South Dakota

Maker of Babybel Cheese Announces Major Expansion in South Dakota

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:37:14 GMT

Bel Group has broken ground on a $200 million expansion at its plant in Brookings, S.D., that will double production capacity for Mini Babybel cheese snacks and create about 150 new jobs.

According to the company, the project will increase production at the Brookings facility from about 1.6 million Babybel cheeses per day to more than 3 million once the expansion is complete.

Peter McGuinness, CEO of Bel Group’s North American division, says the investment is aimed at keeping pace with growing demand for convenient, protein-rich snacks in the U.S., which accounts for roughly one-third of the company’s sales.

“If we did not act now, we would be squandering growth and running up against capacity constraints,” McGuinness says.

Consumer interest in higher-protein foods has increased in recent years, a trend companies say has been accelerated by the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.

“The product delivers on GLP-1 (needs),” McGuinness says. “We’re getting a definite impact from that.”

Bel sources milk for the Brookings facility from several dairy farms in the surrounding region. Company officials say the expansion will help ensure supply keeps pace with growing consumer demand for dairy-based snack products.

The company operates four manufacturing plants in the U.S. In addition to the Brookings project, Bel recently completed a $140 million expansion at its plant in Nampa, Idaho, which produces GoGo squeeZ yogurt products. McGuinness says the company is focused on growing internally but may eye acquisitions in the future if demand continues to rise.

Agropur Announces $130 Million Investment in South Dakota and Wisconsin Dairy Plants

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:50:05 GMT

Agropur is signaling a high-conviction bet on the future of North American dairy, announcing a strategic $130 million investment across its Midwestern footprint. The move, unveiled during the cooperative’s annual general meeting on Feb. 11, targets high-growth markets for whey proteins and milk concentrates while capitalizing on the explosive production growth in South Dakota.

South Dakota: The New Frontier of Dairy Growth

The centerpiece of the expansion is a $60 million modernization of Agropur’s Lake Norden, S.D., facility. This investment is perfectly timed to coincide with South Dakota’s emergence as a national dairy powerhouse.

Over the last decade, South Dakota has transitioned into one of the fastest-growing dairy states in the U.S. While national milk production has faced headwinds, South Dakota has seen consistent year-over-year growth — often in the double digits — fueled by a favorable regulatory environment and the expansion of the I-29 corridor.

Production Surge: South Dakota recently broke into the top 15 dairy-producing states, with milk production jumping nearly 7% in 2023 alone.
Processing Powerhouse: The Lake Norden dryer upgrade will allow Agropur to pivot its portfolio toward value-added products like milk concentrates and whey proteins, meeting a global surge in demand for protein-enriched ingredients.
Economic Impact: Governor Kristi Noem’s support for the dairy industry due to the addition of more than 118,000 cows in the last 12 months contributes nearly $4 billion annually to the state’s economy.

Strengthening the Wisconsin Hub

Simultaneously, Agropur is committing $70 million to three Wisconsin plants: Weyauwega, Luxemburg and Little Chute. These funds are earmarked for increasing whey processing and valorization capacity. By turning what was once a byproduct into high-value nutritional ingredients, Agropur is maximizing the milk check for its members through operational efficiency.

Financial Resilience and Member Returns

These investments are backed by a stellar 2025 fiscal performance. Agropur reported:

Revenue: $8.9 billion (a 2% year-over-year increase).
EBITDA: $686.4 million (a 12.6% increase from 2024).
Patronage Returns: $70 million distributed back to member dairy producers.

“In 2025, Agropur delivered solid financial results, strengthening its ability to continue growing and investing in its future,” says Agropur president Roger Massicotte.

CEO Émile Cordeau emphasizes the strategy is built on resilience. By focusing on value-added products to meet the strong market demand for protein-enriched products, Agropur is positioning itself not just as a processor, but as a specialized ingredients partner in a competitive global market.

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How Victory Farms Uses Smart Tech and Beef-on-Dairy to Boost Profit

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:22:16 GMT

In the heart of Milbank, S.D., Victory Farms stands as a testament to strategic adaptation and unwavering dedication in the U.S. dairy industry. A trifecta of families — Kevin Souza, Dave Nuss, and Peter Orrade — has fostered this flourishing dairy operation. Amid an industry often characterized by fluctuating milk checks and rising costs, Souza and his team are charting a compelling path forward, marked by technological prowess, genetic advancement, a vibrant community spirit and sharp business acumen.

Originally feed consultants hailing from California, these families entered the dairy industry ambitiously and bought an existing farm in 1998. Starting with 1,300 cows, the operation quickly expanded, adapting to the needs and challenges of the evolving dairy landscape. Currently, Victory Farm milks 5,700 mostly straight Jerseys, with plans to expand to 6,200.

Kevin Souza and Greg Bohn

(Victory Farms)

Tech-Driven Efficiency: A Farm Where Every Animal is Monitored

Victory Farms has embraced technology as a cornerstone of its operational philosophy. In 2020, the farm implemented the SenseHub collar system with sort gates for its mature cows, significantly enhancing efficiency in identifying cows for breeding and treatment.

“We wanted to find the cows that needed breeding quicker and the cows that needed treating quicker,” Souza explains.

The positive impact was so profound that a few years later they extended this activity monitoring to their calves, placing tags on every animal from birth to mature cow. Souza says this comprehensive monitoring system has yielded remarkable results.

“We were treating less calves,” he states, noting that they now use preventative measures such as rumen boluses for calves, eliminating the need for antibiotics in their youngest stock. This proactive approach has not only reduced human error and treatment costs but also demonstrated a clear return on investment, particularly in improved animal health outcomes. “Our actual treat treatments went down, and death loss went down.”

(Victory Farms)

Nurturing People and Community: The Heart of Victory Farms

Beyond advanced technology, Victory Farms thrives on a deeply ingrained culture of valuing its 48 full-time employees.

“Our motto is, take care of the cows, and they take care of you. And we’re the same way with employees,” Souza emphasizes. With long-term staff, including a herdsman who has been with them for 27 years, the farm provides housing, generous vacation and regular gestures of appreciation like monthly pizzas and Christmas dinners. Souza’s daily presence, greeting shifts, underscores a commitment to acknowledging and supporting his team, recognizing “there’s no way we could do this without them.”

This community-first approach extends beyond the farm gates through a unique 4-H leasing program. Inspired by his wife, Suzanne, an Extension specialist for Big Stone County, Minn., Victory Farms leases dairy calves to 20 local 4-H kids annually. This initiative not only provides invaluable agricultural experience to youth, including many from non-farm backgrounds, but also fosters a positive image of dairy farming.

“It just turned my whole idea around about agriculture,” one former participant shared, highlighting the program’s profound impact.

Strategic Growth and Diversification: Bright Spots Amid Industry Crossroads

Facing the U.S. dairy industry’s current challenges, Victory Farms is strategically pursuing “bright spots” to ensure long-term profitability. While maximizing milk production and components remains a top priority (with the herd averaging 70 lb. of milk at 5% fat and 4% protein), Souza has keenly embraced the lucrative beef-on-dairy market. Through an extensive embryo program, the farm strategically breeds its crossbred herd to beef semen, generating significant revenue from day-old beef-cross calves.

Souza’s goal is to eventually produce all dairy replacements through embryos, allowing more uteruses to be dedicated to beef-on-dairy. This meticulous management of heifer inventory has allowed Victory Farms to reduce its replacement heifer numbers by 1,000 while maintaining herd size, further optimizing costs. The farm’s commitment to genetics, working closely with Select Sires and genomic testing all Jerseys, ensures that only the healthiest and most productive animals contribute to the herd.

“I make bulls to send to Select Sires, to pay for my IVF program, to make better heifers,” Souza says, highlighting his dedication to genetic advancement.

A Sustainable and Optimistic Future

As Victory Farms expands to 6,200 cows, it does so as a closed herd since 2015, prioritizing sustainable, internal growth. Operating in South Dakota, Souza appreciates the “more self-contained” nature of dairying, with reliable local services and effective manure management, turning a potential challenge into a resource that local farmers eagerly request.

Despite the current volatility in milk prices, Souza remains remarkably optimistic about the future of dairy. His strategic investments in technology, his unwavering commitment to his employees and community, and his innovative approach to genetic and market diversification position Victory Farms as a beacon of adaptability and prosperity, demonstrating how a forward-thinking dairy can thrive at the industry’s crossroads.

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A Surge in U.S. Milk Production: Insights to What States Stood Out

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:50:19 GMT

The landscape of U.S. milk production is experiencing dynamic changes and developments, as highlighted in the May 2025 USDA Milk Production report. This report reveals cow numbers have increased by 5,000 head from last month and by 20,000 compared to the last report — marking the largest herd size since 2021. This growth is largely attributed to light culling rates.

Driving Factors for Herd Growth
Katie Burgess with Ever.Ag highlights two primary reasons for this upward trend in cow numbers:

Replacement heifers have become very expensive, altering the breakeven point for replacing an animal.
The high value of beef-on-dairy calves makes it financially worthwhile to retain cows for their calf-bearing potential.

Notable Regional Performances
According to the report, there was a 1.6% year-over-year increase in U.S. milk production for May, which Burgess says aligns with industry expectations.

California: Milk production in California fell short of expectations, experiencing a decrease of 1.8%. Despite an increase of 2,000 in cow numbers from the previous year, the lower-than-expected milk-per-cow production is attributed, presumably, to lingering impacts of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza).

Kansas: Kansas showed a remarkable milk production output increase of 15.7% in May, with April’s data also revised higher at 15.5%.

Texas and South Dakota: Both states demonstrated significant positive gains in milk production, with increases of 8.9% and 9.5% respectively.

Industry Expansion in Processing Capacity
The dairy industry’s expansion is further underscored by significant developments in processing capacity:

In March, Hilmar Cheese Company marked the official opening of its new cheese and whey processing facility located in Dodge City, Kan.
Bel Brands announced an increase in its production capacity in Brookings, S.D., with a substantial 100,000-square-foot addition to its plant.
New facilities like the Leprino Foods plant in Lubbock, Texas, and a Walmart plant in central Texas are coming online.

Michael Dykes, CEO of International Dairy Foods Association, highlights how producers and processors have a similar goal in mind.

“Our farmers want to grow and so do our processors. If we aren’t growing — if we aren’t looking toward the future — we’re going to get surpassed by others,” he says.

These developments are part of a projected $9 billion plus expansion in U.S. milk processing, highlighting a promising and dynamic future for the industry.

“The US dairy industry has reached the spring flush at a higher than expected level of 19.1 billion pounds. It’s now up to demand to pull milk prices higher through the summer,” Dan Basse, president of AgResources Company says.

The May 2025 USDA Milk Production report reflects significant growth and expansion in the U.S. dairy sector, driven by strategic management of herd sizes and processing capabilities. As the industry continues to evolve, these trends point toward a robust and sustainable future for U.S. milk production.

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Agriculture in the Bull's-Eye: Raids Reportedly Resume on Farms, Meatpacking Plants

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 18:40:23 GMT

After President Donald Trump reportedly ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) to pause raids on farms and meatpacking plants last week, new reports say the administration is reversing course again. The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and already causing labor shortages due to employees not showing up for work.

There was an update again late Friday, with President Trump saying he’s looking at new immigration policy steps that would allow farms to take responsibility for people they hire.

The Washington Post first reported Monday that ICE officials told leaders representing field offices across the country they must continue to conduct raids at worksite locations, which is a reversal from guidance issued just days earlier.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wouldn’t confirm the Washington Post’s report, but an agricultural association told Farm Journal the article is accurate based on their discussions with the administration.

Instead, DHS told us this:

“The president has been incredibly clear. There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” says DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safe guard public safety, national security and economic stability. These operations target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation.”

By Friday, there was another update. Reuters reported President Trump said he was looking at immigration policy steps that would allow farms to take responsibility for people they hire.

“We’re looking at doing something where, in the case of good, reputable farmers, they can take responsibility for the people that they hire and let them have responsibility, because we can’t put the farms out of business,” Trump told reporters. “And at the same time we don’t want to hurt people that aren’t criminals.”

According to Farm Journal’s Michelle Rook, the recent ICE raids are already creating absenteeism and labor shortages that could severally disrupt the U.S. food supply. Ag groups are again calling for immigration reform with hopes the issue will finally come to a head.

Ripple Effect of Immigration Crackdown

Joe Del Bosque, owner of Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, Calif., is experiencing the rollercoaster with labor, saying the shifting policy strikes fear in farmers and workers.

“There’s so much uncertainty as to what the administration’s going to do,” Del Bosque told Rook on AgriTalk this week.

Del Bosque says the raids on California produce farms are disrupting the harvest of perishable produce.

“They haven’t been really huge sweeps. They’re usually picking up a few people. But it creates a lot of fear, and people don’t show up to work. That’s just as bad as if they were taken away,” he says.

According to an exclusive report by Farm Journal’s The Packer , the ripple effect of Trump’s immigration crackdown on agriculture could be far-reaching — if the administration revives its focus on ag.

Kevin Kelly is the CEO of Emerald Packaging — the largest flexible packaging supplier to the leafy greens industry. Based in Union City, Calif., the company has been in the packaging business for 62 years. Kelly says the immigrant workforce in California is feeling uncertain and afraid.

“We’ve certainly heard folks aren’t turning up to work in the fields, and we’ve seen it in our facility. We verify everybody, so we know everybody in our facility is documented and can legally work in the United States,” Kelly tells Jennifer Strailey, editor of The Packer. “In our case, it’s brothers and sisters being deported, and other family members being afraid. Our employees are staying home to help their family members move, to take care of them or to take them to see an attorney — that kind of thing.”

Dairy operations in several states have also been raided recently. Dairy producers say they rely on immigrant labor to provide a stable year-round work force and to keep the U.S. food supply stable.

“We need these people to take care of our animals so we can produce food. Without animal care, we won’t have milk, cheese, butter — nothing,” Greg Moes, MoDak Dairy in Goodwin, S.D., told Rook.

The recent ICE arrests at Glenn Valley Foods of Omaha, Neb. have also led to absenteeism at meat processing plants.

“At the beginning of the Trump administration, we had this same worry with the crackdown — whether this was going to impact absenteeism and things like that,” says Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek in Sioux Center, Iowa. “So, hopefully we can put that in our rearview mirror.”

By the Numbers: A Heavy Reliance on Immigrant Labor
The news this week of the Trump administration putting a pause on raids of farms and meat processors is welcome news for those in agriculture. From dairies and produce farms, to meatpacking plants across the U.S., these sectors rely heavily on immigrant labor.

Immigrant labor makes up a substantial portion of the meat processing workforce, with estimates ranging from 37% to over 50%. However, states like South Dakota and Nebraska have even higher concentrations of immigrant workers in meat processing — reaching 58% and 66%, according to the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute.

And a large portion of U.S. dairy farms rely on immigrant labor, with estimates indicating that over half of all dairy workers are immigrants. Specifically, these workers account for 51% of the total dairy workforce and are responsible for producing 79% of the U.S. milk supply.

Farmworker Justice estimates 70% of the produce industry’s farmworkers are immigrants. USDA’s estimates are lower — closer to 60%.

From Farm to Fortune: Discover South Dakota’s Dairy Surge

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:20:20 GMT

In the past decade, South Dakota’s dairy industry has been thriving with its dairy cow population more than doubling, marking a 117% increase, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In the last five years alone the number of dairy cows has surged by 88,000 or 69%, positioning South Dakota as a national leader in dairy cow inventory growth.

The Role of Dairy Processors
Tom Peterson, Executive Director of South Dakota Dairy Producers, notes that this surge aligns with the expansion of processing facilities in the state, which consequently increased the demand for more cows. Companies like Agropur and Valley Queen have undertaken significant expansions, with Valley Queen recently completing another phase. According to Peterson, these expansions have necessitated a proportional rise in dairy cows to fill the new capacities.

“So, the cows essentially followed and filled up newly created capacity,” he says.

Looking forward, Peterson anticipates steady growth in the coming years, but not at the rapid pace experienced recently. Instead, he foresees a stabilization in growth rates.

A Smart Growth Strategy
Phil Plourd, president of Ever.Ag Insights, highlights South Dakota’s strategic approach to growth. He attributes the state’s success to favorable conditions for agriculture, such as a friendly disposition toward the sector, access to water, and quality feed.

“All things considered; it’s an easy place to do business with a lot of people that have ‘win-win’ attitudes,” he says. “That bodes well for future investment. Thinking about the future in other places, it’s fair to wonder how things measure up in the ‘easy’ department. The regulatory and cost environment in California, for example, doesn’t seem favorable. States such as Wisconsin are somewhere in the middle.”

Comparison with Wisconsin
While South Dakota’s dairy industry flourishes, the situation in Wisconsin—known as America’s Dairyland—differs starkly. In 2002, Wisconsin boasted 16,886 dairy farms, with each farm family milking an average of 142 cows. Fast forward to today, and the number of dairy farms has plummeted to 5,348. Despite a slowing rate of decline, Wisconsin continues to lose hundreds of dairy farms annually, with a notable loss of 455 herds in 2023 alone. This decline contrasts sharply with South Dakota’s growth, highlighting the shifting dynamics in the U.S. dairy industry.

Nonetheless, a recent 2024 Dairy Producers Survey by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection provides a glimpse of optimism. Despite the decline in the number of farms, 81% of farmers surveyed indicated they plan to continue operations over the next five years, regardless of farm size.

State Support and Economic Impacts
Governor Larry Rhoden praises the devoted farmers and ranchers for their efforts, which have strengthened the state’s economy and positioned South Dakota as a leading dairy producer. The state, under the auspices of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), emphasizes its commitment to supporting agricultural innovation. Over the past five years, the GOED facilitated 22 project wins within the dairy industry, resulting in 1.3 billion dollars in capital investment and creating nearly 700 new jobs.

As South Dakota continues to be an attractive environment for dairy production, thanks to supportive state policies and strategic investments, it stands as a beacon of opportunity for farmers and producers alike.

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Why John Thune's Election as Senate Majority Leader is Considered Beneficial for U.S. Agriculture

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 19:50:43 GMT

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) wins Majority Leader race. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was eliminated on the first ballot. And Thune beat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) 29-24 on the second ballot.

The Thune selection is good for the U.S. ag sector. He has one of the best staff in Congress.

The leadership race unfolded in two rounds of voting: 

In the first ballot, Scott was eliminated. 
In the second and final ballot, Thune secured 29 votes, defeating Cornyn, who received 24 votes.

Donald Trump stayed out of the contest but did make public demands that the incoming majority leader allow him to make recess appointments to his Cabinet. All three men quickly agreed.

Thune’s election as Majority Leader is considered beneficial for the U.S. ag sector for several reasons: 

Agricultural background: Thune has a deep background in ag policy and is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. 
Farm bill experience: He has been involved in writing several farm bills, demonstrating his expertise in agricultural legislation. 
Conservation programs: Thune is an avid supporter of conservation title programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program and Conservation Reserve Program.
Bipartisan approach: He is a skilled negotiator, working for the benefit of all.
Constituency focus: Coming from South Dakota, an agriculture-based state, Thune is likely to keep agricultural interests at the forefront of his agenda.  • Experienced staff: Thune has one of the best staffs in Congress, which can be crucial for effective policymaking and implementation.

Of note: This leadership change marks the end of Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) 18-year tenure as the Senate’s Republican leader. Thune will assume the role of Majority Leader for the next two years, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. While Thune has had differences with Trump in the past, he has recently worked to improve their relationship and has pledged to advance Trump’s legislative agenda.

New Methane Digester Complete at Tri-Cross Dairy, Begins Supplying RNG

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:15:26 GMT

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is certainly making a big appearance in 2024. Tri-Cross Dairy, a 5,000-cow operation located in Viborg, S.D., is the second dairy in the state within the last two months to begin supplying RNG to the natural gas pipeline via a methane digester.

According to Clean Energy, Tri-Cross Dairy’s partner for the project, the new facility is forecasted to produce 1 million gallons annually of negative carbon-intensity RNG.

The construction costs of the RNG production facility, which includes the build of digesters and processing plant, totaled $34 million and was completed in December 2023. The injecting of pipeline-quality RNG began shortly after completion. Clean Energy is in the process of filing the necessary applications to generate federal and state environmental credits. The facility is one in a series of projects in the Midwest for which the companies have partnered together.

“We anticipate 2024 to be a pivotal year in the demand for RNG fuel in the transportation market with the introduction of Cummins’ X15N natural gas engine for heavy-duty trucks. Clean Energy’s fueling infrastructure is expanding to meet that demand and we’ll need a constant source of additional low-carbon RNG to supply those stations. The new production facilities at Tri-Cross Dairy and the other farms in the Midwest that are now producing RNG is a critical component to our strategy,” said Clay Corbus, senior vice president for renewables.

Earlier this year, Drumgoon Dairy, a 6,500-cow operation in Lake Norden, S.D., also began producing RNG through its methane digester project. The facility has since begun injecting ultra-low carbon RNG into the interstate natural gas pipeline system. According to a Clean Energy press release, Drumgoon Dairy is expected to supply 1.66 million gallons of negative carbon-intensity RNG annually to the transportation market when at full capacity.

How It’s Made

While dairy cows are known for their ability to make milk, they’re also scrutinized for their ability to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture accounts for nearly 10% of U.S. GHG emissions. However, the dairy industry plays a big role in being part of a global climate solution.

“Renewable natural gas is chemically the same as the natural gas you might get in your stove, but what makes it renewable is that it is sourced from landfills or dairy farms,” says Will Flanagan, vice president of strategic development at Clean Energy. “What we’re doing is gathering manure and putting it in a digester, which captures the raw methane, or biogas, that would otherwise be going into the atmosphere. Then we pipe that raw biogas to an on-site gas processing plant where we clean it up by taking out the unwanted constituents.”

Once the methane has been converted into RNG, it is injected into a local natural gas pipeline and distributed to one of Clean Energy’s 540 fueling stations.

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Flavored Milk Promotes Successful Sale Results at Kwik Trip

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:00:00 GMT

When you think of flavored milk, chances are your mind will immediately turn to the classics – chocolate and strawberry. And while those are two great options, Kwik Trip, one of America’s fastest growing convenience stores, has found success offering up unique flavored milk options to their customers.

In 2023, Midwest Dairy partnered with Kwik Trip (also known as Kwik Star in Iowa) to promote their limited-time offer of milk flavors. According to the checkoff company, this partnership aimed to encourage innovation in the dairy industry and well as drive incremental sales through a consumer awareness campaign. Kwik Trip/Kwik Star has over 800 stores in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota.

The company kicked off the campaign in July with their signature root beer flavored milk. As the season changed to Fall, Kwik Trip began offering pumpkin spice flavored milk from September through October. Finally, the egg nog flavored milk campaign began in November and ran through the end of 2023.

According to Midwest Dairy, these three campaigns drove over 800,000 incremental pounds of milk. The programming included a 15-second in-store television advertising, cooler clings, and online advertising of the milk flavors, which can be viewed here.

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South Dakota State University Dairy Makes Plans to Close Doors

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:17:32 GMT

Despite efforts to keep its farm doors open, students attending South Dakota State University (SDSU) will longer have a working dairy come June 2024.

According to a statement made by the university, the cost of modifying the current building was too great and fundraising efforts were not successful.

Joseph Cassaday, dean of the College of Agriculture, released a statement on the closing.

“After exploring all fundraising opportunities and modifying plans for a workable solution to rebuild the SDSU Dairy Research and Training Facility, the university has decided to discontinue operations at the facility by the end of June 2024,” Cassady said.

Initial cost estimates to build a new SDSU Dairy Research and Training Facility were $50 million, and even with alternative modifications and renovations, the estimated cost would exceed $28 million. The Legislature appropriated $7.5 million for the project, however, the measure was not enough.

“South Dakota State University will continue to offer the same high-quality degree programs in dairy production, dairy manufacturing and food science,” Cassady continued. “We will work with dairy industry partners to provide opportunities in modern, large-scale dairy production facilities for student experiential learning and internships. These decisions will not impact production at the Davis Dairy Plant nor interrupt research taking place in that facility.”

The South Dakota Dairy Producers association also released an announcement following the news.

“The SDSU Dairy Research Farm has a history which runs deep with many dairy farmers and those within the dairy industry, so of course news of the farm ceasing operations in June 2024 is concerning. This legacy has led to the dairy production farm not only developing relevant dairy research and opportunities for students, but also a pipeline of workers, employees, and resources to the dairy farmers and the growing dairy industry in South Dakota,” the organization said.

“In more recent times this growth of the dairy industry in South Dakota has led to more modern dairy farms, not reducing the need for research and innovation; but perhaps changing the location or process of how the research is accomplished. The South Dakota dairy community also has a long history of working together. We look forward to engaging with the SDSU Dairy Science Department and university leadership on a path forward which not only maintains the strength of the department but expands opportunities for students and the department going forward.”

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South Dakota Dairy Expected to Supply 1.66 Million Gallons of RNG with New Production Facility

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:35:28 GMT

With the dairy industry working towards the common goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, more and more producers are looking for ways to increase the sustainability efforts on their farms. One method some operations are capitalizing on is the ability to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) by the means of a methane digester.

Drumgoon Dairy, a 6,500-cow operation in Lake Norden, S.D., has done just that after recently completing a new RNG production facility in partnership with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. Finishing the project in December of last year, the facility has since begun injecting ultra-low carbon RNG into the interstate natural gas pipeline system. According to a company press release, Drumgoon Dairy is expected to supply 1.66 million gallons of negative carbon-intensity RNG annually to the transportation market when at full capacity.

“Completion of the RNG project at Drumgoon Dairy, along with several others that are right behind it, is already making a contribution to controlling harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” says Clay Corbus, senior vice president of renewables at Clean Energy. “Being a multi-generational operation, Drumgoon’s owners are always thinking about the future, whether it’s bringing in the latest technology to better track and monitor their cows or transforming their herd to antibiotic-free. Adding a RNG digester that captures the methane produced by Drumgoon’s cows and turning it into a clean fuel is the ultimate recycling project.”

How It’s Made

While dairy cows are known for their ability to make milk, they’re also scrutinized for their ability to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture accounts for nearly 10% of U.S. GHG emissions. However, the dairy industry plays a big role in being part of a global climate solution.

“Renewable natural gas is chemically the same as the natural gas you might get in your stove, but what makes it renewable is that it is sourced from landfills or dairy farms ,” says Will Flanagan, vice president of strategic development at Clean Energy. “What we’re doing is gathering manure and putting it in a digester, which captures the raw methane, or biogas, that would otherwise be going into the atmosphere. Then we pipe that raw biogas to an on-site gas processing plant where we clean it up by taking out the unwanted constituents.”

Once the methane has been converted into RNG, it is injected into a local natural gas pipeline and distributed to one of Clean Energy’s 540 fueling stations.

A Dynamic Partnership

The Drumgoon Dairy $38 million RNG digester project was financed through Clean Energy’s joint venture with bp, developed with Dynamic Renewables, and is one of several RNG projects the three companies have partnered to build at dairies throughout the Midwest. Clean Energy is purchasing RNG from approximately 100 dairies across the U.S. and all the RNG produced at Drumgoon will be available at Clean Energy’s fueling infrastructure.

Clean Energy’s sales of RNG into the transportation market for the first nine months of 2023 grew 17% over the same period of 2022, and with customers such as UPS, Republic Services, LA Metro, Knight Swift, Amazon and others, the demand of the ultra-clean fuel is expected to expand.

For more on sustainability, read:

Lack of Labor Remains a Serious Challenge for Farmers

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 17:47:19 GMT

A new survey from the Minneapolis Fed found ag bankers rank labor availability as a top concern for their farm clients.

The survey, which was conducted with ag bankers from the ninth district (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin), found the issue is viewed as a “serious challenge” for 63% of respondents and a minor challenge for the majority of the remaining 37%.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult to obtain the labor needed to operate,” a Minnesota-based banker told the Minneapolis Fed.

The availability of livestock workers was seen as more limited than crop workers and those surveyed also shared that finding long-term help is more difficult than temporary help due to the seasonal nature of the ag industry.

As far as how this compares to past conditions, 39% of respondents said labor availability has gotten “much worse” over the past five years and 44% said it’s “a little worse”.

The Minneapolis Fed attributes this challenge to the region’s low influx of migrant workers and aging workforce.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 10% of animal production employees in the area are foreign born, compared to 18% nationally. The number is even lower for crop production with just 5% of workers being foreign born, compared to 32% nationally.

The region also has some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.

At the same time, the median age of workers in the region rose from 51 to 56 in 2021. The number of workers between 45 to 54 has declined over the past decade with a small increase of those between the ages of 25 to 44 and a large increase of those over 55.

For more on labor, read:

South Dakota Dairy Operators Want Immigration Reform

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:30:01 GMT

At the Turner County Dairy west of Sioux Falls, S.D., finding employees to milk 1,600 cows three times a day isn’t a problem. But dairy owners and industry advocates say if something doesn’t change with the country’s immigration policy and visa programs, America’s food production system will be in trouble.

Steve Bossman is manager of the Turner County Dairy. He oversees 34 employees. Most of the workers at the Turner County Dairy make $10 or $11 per hour, according to owners. They get health insurance after the standard 90 days, and in some cases, they receive assistance with housing.

Bossman said six or seven of his workers speak fluent English. To help translate for those who aren’t fluent, Bossman relies on a smartphone app. He can say what he needs to communicate, translate through the app and have his employees read the message.

“They do an absolutely marvelous job,” said Walt Bones, part owner of the Turner County Dairy and former South Dakota secretary of agriculture. He declined to identify the workers by name but allowed them to be photographed.

The workers have ingrained themselves into the community, going to local churches and schools and shopping locally. However, Bones said, some are afraid to go to Sioux Falls for fear of being harassed.

He had strong words about the country’s visa program for foreign workers: “Our federal system is absolutely screwed up and broken.”

Like any employer, the Turner County Dairy collects three documents when a new employee is hired. The employee provides a driver’s license, a Social Security card and an I-9 tax form, which they sign to attest that they are working in the U.S. legally. Bones said the employer must have these documents on file, but it’s not up to them to verify that their workers are telling the truth and working in America legally.

Earlier last month, a committee in Congress moved forward an act that would change that. All employers would have to use the eVerify system to check a worker’s status against Social Security and Homeland Security records. Many farm groups have spoken against it because it makes the employer liable. Some say that there are flaws in the verification system and that employers shouldn’t be responsible for misinformation.

Bones said the agricultural sector needs a program that would document who these people are, where they are and that they have a job. He said the current system is cumbersome.

Now, every five years, foreign workers are required to take a trip to their home country to renew their paperwork. In early March, Bones said, he had one employee who had gone home and another who was leaving any day. It’s an expensive process, he said, and it means a worker is gone for as long as five months.

He said the dairy couldn’t operate without immigrant workers. Milking is a difficult job with repetitive motions and eight-hour shifts, six days a week. Many people don’t want to do it, regardless of the price, Bones said.

By some estimates, anywhere from 50 percent to 70 percent of agricultural workers are not authorized to work in the U.S. Getting access to a legal, stable workforce is a priority issue for the American Farm Bureau.

“We’re at the point where we’re either importing our labor or we’re importing our food,” Kristi Boswell, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau, told the Tri-State Neighbor Reporter .

It’s not just dairy that relies on immigrant workers. Livestock feedlots and sheep operations as well as cow-calf producers use immigrant labor. And it long has been a prevalent way of doing business for specialty crop operations for which food such as apples, blueberries and asparagus need to be harvested by hand.

“It really does strike everywhere,” Boswell said, adding that even grain growers such as her dad in Nebraska hire immigrant workers.

And they’re needed to grow and harvest America’s food, she says. She said she has heard of Farm Bureau members shredding fields of squash they couldn’t harvest in time, and of them making a business decision to plant a crop that could be harvested by machines instead of something like tomatoes, all because farmers weren’t sure that they could get the necessary help at harvest time.

“That affects that market. It affects all of us as a consumer,” Boswell said.

Lynn Boadwine, owner of the Boadwine Farms dairy operation in Baltic, South Dakota, said a guest worker program for dairies would be a big benefit for his industry.

The visa program for agricultural workers is known as the H-2A program. It’s intended for seasonal work such as harvesting and typically grants an immigrant the ability to work for up to 10 months. Employers have to prove they are unable to find local workers.

“We pay good wages. So often in our industry, we just don’t have people that would work nights,” Boadwine said. “It takes a unique person.”

U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., said her brothers used the H-2A program to bring in workers during planting and harvest season.

“It works OK for that kind of operation, but it certainly doesn’t work for dairy producers who need help year around,” she said on the phone from her home state while Congress had a week off from session.

Legislation introduced during the last session of Congress sought to change that by granting workers a three-year stay. The Agricultural Guestworker Act, as it is known, has not been reintroduced in the current session.

“It really is a solution that should have a lot of support,” Noem said. She said that she has spoken to House Speaker John Boehner on the issue and that he is in favor of making changes this session, but it doesn’t have the same support in the Senate.

South Dakota’s Republican U.S. senators echoed that sentiment. In an emailed statement, Sen. John Thune decried his Democratic colleagues as insisting on granting amnesty to illegal immigrants. He said it’s stopping them from making any improvements to the immigration system.

Freshman Sen. Mike Rounds agreed: “If it reeks at all about amnesty, it’s dead on arrival,” he said on the phone from Washington.

Rounds said senators are a long way from a compromise, particularly after President Obama’s executive orders to protect some immigrants from deportation. “He poisoned the well on immigration reform,” Rounds said.

Workers here without documentation should be sent out, Rounds said, but he said he wants to help employers who are trying hard to follow the law. Lately, farmers - particularly those using the H-2A program - have been a target of the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

All members of the South Dakota congressional delegation agreed that the country needs a more streamlined system for workers to come here legally.

For Bones, his Hispanic workers remind him of his great-grandfather, who homesteaded a mile and a half south of the milking parlor.

“They were looking for an opportunity to work and a better life for their family,” he said.

Puerto Ricans Could Ease South Dakota Dairy Labor Shortage

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:29:07 GMT

Unable to find enough workers to carry out the painstaking tasks of milk production, dairy producers in South Dakota hope to tap into a different labor force: unemployed residents of Puerto Rico.

It could be a tonic both for dairy operators and Puerto Rico, where the jobless rate stands at 12 percent but workers are far freer to travel to the U.S. for jobs than immigrants due to the island’s status as a U.S. territory.

South Dakota dairy farms produced 209 million pounds of milk in 2016, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. That’s far less than the more commonly known milk-producing states of California and Wisconsin, but the state’s pilot project to find another labor source is gaining attention.

“If this is successful, this would be a significant success for the U.S. dairy industry, certainly South Dakota’s industry,” said Jaime Castaneda, senior vice president of the National Milk Producers Federation. “So, we are watching it. We are looking at what happens.”

Certain agricultural industries are allowed to hire foreign-born workers seasonally under a visa category, but dairy farms do not qualify because they operate year-round. A study commissioned by the National Milk Producers Federation released in June 2015 concluded immigrant labor accounts for 51 percent of all dairy labor in the U.S.

The proposal from a team of agriculture experts to recruit a labor force from the Caribbean island to work on South Dakota’s dairies would eliminate the need for a visa because Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. Experts from the South Dakota State University Extension hope to bring about 20 workers by September.

They hosted recruiting sessions in November and December in three Puerto Rican communities that are home to dairies and addressed topics such as the farm routine, weather and cost of living. Of the 28 people who attended the sessions, half had an agricultural background. Others were electricians, nurses and construction workers. More sessions are planned for May.

The team is focused on developing a program that would help the workers adjust to life in the Great Plains. Karla Hernandez, an SDSU Extension forage field specialist, said producers in South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin who have hired Puerto Ricans have seen them last only short periods on the job after realizing the demands, pay and the stark differences between the two places.

“Say you have a person from Mexico who gets here, that person will stick around because he has a need to provide for himself and for his family back in Mexico. Now if you get a Puerto Rican and he doesn’t like the job, he can go home very easily because he doesn’t need to wait for any visa or passport,” Hernandez said.

It’s no secret that immigrant labor is crucial at many agricultural enterprises in the U.S. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that about 80 percent of the agricultural labor force is foreign born and over half is unauthorized to work in the U.S.

Castaneda said his organization is not speculating about what the incoming Trump administration might do in terms of immigration. But he said the group will continue to pressure Congress and the administration to approve changes that would allow immigrant dairy workers to stay in the U.S. for at least three years with the option of reapplying after a stay in their home countries.

For those who doubt the need of foreign-born workers on dairy farms, Walt Bones, part owner of the Turner County Dairy and former South Dakota secretary of agriculture, has a succinct answer: U.S.-born workers don’t want to work that hard.

“They’re not hungry enough to improve themselves that they don’t want to work that hard. I think it’s that simple,” said Bones, whose dairy farm has 1,600 cows that are milked three times a day. “It’s not easy work. It’s repetitive, but at the same time, it’s not bad work.”

Gerson Cardona, a Guatemala native, began working on a dairy farm in South Dakota 15 years ago at the age of 15 by milking and washing cows. These days, he cares for days-old calves.

“If one enjoys the job, one can persevere,” Cardona said in Spanish during a break. “If one enjoys working with the animals, then that’s what motivates one to learn more and stay in one place. This (job) is a good source to be able to do something with one’s life.”

Ten Injured in S.D. Dairy Barn Construction

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:06:22 GMT

At least 20 emergency vehicles were on site at a newly constructed dairy farm Monday afternoon after a dairy building collapsed north of Watertown, S.D.

Ten workers were injured when large, heavy rafters on the east end of a dairy barn they were constructing collapsed on them. With reports of people inside the building during the accident, emergency vehicles rushed to the site to rescue those trapped.

Of the ten, one sustained critical injuries. Five of the injured were taken to Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown - three to Milbank and two to Webster.

According to signage on the property, the site is the future home for Blooming Valley Dairy in Summit.

Grant County Deputy Sheriff, Wesley Bowsher, says the investigation will be turned over to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to determine what caused the collapse. The federal agency will also determine whether any fines will be handed down to the construction company building the barn.

Could South Dakota be the New Dairy State?

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 12:33:15 GMT

When you think of leading dairy production states, Wisconsin may be the first one that comes to mind. However, in 2021 USDA reported the state with the largest milk production growth by percentage in the nation was South Dakota. AgDay’s Michelle Rook takes us there to see what their secret is.

On the Farm in SD, Robotics Mean More Leisure, Fewer Workers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:56:11 GMT

Robotic milking has helped free up time for other duties around and off the farm for a South Dakota dairyman.
By: Steve Young, Argus Leader

In the old days, Stuart Plucker never had a whole lot of time in the evenings to spend with his young children.

A dairy farmer doesn’t get that luxury. He’s a slave to the milking — four hours in the morning, another three to four hours at night, every single day.

And so it was for Plucker until he purchased his robotic milking system five years ago this October. Or in the language of the automation revolution, back in the old days.

“It’s made my life simpler,” the 34-year-old farmer said from his farm home five miles west of Tea. “It’s freed up my nights, that’s for sure. I have a young family, and I get to see them now.”

In a world where robotics and artificial intelligence are predicted to dramatically impact workforce needs in the future, agriculture has already been down that road.

At the dawn of the 1800s, almost 90 percent of Americans worked the land in one way or another. Today the country’s farm population is between 1 and 2 percent. That trend remains clear in South Dakota. Since 1980, the state’s rural population has grown by 2,500 residents, according to Census figures, while the urban population is up 160,000 in that same period.

Former state Agriculture Secretary Walt Bones says his father once employed 45 people full and part time on their operation northeast of Parker. “Now we’re farming more acres and have more cattle, and we’re doing it with eight people,” Bones told the Argus Leader . “It’s bigger tractors. It’s auto-steering and GPS mapping. We have all these sensors now on the combines and tractors.”

It was industrialization that moved farming from the horse and plow to gasoline-powered tractors and combines, enabling sodbusters to turn more soil with less effort. Eventually it enabled operations to get bigger. As they did, small farms disappeared, and the number of people working the land declined.

The technology revolution that has made Plucker’s life simpler means less labor to help milk his cows as well. In the larger scheme, it means production agriculture has been able to move out of chemistry into biology — relying less on herbicides and pesticides to protect plants because genetic engineering has built that resistance right into the makeup of the seeds.

Producing, of course, less work for the crop sprayers.

Fewer jobs in the countryside sent farm laborers into South Dakota manufacturing plants. At the same time, farm families were having fewer children. That’s less hands to help with the farm chores. And if they don’t stay on the land once they reach adulthood, that ultimately translates into a smaller workforce for the manufacturing sector, too.

“There has been a constant migration to the city,” Bones said. “People can earn more while working less hours. And here’s how it plays out for farmers. As long as all the kids are home and helping milk cows, you’re in great shape. Once they go off to college or get other jobs, then you sell your cows.”

That said, Lucas Lentsch, South Dakota’s current agriculture secretary, reminds us that seed still needs to be put in the ground. Crops still need to be harvested. Someone still has to unplug machinery when it gets clogged.

That requires some farm labor, Lentsch said. But beyond that, he believes much of that labor lost on the farms has simply shifted to value-added agriculture industries in town or in urban centers. Again, maybe they’re helping to manufacture or fabricate farm buildings, he said. Perhaps they have gone off to college to develop computer science and agronomy backgrounds.

“I think agriculture labor has many different forms,” he said. “Intellectual labor continues to evolve with, say, marketing techniques. You need intellectual labor to test equipment. And as you see what has evolved in genetics, as you see what has evolved in best practices and equipment availability, there’s been a realignment of positions. It’s turned direct labor on the farm into manager roles.”

That said, there will always be a need for manual labor in agriculture, he said, whether it’s building fence or opening gates or keeping track of how the animals are faring under the influence of technology.

Perhaps that’s true, said Martin Ford, a Silicon Valley software developer whose book, “Rise Of The Robots,” is a treatise on technology and how its evolution threatens to create what he calls “a jobless future.” He still believes the ongoing evolution of automation and artificial intelligence will impact South Dakota agriculture even more than it has.

“I’m sure you have cattle or hogs that require manpower in your slaughter houses,” Ford said. “But you’ll see robots slaughtering animals in the future. That will certainly happen. And again, that will definitely impact agriculture jobs there.”

Whether that impact continues to be a net declining of farm-related jobs, or simply a shifting of labor needs, remains to be seen.

All Stuart Plucker knows is that his robotic milking system means he now has more time to work in the field of cattle breeding. It also means he has more time for his family.

“I’ve got a lot more freedom,” he said. At least more than he did in the old days.

Five years ago.

Dairy Expansion in South Dakota

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:55:47 GMT

A look at the rise of the dairy industry in South Dakota.
By: Alvaro Garcia, SDSU Extension Agriculture & Natural Resources Program Director

Dairy development in South Dakota was discussed during a recent meeting. The advantages offered by the state were highlighted. Among them were cited a climate suitable for dairy cows, ample supply of feedstuffs, and a strong milk-processing industry.

Small dairy farms in the state, are still a highly significant number at 181 out of the total 244 farms. For these smaller units it is less costly and faster to increase or diversify their agricultural production than to expand or build a new dairy barn and raise or purchase the animals needed. This approach makes economic sense for smaller dairies. A further dairy expansion in a relatively short period of time will have to come then from: a. existent large (1,000 milking cows plus) dairies, b. relocation of farms from other states, or c. foreign investors coming into the state.

A few years ago producers from overseas capitalized on the favorable difference between the Euro over the Dollar, turning their foreign assets into more acres and cows in South Dakota. A shift in this relationship and the elimination of the milk quota in the EU has now eliminated these advantages. Extremely dry conditions in the western states has made water a highly prized commodity in that region fueling the interest to relocate of dairies in those states.

At the current local input-output prices the real threat to dairy expansion in South Dakota is not feed or milk prices. There are 63 large dairies in the state producing 65% of the milk or 1.4 million pounds yearly. If cows on these dairies produce on average 26,000 pounds (85 pounds per day) that’s 54,000 cows. In these large dairies, one employee can usually handle 100 cows. However, since hired labor is also assigned to other tasks it can be estimated that each dairy has one employee per 80 cows. The total employees hired in the state by the large dairies are thus close to 700. An expansion of 100,000 cows in the state would require roughly 1,400 additional employees.

With this labor situation it would be tempting to think about milking robots as an alternative. If the 60-cow robots in the market today were to be used, a 1000-cow dairy would need 17 robots which, at $210,000 each makes for a $3.6 million dollars investment. Investing that kind of money into a new milking system seems akin to what happened in the past when dairy farmers invested in a new “state of the art” milking parlor difficult to pay for with production. With the extreme input-output variability that the dairy industry has been facing since the 1980’s incorporating nowadays any kind of expensive equipment is a high-risk endeavor. Any expansion effort should first target maximizing production with the current herd size and facilities. The expansion thought process needs to follow a sequence of events with economic logic that can be summarized in one statement “getting better before getting larger”.

More milk from existing cows (all existing cows producing up to their genetic potential).
More milk from more cows (every stall occupied with high producing, profitable cows)
- In current facilities (all stalls occupied with cows of superior production).
- In new facility with the same milking system.
- In new facility with new milking system.

Improving milk volume per cow should be the first step in any expansion process, before even considering the possibility of adding more stalls. If the current cows cannot be milked to their genetic potential, why would adding cows improve the situation? Considering adding more cows should only occur after the herd’s genetic potential has limited production. The same reasoning applies to adding a new milking parlor; unless the current milking system is outdated, one should only consider a new milking parlor when the current parlor’s use (in hours per day) has been maximized. Adding a new parlor once the current parlor’s use has been maximized allows the costs of the parlor to be distributed over a larger number of animals; thus the costs decrease on a per-head basis.

Winter Preparedness on Dairy Farms

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:43:00 GMT

Source: South Dakota State University Extension

Portions of South Dakota have unfortunately already experienced the first blizzard of the season. Following Winter Storm Atlas, SDSU Extension Dairy Field Specialist, Tracey Renelt urges dairy producers to prepare sooner than later for winter.

Renelt provides dairy producers with a winter check list to help them prepare for winter.

In and around the barn:
* Take the time to pick up the yard of any items that may become buried under a snow bank or may become entangled in a snow blower.
* Put up appropriate snow fence or snow breaks in yards for protection and minimizing of drifts in areas where they are not wanted.
* Consider bringing in any necessary fill or mounding areas that become muddy or troublesome spots in the spring.
* Check curtains on barns to make sure they are operating properly.
* Check any minimum ventilation fans, in particular, to make sure they are functioning properly (i.e. belts tight, blades clean)
* Inspect and repair building roofs and rafters, making sure there is no loose tin or cracked rafters present.
* Do preventative trimming of trees around barns, driveways and fences.
* Move calf hutches to areas that are accessible in the winter and provide wind protection for livestock.

Prepare your equipment for winter:
* Test and service your generator(s) and make sure there is adequate fuel on hand to run them.
* Winterize and service farm equipment such as tractors, semi’s, skid loaders, pay loaders, feed mixing wagons, manure pumps, etc. Producers will want to take time to check batteries and fuel filters as these items routinely fail in cold weather.
* Examine snow blowers or other snow removal equipment and make sure it is in proper working order.
* Obtain and store enough fuel (No. 1 Diesel and gasoline) to run equipment for an extended period of time. (A two-week supply is suggested.)
* Check and clean barn heaters to make sure they are operating properly.

Feed and water checklist:
* Clean and check heating elements in all water drinking fountains.
* Repair any water fountains or water lines that may be leaking. Ice buildup is a hazard to livestock.
* Have adequate feed supplies moved in for easy access to the dairy farm. It is recommended to have a two-week supply of purchased feedstuffs.
Keep the animals safe and comfortable:
* Have a two-week supply of veterinary supplies commonly used on the dairy such as antibiotics, intra-mammary mastitis treatments, electrolytes, calcium solutions, antiseptics, bandages, needles, and syringes.
* Make sure there is adequate bedding available for all livestock.
* Examine body condition and hair coat of various groups of livestock.
* Evaluate housing for livestock in open lots, making sure there is adequate wind protection and the ability to get bedding pack built up for them in inclimate weather.

Other miscellaneous items:
* Develop a plan with milk haulers and milk buyers for options if milk is unable to be picked up for an extended period of time.
* Partner with neighbors and develop a plan if it is necessary to do your own snow removal on public access roads.

For more information contact, Renelt at the SDSU Extension Regional Center in Watertown, 605-882-5140 or email at tracey.renelt@sdstate.edu or visit iGrow.org .

Upper Midwest Ripe for a New Dairy Processing Plant

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:49:42 GMT

As milk production has increased in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa, the Upper Midwest has become ripe for a new dairy processing plant.

What remains to be seen is whether North Dakota’s dairy industry, which has been shrinking rather than growing as in neighboring states, will be able to benefit.

“I do believe the whole area will see additional processing capacity,” said Marin Bozic, a dairy economist at the University of Minnesota, speaking of the four-state area of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

Mark Watne of the North Dakota Farmers Union, which led a campaign against industry-requested exemptions to the state anti-corporate farming law for dairy and pork producers, has said low prices are what’s leading to dairy closures.

But, according to researchers, the Upper Midwest has better profit margins on dairy than other parts of the country and lower pricing could be what’s needed to spur processing investment.

South Dakota has seen 10 to 12 percent annual production growth, and growth has continued in Iowa and Minnesota, Bozic told The Bismarck Tribune . Meanwhile, Idaho, California and Texas, where growth has happened previously, are not expected to grow anymore, or at least not at the same pace.

So, with the right framework to stimulate investment, the Upper Midwest stands to benefit from this realignment, which Bozic said will likely happen somewhere along the Interstate 29 corridor.

Potential new processing could be cheese production in particular, Bozic said, as cheese has a longer shelf life than fluid milk and the Upper Midwest is well positioned to reach both the East and West coasts.

“When it comes to cheeses, I think we’re in a real good position,” he said.

A new cheese plant would likely require 3 million to 5 million pounds of milk per day, “which is a substantial amount,” Bozic said, requiring about 100,000 cows to support it.

“We have to beat the economics of building elsewhere,” Bozic said, in order for the region to attract a new plant.

Most importantly, the region will have to instill confidence in potential investors that the plant will be full of milk from day one. Secondly, fluid milk prices have to be competitive.

“We’re very close to the level that premiums are attractive,” which has not been the case for a long time, Bozic said.

A couple years ago, milk prices were indicative of a shrinking number of dairy farms, Bozic said. As farm numbers dropped, production dropped. As production dropped, processors were paying higher prices trying to get their hands on a more limited milk supply.

“The basis was positive, and quite substantial, which is great for producers but not so great if you want to grow processing,” he said.

That is no longer the case, Bozic said: “There’s a new reality on the ground.”

The reason: As production has increased, processing plants are no longer competing; they’re awash in milk. And agriculture as an industry is “a price taker, not a price maker,” Bozic said.

“The price is what it is,” he said. “So you might as well increase quantity if you can’t increase price.”

NDFU disagrees, advocating instead for crop protections.

Bozic said agriculture is like a treadmill, you have to run just to stand still.

“You have to continually reinvest in your dairy to keep it at a cost that will keep it competitive,” said Bozic, indicating producers will have to decide if it is best for them to stay in the milk business or not. A sufficient number of producers, particularly in South Dakota, are finding it profitable to invest in their operations and grow.

Investment cost is extremely high in the dairy industry. It can cost $20 million to $40 million for a 3,000- or 4,000-cow dairy.

Still, “North Dakota is prime for dairy expansion,” said J.W. Schroeder, a dairy specialist at North Dakota State University, especially with the state’s sugar beets and ethanol plants creating feed. “Right now, animal agriculture could be adding value to less than $3 corn.. But like any business, it needs an infusion of money.”

North Dakota dairy producers tried to get more investment through the proposed exemptions to the state’s corporate farming law, Schroeder said. But with the recent referendum vote striking down legislation passed in the last legislative session, the industry is on the hunt for a next step.

The North Dakota Dairy Coalition is partnering with South Dakota on a research project, which is about to start now that funding has been secured from both states, to determine the possibility of a new milk processing plant in the region. The study will cover advantages and disadvantages of the region, where the processor should be located and what type of plant would make the most sense. It also will identify what steps need to be taken to attract such a plant.

“Dairy people have been out looking for an alternative; they didn’t wait to see the results of the (referendum) vote,” Schroeder said. “It’s not that the dairy industry has been sitting on its hands. They have been out pounding the pavement.”

The Great Debate: Who Invented Cookies 'N Cream Ice Cream?

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 00:12:08 GMT

South Dakota State University is the home of the Jackrabbits. The college also claims to be the home of a popular ice cream flavor.

As you step in to South Dakota State University’s dairy bar, you’ll find a choice of cheese and more than sixty savory ice creams, all made by students in the Davis Dairy Plant next door.

“Right now the students are filling three gallons of Barry Berry. It’s a combination of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries,” says Dairy Science Department Davis Dairy Plant Manager, John Haberkorn.

But here one ice cream flavor stands atop the cone. It’s a flavor SDSU claims as its own.

“The most popular flavor here is Cookies ‘N Cream,” says Haberkorn.

This cold story is hotly debated, depending on whom you talk to about it. Different companies like Dryer’s, Edy’s, Blue Bell and even Herrell’s say they invented the vanilla and cookie delight.

SDSU has produced commercial ice cream here since 1910. Legend has it in 1979, Cookies ‘N Cream started with a dairy plant manager and two students.

“His name was Shirley Seas. He wanted to come up with a different ice cream. So, he went and bought some Oreo cookies, had two students crush them up and they put them into ice cream,” says Haberkorn.

They called it Oreo Ice Cream.

“The head of the Department’s daughter was a lawyer. She got wind of it. She mentioned the fact that there could be some copyright infringement. Then, they changed the name to Cookies ‘N Cream,” says Haberkorn.

SDSU never patented or licensed the product- spurring the great debate.

Haberkorn says, “I’m just wishing they would have patented it back then. We could have been rich!”

The facility has continued to churn out a quality education.

“It really helps me learn the whole process of making cheese, ice cream and milk,” says SDSU Dairy Manufacturing Student, Krista Johnson.

Despite new advancements and fresh technology, South Dakota State University students enjoy dipping into the past, proudly defending their claim as the birthplace of Cookies ‘N Cream.

Johnson says, “Say if someone asks me what my major is, I say Dairy Manufacturing. I say I go to SDSU. If you think of Cookies ‘N Cream Ice Cream, it was invested at SDSU!”

Dairy products sold at the SDSU Dairy Sales Bar are processed from milk produced at the SDSU Dairy Research and Training Facility located north of campus.

Haberkorn says there’s a 100 percent job placement tract record for students in the program.