As of early May, just over half of the U.S. is facing some level of drought, and 36 percent is in severe or worse drought conditions. For ranchers, that reality translates into stress, uncertainty, and some of the hardest decisions they will ever make about land, cattle, and family operations. To help ranch families think through those choices, Good Grazing Make Cent$ is hosting a free virtual panel, “When in Drought (2.0) – Making Tough Decisions Count,” on May 27 at 7 p.m. (MST). The live discussion will stream on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, and will be driven largely by...

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  Almost every year in South Dakota, there is a risk that grasshopper populations will reach levels capable of causing issues for rangeland, crops, as well as yards and gardens. Unfortunately, our prediction for the 2026 growing season won’t change the trend of the last few years. The first hard freeze in the fall of 2025 was late in many areas (Figure 1). Although I think most of us enjoy later cold weather in South Dakota, the later the first hard frost, the more time that adult grasshoppers have to remain active and lay eggs. This can result in increased...

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        In 2025, total cattle slaughter was 29.252 million head, down 6.4 percent year over year and down 13.1 percent from the recent cyclical peak in 2022.  Cattle slaughter in 2025 was at the lowest level since 2015.  Table 1 shows the breakdown of 2025 cattle slaughter by size categories of beef packing plants.  This includes both fed and cow slaughter plants. Out of a total of 937 federally inspected packing plants, 94.8 percent (888 plants with capacity up to 100,000 head per year) accounted for 1.92 million head, 7.14 percent of total slaughter.  By contrast, a...

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Montana Governor Greg Gianforte praised the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final decision to cancel grazing permits authorizing bison grazing previously issued to the American Prairie Reserve (APR).  “This final decision is a victory for the rule of law and the generations of Montanans who have stewarded our lands with care,” Gov. Gianforte said. “For far too long, the Biden administration ignored the clear language of the Taylor Grazing Act in favor of an ideological experiment. I’m proud of our administration for leading the fight to reach this decision and I thank Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and BLM...

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Ask five-year Adley Johnson what she enjoys most about life on her family’s Harding County ranch and without hesitation, the fifth-generation rancher says, “riding horses.” Her favorite? A palomino named Custer. Adley is the reason her dad, Brad, is happy he returned home after a more than a decade career as a professional steer wrestler. “I enjoy it when Adley comes out and helps me. When we are tagging calves, she writes the tag number and date in the calving book,” Brad said. Amy, Adley’s mom, agrees. “We like having the girls with us when we are working. Sure, things...

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All across the United States, home cooks are cleaning up their grills, inventorying their seasonings and scrolling social media for new grilling inspiration. The lawn chairs are getting dusted off and lawn mowers are cutting in anticipation of the summer barbecues ahead. It’s May. It’s Beef Month. May is Beef Month. May Beef Month emerged in the 1980s as part of state-led beef promotion efforts and grew alongside the federal Beef Checkoff program established in 1985, eventually gaining formal congressional recognition just last year through a 2025 U.S. Senate resolution. State beef councils often plan their biggest events in May....

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For Sarah Myers, motherhood and agriculture are not separate roles, they are deeply intertwined, shaped by a lifetime of experience and a commitment to raising the next generation with purpose. “My mom is one of the hardest working people I know,” Myers says. “She had a big influence on how I look at work and how we are raising our kids.” That influence began early. Myers grew up on a diversified farm near Kimball, South Dakota, where her family raises sheep, cattle, and crops. Some of her most meaningful memories are not tied to major milestones, but to the everyday...

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By Lura Roti for South Dakota Farmers Union As we reflect on the women who raised us this Mother’s Day, South Dakota Farmers Union celebrates the many women who support the state’s No. 1 industry – farm and ranch moms! Read on to learn about Brenda Reis from Reliance and Lindsey Hinsvark from Gary. Brenda Reis, ranches with her husband, David near Reliance. She is mom to Shawn, April, Shane and Zane and grandma to Buster, Swade, Rope, Haleigh, Keeleigh, Wiley, Oakleigh, Arista, Collin, Jozie, Sawyer and Jasper. In addition to Mom and Grandma, “Keeper of the Photos” is the...

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Thousands of miles. Thousands of cattle. Thousands of handshakes and smiles. As Anita Pepin of rural Belle Fourche, South Dakota, looks back on her career as an ABS rep and AI technician, she can’t quite put a guess on the number of miles she’s traveled, cows she’s bred, or customers’ hands she’s shaken. “It’s A LOT,” she says. Pepin is slowing down from her full-time practice, having sold the business, Black Hills AI Service, to Jessica Kammerer earlier this year. She still has a few small, select clients she will breed for, but says Kammerer is the one to get...

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Dan and Sharon Anderson’s Darling Creek Ranch has been selected as the 2026 South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award® recipient.  The ,000 award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.  Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In South Dakota, the award is presented with the South Dakota Grassland Coalition and South Dakota Soil Health Coalition.  The Dan and Sharon Anderson family owns and operates Darling Creek Ranch, located near Meadow...

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