Michelle Rook

Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension Crop Marketing Specialist, said soybean acres were shifted nearly one to one from corn.
Food prices have been rising through 2021 and the Consumer Price Index for food released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service on Oct. 25, 2021, shows a year over year increase of 4.6%. The biggest rise is coming from the meat, poultry and fish category which was up 10.4%.
According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, China missed the $36.5 billion goal for 2020 set in the phase one deal, coming in at $28.75 billion worth of purchases. China is also on pace to be short of its 2021 goal of $43.5 billion. U.S. Census figures through August 2021 put China’s agricultural and related purchases at $19.28 billion.
Analysis by Iowa State University shows about an $80 million impact to producers if plants in Minnesota and Nebraska continue to see a slowdown in line speeds.
Across the region, producers have been dealing with extreme weather conditions this growing season, including drought, frost, wind or even tornadoes, heat, heavy rain and hail.
“You’ve got South Dakota now, who wasn’t even in the top 20 dairy states in the country, and now we’ve become one of the hottest spots," South Dakota dairy producer Lynn Boadwine said.
Zach Ducheneaux of South Dakota has been appointed to lead Farm Service Agency after many years working with the Intertribal Agriculture Council.
Conception rates are low for the third consecutive year in South Dakota, which presents another challenge for cattle producers already dealing with tough market conditions.
The Market Facilitation Programs, Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program-Plus and the Coronavirus Food Assistance Programs helped save farms. But most people in agriculture acknowledge that public and Congressional support for such programs is waning.
Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden said there are synergies between the state Department of Agriculture and the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources, but also duplication, so there could be some efficiencies gained that could lead to savings in the state budget.