Natasha Artz from Fair City Foods in Huron took the top prize at the state’s first-ever “Best Bagger”competition hosted by the South Dakota Retailers Association at the State Fair on Friday, September 3rd.

Sponsored by Associated Wholesale Grocers, the inaugural Best Bagger Competition featured eleven different contestants from across the state. The quickest hands in the grocery business went head-to-head during this fun, fastpaced competition.

“It was an incredible event,” said Retailers Association Exec. Dir. Nathan Sanderson. “I’m proud that the South Dakota
Retailers Association could host this competition at the State Fair, and we’re already looking forward to next year.”

All contestants bagged identical grocery orders and were judged on speed, bag building technique, uniform bag weight,
and personal attitude and appearance.

Artz was the South Dakota Best Bagger Competition winner and received an expenses-paid trip to compete at the National Grocers Association’s National Competition in Las Vegas, N.V., plus a $200 cash prize. Abby Walder from HyVee in Sioux Falls took home second place and $150, and Jacob Hone also from a Sioux Falls Hy-Vee Store was awarded $100 and third place.

When asked about why Artz decided to compete in Friday’s event she explained that she was excited that something new was offered for the grocery industry and thought “why not try!” As a hometown contestant, Artz was surrounded by friends, family, and coworkers as she celebrated her victory.

Participants included: Natasha Artz from Fair City Foods in Huron, Jacob Boesel from Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls, Devon Enno
from Buche Foods in Mission, Theresa Gottlob from Coborn’s in Mitchell, Jacob Hone from Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls, Tyler
Jaeger from Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls, Ricky Kohlmeyer from Coborn’s in Huron, Brian Kalenda from Buche Foods in Gregory,
Kara Meisenhoelder from CashSmart in Scotland, Nicolaus Nelson from Cahoy’s General Store in Bonesteel, Abby
Waldner from Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls.

Look for the second annual Best Bagger Competition at the 2022 South Dakota State Fair!
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The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation just announced that the Fed Cattle Challenge program is open for registration. The Fed Cattle Challenge provides an opportunity for youth (14 to 18 years old) to learn about the science and economics of finishing cattle by participating in a calf finishing program. Participants will understand the process for finishing cattle through ownership of three head of cattle at a custom feedlot, receive curriculum on twelve topics related to cattle feeding, calculate a closeout and present what they have learned to a panel.

Awards for the top three participants will be awarded. First place will receive $1,500, second place will receive $1,000, and third place will receive $500 award. “The Fed Cattle Program was designed to give students a more in-depth look at the ins and outs of the cattle feeding industry and help encourage young people to consider going into the business with a good foundation and understanding of how it works,” said Roxanne Knock, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation board member. Each participant will own a percentage of a pen approximately equal to 3 head of cattle from a pen at Winner Circle Feedyard.

The participant will be responsible for a 30% equity down payment and the feedyard will finance the remaining value of the cattle and expenses. Following harvest, proceeds from the cattle will be divided among the owners of the cattle and the three head of cattle participants own, minus the divided costs. Participants will be given the information and closeout template they need to understand, complete and present to the panel. Registration for the Fed Cattle

Challenge closes September 30, 2021. For more information please visit www.sdcattlemensfoundation.com/education/fed-cattle-challenge About the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation facilitates the generosity of the beef industry to educate and build trust with the state’s consumers, ensuring the industry’s long-term viability. The development of the Fed Cattle Challenge program is a part of our mission to support the youth that are sincerely interested in careers in the cattle industry.

Governor Kristi Noem and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety provided the full investigation file into the fatal crash involving South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg and the late Joseph Boever to Spencer Gosch, the Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives. The file includes a minimal amount of redacted information referring to unrelated investigations and/or security matters.

“This investigation file represents incredible work by our excellent law enforcement officers, and I thank them for their efforts,” said Governor Noem. “The remarkable detail in this investigation file will assist the House in its important work of considering whether to proceed with impeachment articles for the Attorney General.”

The cover letter from Craig Price, Secretary of the Department of Public Safety, to Speaker Gosch, which is contemporaneously being released, sets out generally what is included within the investigation file. You can read that letter here.

Speaker Gosch said in March that the House would wait until after “the judicial system is able to do its job” to proceed with articles of impeachment against Ravnsborg. The South Dakota Sheriff’s Association, the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association, and the South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police previously called on him to resign.

There will be a new round of the Chase the Ace chamber promotion. as well few changes this time around.  Drawings will be held on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 starting on Tuesday, September 14. The Chamber is starting the Jackpot at $500.

The South Dakota State University (SDSU) Calf Value Discovery Program will accept steers at two delivery times this year due to dry conditions. The early delivery date is set for Oct. 5, while the regularly scheduled time will be Nov. 3 and 4. For the Oct. 5 delivery date to occur, a minimum of 60 head must be registered due to pen size.

Established in 1990, the Calf Value Discovery Program provides cow/calf producers with the value of their cattle through value-based marketing systems, along with carcass and feedlot performance data that will aid in management decisions that impact the financial bottom line.

“Post-weaning performance influences the price received when calves are marketed at or near weaning,” says Julie Walker, Professor and SDSU Extension Beef Specialist. “Obtaining post-weaning animal and carcass performance data provides producers with additional information to make the best financial and management decisions for their operations.”

The program allows producers to consign a minimum of five steer calves. The minimum weight of steers consigned in October is 425 pounds, while November consigned steers should weigh 500 to 800 pounds. October steers will be backgrounded until November steers are delivered.

Cattle will be fed in an accelerated finishing program at Vander Wal Yards located near Bruce, South Dakota, where SDSU personnel will weigh cattle periodically and send performance updates to their owners. Feed, yardage and veterinary bills will be financed, and any death loss will be shared with participants.

Interested participants in the western region of the state are welcome to drop off cattle at the Cottonwood Research Station, located near Philip, South Dakota, for cattle to be delivered to Vander Wal Yards. More information on drop-off dates can be found below.

According to Walker, cattle will be sold in truckload lots beginning on or around May 15, 2022. All cattle will be sold on a grid price system.

“We encourage producers to have calves arrive at the facility with sufficient vaccination against important disease issues,” Walker says. “The timing and success of vaccinating calves at arrival is less than optimal.”

Sufficient vaccination is considered as:

• 5-way viral (BVD-1, BVD-2, IBR, BRSV, PI3) vaccine
• At least two doses of a killed 5-way; or
• At least one dose of a MLV 5-way
• Mannheimia haemolytica vaccine: one dose
• 7-way clostridial vaccine: two doses

Cattle must also arrive dehorned, castrated and healed.

Registration for the October delivery closes Sept. 20 and November delivery ends Oct. 15. Delivery of steers to the Cottonwood Research Station (October vs. November) will depend on the preference of the majority of producers planning to deliver to Cottonwood. Cattle will only be received at the Cottonwood Research Station on one day between 8 a.m. and noon MT. Steers can be delivered directly to Vander Wal Yards on either Tuesday, Oct. 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Thursday, Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Calves delivered to the Cottonwood drop-off location must be brand inspected prior to arriving, as there will not be a brand inspector present at that location.

For more information, go to the Calf Value Discovery Program page. (extension.sdstate.edu/calf-value-discovery-program). If you have any additional questions or would like to register, please contact Walker at Julie.Walker@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5458, SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Management Associate Warren Rusche at Warren.Rusche@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5452, or SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist Kiernan Brandt at Kiernan.Brandt@sdstate.edu or 605-882-5140.

Winner Regional Hospital will take place on Labor Day, Monday September 6th.  Sign in and registration will be at 7:15 a.m. at the Winner Regional south parking lot.  The run/walk will start at 8:00 a.m.  The cost is $15 pre-registration and $20 on race day. For more information on can call 842-7304.

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, located outside of Valentine, NE, is now accepting applications for the muzzleloader deer hunting season. The special refuge muzzleloader season occurs during the state November firearm deer hunting season and the December deer muzzleloader season. Muzzleloader deer hunting on the refuge is allowed by special use permit only.

The refuge hunt area, which is more than 5,000 acres, includes most of the 4,635-acre Wilderness Area. Deer hunting within the Wilderness Area offers hunters a unique and challenging experience. Habitats within the hunt area includes grasslands, pine canyons and wooded riparian areas. Deer hunters and other refuge visitors are reminded that the Fort Niobrara bison herd occupies the Wilderness Area during the muzzleloader deer season.

Applications for the Muzzleloader season will be accepted until September 15. There is no fee for the special permit. Successful applicants must possess a Nebraska deer permit that is valid for muzzleloader weapons in the Kaya Paha Unit. Additional information and applications can be obtained at the following website:

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Fort_Niobrara/visit/plan_your_visit/refuge_hunting.html

As South Dakota continues to see warmer than average temperatures and limited rainfall, many producers across the state are planning to harvest failed grain crops as much-needed forage for livestock. While drought-stressed crops can still be used as forage, there are many factors to consider before harvesting, specifically soil health and feed safety, says Sara Bauder, South Dakota State University Extension agronomy field specialist.

“Drought is a widespread issue this year, and producers have many factors to consider, such as accumulated nitrates, potential mycotoxins, moisture content and nutrient analysis,” Bauder says.

To help producers navigate through these issues, SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition have recently released the new Salvaging Drought Stressed Crops video series. Each short video segment is moderated by Bauder and includes producers, agronomists, soil health specialists and livestock nutrition experts. The series will cover the following topics:

·         Protecting the soil.

·         Nitrate considerations and testing.

·         Keeping the bottom line in mind.

·         Silage, earlage and high-moisture corn.

·         Using soybeans as forage.

·         Water quality and testing.

·         Grazing corn.

“This series is designed to offer ideas and advice from Extension staff and producers based on knowledge and experience alike,” Bauder says. “Every farm and ranch faces its own unique challenges, and this information is intended to be applied as producers see fit to their own personal situations.”

The video series can be at extension.sdstate.edu/agriculture. The video link will take viewers to a playlist on the SDSU Extension YouTube channel which includes the entire series.

For more information or questions, please contact Bauder at Sara.Bauder@sdstate.edu or 605-995-7378.

South Dakota State University (SDSU) faculty, staff and Extension specialists invite the public to the Local Foods Education Center on Monday, Sept. 13 for an evening of home and market garden tours, demonstrations and educational booths. The Home and Market Garden Field Day will be held from to 5 to 7 p.m. CDT at the center, located at 1600 Medary Ave. in Brookings.

“Demonstrations will be spread out throughout the Local Foods Education Center, allowing participants to freely go from one station to another,” says Kristine Lang, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist. “Attendees should come prepared to learn about crop production, including tomatoes, pumpkins and grapes, and take in demonstrations on insects, food safety and native plants.”

Experts from McCrory Gardens, the SDSU Extension Farm to School Program, the SDSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic and the SDSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program will be on hand to answer questions and share resources with attendees.

There is no need to pre-register for this event, which will be held primarily outdoors, rain or shine.

For more information on the event, visit the SDSU Extension Events page (extension.sdstate.edu/events).