Category Archives: News

News, Story

Governor Noem Issues Statement on Attorney General Ravnsborg

Yesterday, Governor Kristi Noem issued the following statement in response to the conclusion of the investigation into the fatal crash involving Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg and Joseph Boever:

“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign. I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well.”

News, Story

SDSU Extension Partners with Grocers for Double Up Dakota Bucks

Some South Dakota grocery stores are now offering participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) a chance to double up on fresh fruits and vegetables. Supported by SDSU Extension, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Fair Food Network, Double Up Dakota Bucks doubles the value of SNAP benefits when used on fresh fruits and vegetables.
“This program is aimed at helping those disproportionately affected by nutrition, particularly children and families,” says Samantha Dvorak, SDSU Extension Family and Community Health Associate. “Families are able to stretch their SNAP food dollars with the purchase of healthy foods, while farmers sell more produce and local retailers get more business.”
A grant-funded pilot program, Double Up Dakota Bucks doubles the value of SNAP dollars spent on fresh produce. For every $1 spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, $1 is matched, up to $10 to $20 per customer, per visit. Participants can then return to the retailer to redeem Dakota Bucks for more fresh fruit and vegetable purchases.
Participating South Dakota retailers for SNAP/Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) participants are:
  • Lakota Thrifty Mart, Dupree
  • Cahoy’s General Store, Lake Andes
  • Buche Foods, Oacoma
  • Buche Foods, Wagner
The goal of the program is to encourage the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables and thus, cash cannot be used in place of the coupon. However, more than one coupon can be redeemed at a time to go towards the purchase of fresh produce.
The reason this program is limited to SNAP/EBT customers and locations, Dvorak says, is because it is a grant-funded pilot program. South Dakota and non-South Dakota residents using an EBT card can earn and redeem Double Up Dakota Bucks only at the store where the coupon was earned. Other SNAP-eligible items will continue to ring up at a regular price.
News, Story

SDSU Welcomes New Horticulture Faculty Member, Extension Specialist

The South Dakota State University Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science, along with SDSU Extension, has named Dr. Kristine Lang to serve as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Consumer Horticulture. A native of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, Lang brings an extensive background in horticulture research and community outreach to her new role.
“We are delighted to have Kristine Lang join our Horticulture team. Her enthusiasm and passion for working with others who love horticultural plants is unmatched,” says David Wright, SDSU Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Department Head and Professor. “Her talents and knowledge of ornamental plants and vegetable crops are a perfect fit for SDSU Extension. She will lead the development and distribution of environmentally sound best management practices for ornamental landscapes and vegetable crop production on small-scale farms.”
“SDSU Extension is privileged to have Dr. Lang join our team of professionals,” says Karla Trautman, SDSU Extension Director. “Kristine has already gotten off to a great start, meeting with colleagues and constituents. We are so excited to have her expertise and passion for horticulture production as a part of our outreach portfolio, and we look forward to her leadership in providing impactful educational programs, information and resources for the citizens of South Dakota.”
Prior to joining SDSU, Lang served as an Extension Scientist for the Rodale Institute at the Midwest Organic Center in Marion, Iowa, where she assisted farmers across 12 states as they navigated the National Organic Program standards during the 36-month transition period to United States Department of Agriculture certified organic production. This assistance ranged from providing organic market and seed source options to addressing agronomic concerns, such as cover crop establishment or weed management.
During her formative years as a horticulturalist, Lang worked for three local garden centers, served as a design intern for two natural playgrounds and worked briefly as a florist. She spent two years as the Assistant Greenhouse Manager for the Agricultural Experiment Station Research Greenhouse at North Dakota State University, where her she managed the integrated pest management program for five campus greenhouse facilities.
Lang holds a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and Communication from the University of Minnesota-Crookston and a doctorate in Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University. Her dissertation examined how high tunnel vegetable crop production could be optimized through grafting, cultivar selection and microclimate modification.
Lang credits her father for her passion for horticulture — from home gardening and landscaping to garden center management and large-scale food crop production. She hopes her broad set of horticultural experiences will equip her to address a variety of consumer questions from across the state. She is also excited to join the ongoing work to support South Dakota specialty crop producers by designing relevant, applied research projects.
“I hope to empower more South Dakotans to take up gardening and feel confident in gardening, and support Master Gardeners in their important work of local outreach,” Lang says. “I’m also really excited to work alongside staff at McCrory Gardens to celebrate public gardens as both a teaching and research tool. One of my goals is to provide relevant programming on gardening and small farms topics that the public is really interested in. I also want to amplify local food production through research and outreach by building relationships with specialty crop producers and working with SDSU Extension colleagues, the Local Foods Education Center on campus and partner organizations across the state.”
News, Story

SDSU Extension to Host Second Community-Focused Book Read

Over the last month, the SDSU Extension Community Vitality team has been bringing South Dakotans together virtually for a community book read. After a widely-popular first round with much discussion and debate, the organization will be offering a second statewide book read beginning March 5.
“We had a lively and thoughtful conversation during our first book read that ended with a spontaneous visit from the author of ‘Little Chapel on the River: A Pub, A Town and the Search for What Matters Most,’” says Kari O’Neill, SDSU Extension Community Vitality Program Manager. “With this next book, we anticipate the dialogue to continue, as this is another excellent opportunity for South Dakotans to connect virtually on important community issues of the day.”
“Population: 485- Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time,” by Michael Perry will be the focus of the March book read and follows Perry’s returns to his small Wisconsin hometown after living in the city. To regain his creditability, he joins the local volunteer fire department, and through fires and rescues and community “smelt feeds,” he explores the history and the community members that make up an often-overlooked area of America.
“This book will continue to highlight our work in placemaking and helping communities envision their future,” says Peggy Schlechter, SDSU Extension Community Vitality Field Specialist. “The story is about characters we probably all recognize in our communities and get to work with in service projects.”
The book read will be held March 5–24 with facilitated discussions every Thursday evening. The sessions will be held over Zoom, which is readily available and free to individuals with internet capabilities. The timeframe will be 7:30 p.m. CST (6:30 p.m. MST), with an hour of interaction. Interested parties should register by March 1 to receive the link to join the discussion.
There is no registration fee; participants only need to purchase the book in advance of the start date. There will be a cap to the number of participants, with a plan to offer another book read in the fall.
To register, visit the SDSU Extension Community Book Read event page or contact O’Neill by email (Kari.Oneill@sdstate.edu), 605-685-6972; Schlechter by email(peggy.schlechter@sdstate.edu), 605-394-1722; or Joshua Hofer by email (Joshua.Hofer@sdstate.edu), 605-995-7378.
News, Story

Grassland Coalition Calving Videos

The South Dakota Grassland Coalition has produced a series of videos for livestock producers across the region. The 25-video series features ranchers from across South Dakota who have discovered the benefits of matching calving to their ranch resources. The videos offer personal from nearly 30 individuals about the challenges and benefits of shifting calving dates to fit with natural cycles.

The men and women interviewed discuss the opportunities for improved livestock health and profitability as well as a more enjoyable and reduced stress family life.

The primary video topics include: When & Where to Calve;
Managing the Herd; Assessing Ranch Resources; Finance,
Profit & Marketing; and People, Relationships & Quality of
Life.

The Calving Alternative videos will be released over a five
week period. Each weekly release will contain 4-6 videos
associated with the five main topics (see sidebar). Viewing
the videos is free, and they can be accessed by visiting the
SD Grassland Coalitions webpage Calving Alternative Videos
(https://www.sdgrass.org/calving-considerations/) or you
can go the Coalitions You Tube Channel SDGC You Tube
(https://bit.ly/3bke3v6).

Jim Faulstich is a Highmore, SD area rancher and Board
Member of the SD Grassland Coalition. It was at Faulstich’s
urging that the Board initially pursued this project, but it did
not take long for all to realize there was a need to encourage
livestock producers to take a hard look at their financial and
natural resources related to calving seasons.

Faulstich offered the following when asked about
the end result of the video project, “For anyone considering changing their calving season, the SD Grassland Coalition series of calving timing videos should really offer a wealth of information
and answer most questions about the transition. Plus, the real value is that it offers a large listof experienced producers that the listeners can call on for additional questions, guidance, and
mentoring.”

In total, the video series offers over 5 hours of in depth testimony, with individual videos ranging from 3 to 25 minutes, depending on the topic.

The first 5 videos will be released on Thursday, February 18, and weekly on Thursdays for the next month, the remainder of the videos will be posted. In addition to the videos, the Coalition will also be hosting ‘Tuesday Night Live’ zoom meetings featuring those who appear in the calving series.

These open public sessions will allow livestock producers to ask questions to the participants. The first of the ‘Tuesday Night Live’ calving discussions will be held Tuesday February 23rd at 7 pm (CST). To join the live session, go to this link.

News, Story

Governor Noem Signs Senate Bill 32

Governor Kristi Noem has signed Senate Bill 32 that allows for the expansion of the access critical nursing facility program which has been in effect since 2011.

South Dakota Department of Human Services Cabinet Secretary Shawnie Rechtenbaugh said, “This bill provides assurance to families that they will be able to choose nursing facility services close to home and avoid lengthy trips to visit loved ones.”

Senate Bill 32 allows for the expansion of the program with the addition of three nursing facilities:

  • Bethel Lutheran Home – Madison, S.D.
  • Platte Healthcare – Platte, S.D.
  • Tekawitha – Sisseton, S.D.

 Rechtenbaugh added, “Nursing facility care can be more expensive to deliver in smaller, more rural areas due to availability of staffing and delivery of goods and services to the location.  An enhanced reimbursement process helps to make sure that these services remain available.”

 Currently, the program includes facilities in Eureka, Gettysburg, Martin, Lemmon, Miller, Philip, Chamberlain, Hot Springs, and Britton.

 The new legislation is effective July 1, 2021