, who donated a total of $750,000 to ProStart state partners.

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year program for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into
tomorrow’s restaurant and hospitality industry leaders. ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum provides real-world
education and builds practical expertise for a foundation that will last a lifetime from culinary techniques to
management skills.

In South Dakota, ProStart is a joint effort of the South Dakota Department of Education, the South Dakota Retailers
Association, and the South Dakota ProStart Advisory Committee.
“ProStart is a great opportunity for high school students to learn culinary and hospitality management skills applicable in
an array of businesses, from restaurants to hotel management,” said South Dakota Retailers Association Exec. Dir.
Nathan Sanderson. “This is real-world career preparation at its finest.”

These funds can be used for everything from lessons to providing the supplies ProStart students need to continue
perfecting their culinary and restaurant management skills.
This year in the absence of an in-person culinary competition, South Dakota schools have competed in virtual contests,
including gingerbread house construction, social media restaurant promotion, entrée plating, table scape design, and
fruit and vegetable centerpiece carving.

“These students work extremely hard throughout the year and develop strong workforce skills,” said South Dakota
ProStart Coordinator Seanna Regynski. “South Dakota ProStart and the South Dakota Retailers Association are excited
about what this generous gift means for our program.”

The participating ProStart Schools include:

Aberdeen A-TEC, Alcester-Hudson High School, Brookings High School, Clark High School, Harrisburg High School, Huron
High School, Madison Central High School, Mitchell CTE Academy, Mobridge-Pollock High School, Northeast Technical
School (Watertown), T. F. Riggs High School (Pierre), SD Virtual School, Sioux Falls CTE Academy, Sturgis Brown High
School, Todd County High School, and Wagner High School

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s economy is growing faster than any state in the nation, according to last Friday’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) release from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). South Dakota grew at an annual rate of 9.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, more than double the national growth rate of 4.3 percent. Texas had the second highest growth rate at 7.5 percent.

“South Dakota is open for business,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “Because of the unique approach that we took to the virus, we’ve set our economy up for tremendous growth, both in the short-term and long into the future. Our real estate market is booming as families and businesses look to move to a state that preserves our way of life and respects freedom and personal responsibility.”

Click here to read the full BEA report.