June 30, 2025: Testing quality of livestock water sources helps prevent loss from reproductive issues, poor weight gain or even death
South Dakota State University Extension is offering free, on-site livestock water testing services to farmers and ranchers across the state. In this episode, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist Robin Salverson says animal health should not be used as the indicator of water quality. She encourages producers to test water sources prior to turnout because contaminated water can cause illness or death, and even clear water can be of poor quality.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
.
June 23, 2025: Sioux Nation Fort Pierre celebrates 40 years with launch of Drake Seed
July 7, 2025, is the scheduled official opening date for the new Drake Seed seed cleaning facility in Fort Pierre, SD. Business partners Cody Hostler and Chad Stoeser bought the Sioux Nation feed, seed and animal health store about 7 years ago. In this episode of Agriculture In-depth, Hostler talks with DRG Media Group News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra how and why they decided to expand the seed cleaning portion of the business.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
.
June 9, 2025: Diverse crop rotation, turning cropland back to grass and more to be discussed June 17, 2025, at Dakota Lakes Research Farm field tour near Winner
People interested in learning more about conservation practices used in farming can do that June 17, 2025, during the Dakota Lakes Research Farm’s Foxley Farm Field Tour near Winner, SD.
Blake Foxley says the field tour goes from 9-11:30am CT. To RSVP or to get directions to the Foxley Farm Field Tour, call the Dakota Lakes Research Farm at 605-224-6357 or email manager@dakotalakes.com.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
.
June 9, 2025: How to use high tunnels, low caterpillar tunnels and other ways to extend your gardening season
People interested in learning more about different structures and techniques used for gardening have the opportunity to do that June 12, 2025, from 10am-4pm CT at Cedar Creek Gardens located south of Midland, SD. Held in coordination with the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association, co-owner Peggy Martin says there will be information for people at all levels of gardening experience. Registration is not required.
Find more information at https://cedarcreekgarden.com/ or at www.sdspecialtyproducers.org.
.
May 19, 2025: Forage production and outlook for South Dakota
South Dakota’s USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service produces a forage production and outlook map, available to farmers and ranchers for free. In this episode of Agriculture In-depth, DRG News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra visits with NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist Emily Rohrer to learn more.
Forage maps relate to grassland forage production and not cropland, and the maps will not predict forage quality. These reports will subside starting July 1. Find more information using this link: https://bit.ly/Range_Pasture.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
May 5, 2025: Federal government drops criminal charges; Maudes finally able to speak
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins hosted South Dakota ranchers Charles and Heather Maude at a news conference in Washington, D.C., on April 30, 2025,– the day after the federal government dropped criminal charges it had filed against the West River couple. In this episode, hear that news conference in its entirety. Additionally, USDA launched a new web portal for potential victims of ongoing lawfare originating under the Biden Administration to submit their concerns and experiences. This site is www.usda.gov/lawfare.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
You can also listen to the news conference using the audio file below:
Heather, Kennedy, Lyle and Charles Maude.
Photo credit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Flickr account).
Lyle and Kennedy Maude.
Photo credit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Flickr account).
April 24, 2025: What are weather models showing for rainfall outlook this spring in South Dakota?
This episode of DRG Media Group’s Agriculture In-depth podcast features SDSU Extension State Climatologist Laura Edwards. She talks about spring weather models and what they show heading into spring planting Season in South Dakota.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Courtesy
image.
April 7, 2025: “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health” project
In this episode, SDSU Extension Soil Health Field Specialist Hans Klopp and DRG Media Group News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra talk about a new nationwide project called “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health.” The project leaders are working to understand the status of soil health around the country and use that information to develop a new tool called Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation– or SHAPE. SHAPE is an online tool designed to interpret soil health measurements, monitor soil health change and offer management practice alternatives for improving soil health. The goal of the project is to collect 13,000 soil samples across the U.S. from approximately 6,000 fields, sampling different soil, climate and management conditions. The SHAPE tool will be available as a free web-based app for easy soil health scoring. Project leaders want 80 South Dakota farmers and ranchers to participate.
For more information, go to https://extension.sdstate.edu/news/80-south-dakota-farmers-needed-nationwide-soil-health-project-enroll-today or contact Jason Clark, SDSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist, at Jason.D.Clark@sdstate.edu, or Hans Klopp, SDSU Extension Soil Health Specialist, at Hans.Klopp@sdstate.edu.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
March 24, 2025: Horse racing on track to happen in South Dakota in 2025
South Dakota’s Governor has signed a bill that will partially fund the horse races in Fort Pierre in October 2025. DRG Media Group News and Farm Directror Jody Heemstra sat down with Track Manager Shane Kramme to talk about how the dollars are used to keep the horse racing industry alive in South Dakota. The horse races will be held Oct. 4-5, 2025, at the Stanley County Fairgrounds in Fort Pierre. Fort Pierre is the last location left in South Dakota that still hosts horse racing events.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
March 18, 2025: SD Secretary of Ag and Natural Resouces recaps 2025 legislative session, National Ag Week, state fair and more
The leader of the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources spent about a week in Washington, DC, in early March 2025, speaking with Trump Administration Cabinet officials about an assortment of agriculture-focused topics. In this episode, Secretary Hunter Roberts says they discussed everything from EPA regulations to federal Department of Agriculture programs.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
March 3, 2025: SDSU Extension offering virtual Master Gardener training; Mandatory in-person sessions being held in Pierre, Sturgis and Sioux Falls
South Dakota State University Extension is offering Master Gardener training classes, starting in mid-April 2025. In this episode, Master Gardener Ruth Beck says much of the training course is virtual, but there are two, mandatory in-person sessions, with the location choices of Pierre, Sturgis or Sioux Falls. Registration is required. The training course costs $250 with 40 hours of volunteer work required or $500 with no volunteer work requirement. For details or to register, visit the SDSU Extension Events website and search for “master gardener,” email the Prairie Potters Master Gardener group at Pierre at prairiepotters.36@gmail.com or call the SDSU Extension Pierre Regional Center at 605-773-8120. The registration deadline is March 10, 2025.
Feb. 24, 2025: CattleFax 2025 Outlook shows strong markets, tight demand
The CattleFax 2025 Outlook shows the U.S. beef industry is poised for another year of strong market performance, driven by tight cattle supplies and robust consumer demand. Additionally, weather conditions will remain a critical factor influencing grazing availability, herd expansion and cattle prices. In this episode, hear CattleFax Director of Global Meat Analysis Mike Miller provide some perspective.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Feb. 17, 2025: National Farm Medicine Center continues researching, advocating for rural health and safety
Scott Heiberger is with the National Farm Medicine Center, and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. In this episode, hear Scott talk about why they focus their research and outreach on rural populations.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Feb. 10, 2025: Cattle industry conversation from CattleCon
Many people with interest in the cattle industry came together in San Antonio, TX, Feb. 4-6, 2025, to have discussions, participate in educational opportunities or to network with people who have similar interests. Jesse Allen, host of DRG sister network shows AOA and MarketTalk, was one of them. In this episode, hear Jesse’s conversation with Gene Copenhaver, who was the vice-president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Feb. 3, 2025: Upper Midwest Urban & Rural Agriculture Innovation Conference
The Upper Midwest Urban & Rural Agriculture Innovation Conference is being held Feb. 6-7, 2025, in Oacoma, S.D. In this episode, Brenda Dreyer with the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association share information about the schedule and the featured speakers.
In this episode, hear how the two-day Upper Midwest Urban & Rural Agriculture Innovation Conference includes four dedicated tracks, including one day dedicated to Regenerative Organic Practices, and another day devoted to Business Development, Urban Agriculture and Advanced Practices for Producers. For more information or to register, go to sdspecialtyproducers.org.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Jan. 30, 2025: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture nominee confirmation hearings held
Brooke Rollins is United States President Donald Trump’s pick to become the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. She shared some insight about her stances on various ag-related topics during her Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee confirmation hearing January 23, 2025, in Washington, DC.
In this episode, hear Rollins replies on a variety of topics.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Jan. 13, 2025: Farm Rescue 20 years and still going strong
Over 20 years, Farm Rescue has supported nearly 1,200 farm and ranch families facing injuries, illnesses, and natural disasters. Since starting in North Dakota, Farm Rescue has expanded its core planting, haying, and harvesting assistance services to Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
In this episode, Cathy Patton-Strunk shares her family’s story and experience with Farm Rescue.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Jan. 6, 2025: Propane’s place in the push for renewable energy
Mike Newland is with the Propane Education and Research Council. In this episode of the DRG Media Group Beyond the Mic Agriculture In-depth podcast, he chats with DRG News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra about there being room for propane in the mix of sources of renewable energy. He also talks about some unique testing they’re doing in California.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Dec. 16, 2024: Soil fertility and fertilizer requirements vary, depending on how crops were planted
The cropping system you use can make a difference in soil fertilizer requirements. In this episode of the DRG Media Group Beyond the Mic Agriculture In-depth podcast, SDSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist Jason Clark shares details of one on-going study being conducted in South Dakota.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Dec. 10, 2024: NOAA Winter 2024-25 outlook and how it may affect South Dakota
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released it’s winter outlook for December 2024 through February 2025 and it shows a likelihood of colder than normal temperatures in South Dakota. In this episode of Agriculture In-depth, DRG Media Group News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra chats with State Climatologist Laura Edwards to get her insight on the weather models.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Nov. 25, 2024: USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator finishing up work, preparing for switch of federal administration
The United States Department of Agriculture will experience a change in leadership when the Trump Administration takes over control of the White House and both chambers of congress in January 2025. Before he leaves, current Farm Service Agency Administrator and South Dakota rancher Zach Ducheneaux says he has work he wants to take care of before he leaves the job.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Nov. 20, 2024: The future of U.S. red meat exports under another Trump Administration
Red meat exports have been strong for the United States in 2024, despite volatility and serious headwinds in major Asian markets. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom says pork is doing especially well and beef isn’t far behind.
You can also hear the conversation by downloading the podcast– for free– from most podcast platforms.
Agriculture In-depth is brought to you by Kimball Livestock Exchange.
Comments