South Dakota

South Dakota Pork Producers Council Names New Executive Director

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:16:17 GMT

Tina Erickson will become the new executive director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council effective July 1. Erickson will step into the assistant executive director position in June prior to assuming her executive director role in July.

“I’m honored to step into this role and continue serving South Dakota’s pork producers,” Erickson said in a release. “I’m passionate about building upon the strong foundation of this organization, built in large part by retiring Executive Director Glenn Muller. I have learned so much from Glenn, and I sincerely appreciate his leadership and the impact his legacy has had on our producers, our organization, and the industry.”

With a strong background in producer engagement, industry outreach and relationship-building, Erickson most recently served as director of membership, outreach, and engagement for the organization throughout the past four years.

In her new role, she will lead efforts to advocate for South Dakota pork producers, strengthen industry partnerships, support continued industry growth, and advance the long-term success and sustainability of the state’s pork industry.

“The SDPPC Executive Board of Directors is excited to welcome Tina Erickson as Executive Director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council,” Jason Foster, South Dakota Pork Producers Council Board of Directors President, said in a release. “She brings valuable experience, strong leadership, and a real commitment to agriculture. At the end of the day, this job is about serving producers—and Tina gets that. She has the mindset and work ethic to lead SDPPC, and we’re excited to have her in this role and ready to go to work for South Dakota pork producers.”

The South Dakota Pork Producers Council represents pork producers across the state by providing leadership, advocacy and support to enhance producer success and promote a thriving, responsible pork industry in South Dakota.

“I’m focused on working alongside our exceptional producers, dedicated staff and valued industry partners to ensure a strong future for pork production in South Dakota,” Erickson says.

Glenn Muller , executive director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council (SDPPC), will retire on June 30.

“Mr. Muller has been an incredible asset and friend to those in the pork industry, as well as agriculture,” SDPPC said in an earlier release. “We wish Glenn all the best as he transitions into his well-earned retirement. We, as well as the rest of the agricultural industry, extend our heartfelt thanks for all his years of service.”

Governor Larry Rhoden Signs Bill Approving Expansion of SDSU Swine Research Facility

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:02:38 GMT

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signed House Bill 1118, approving the design and construction for an expansion to the South Dakota State University’s Swine Education and Research Facility, into law on Feb. 24. The expansion will move forward with a groundbreaking this summer.

“This addition to the SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility expands our research capacity, improves the efficiency of our operations and increases learning opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students,” Joe Cassady, SD Corn Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, said in a release. “The existing facility has dramatically expanded our research, outreach and educational outputs, and we look forward to those areas continuing to grow.”

The current facilities, built in 2016, include a sow teaching and intensive research building with multiple birthing setups, a wean-to-finish research barn and an off-site wean-to-finish production barn. This addition will expand the university’s finishing capacity, allowing it to raise all of the pigs born in the facility through to market.

South Dakota State University says this means additional opportunities for students and researchers alike.

“The expansion of the SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility is a significant step forward for both students and the pork industry across the region,” Glenn Muller, executive director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council, said in a release. “This investment will give students more hands-on experience, which helps prepare them as the next generation of producers, veterinarians and industry professionals. From the industry perspective, expanded research capacity means more practical real-world solutions for pork producers. The South Dakota Pork Producers Council board of directors is proud to support efforts that strengthen education and advancements in our industry, and the signing of House Bill 1118 is doing just that.”

The project received support from several South Dakota commodity groups including the South Dakota Pork Producers Council, the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council and South Dakota Soybean. The money raised by these groups is expected to cover the entire cost of the expansion, highlighting how critical pork is to the broader South Dakota agriculture economy and the impact this bill will have on the industry, the release said.

“South Dakota’s pork producers are valued partners of our state’s corn farmers, and strengthening that partnership starts with continued investment in research and innovation,” South Dakota Corn Utilization Council President Jay Esser said in a release. “The proposed expansion to the South Dakota State University Swine Education and Research Facility — approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Larry Rhoden today — represents an important step forward for our state’s agricultural future. The South Dakota Corn Utilization Council is proud to support efforts that enhance research capabilities and create lasting benefits for agricultural producers across South Dakota.”

Learn more here.

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

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:50:51 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%.

SDSU's Meat Counter Adds Updated Smoker

Thu, 01 May 2025 14:20:12 GMT

The Meat Counter at South Dakota State University has acquired an updated piece of equipment that provides students with real-world learning opportunities while offering local consumers a variety of popular meat products.

The smoker is a 2014 Enviro-Pak Mini CVU-200. With a 200-pound capacity, it is used to smoke ham, bacon, smoked sausage, snack sticks, summer sausage, dried beef, pulled pork and shredded beef.

“The smokehouse we replaced was bought in the mid-1980s, and it replaced one that was already here,” says Adam Rhody, agricultural research manager/specialist and manager of the Meat Counter. “It was necessary to replace the smokehouse to keep up with current technology, and we were running into issues with repairing the older machine.”

The smoker provides an opportunity for students’ experiential learning.

“The smokehouse is very important to the Meat Counter because it provides more learning opportunities for the students and expands the number of products we are able to produce in class as well as provide for the public,” Rhody says.

During the school year, the Meat Counter employs between eight to 12 student workers, who directly contribute to producing the product used in the smokehouse. Products like smoked sausages and hot dogs are smoked and cooked within three to four hours, while products like pulled pork or shredded beef can take more than 20 hours in the smokehouse.

The Meat Counter is a public retail outlet that operates as an outreach of SDSU’s Department of Animal Science meat science degree program. In addition to the smoked products, the Meat Counter offers a wide variety of roasts, chops, ground meat and specialty cuts. It is open Thursdays and Fridays from 1-5 p.m. and is located at the corner of North Campus Drive and Medary Avenue in the Animal Science Complex.

In addition to providing for the consumer, the new piece of equipment directly benefits students. John Jaeger, Calvin and Mary Hayenga Endowed Department Head of Animal Science, noted the educational impact of the new smoker.

“The meat smoker is important to both the educational and research activities of the meat science program at South Dakota State University,” Jaeger says. “By using a meat smoker, students gain experience in the art and science of meat smoking, which is essential for understanding meat preservation, flavor development, texture enhancement and the production of value-added products.”

“This practical knowledge is invaluable for students who are pursuing careers in the meat industry,” Jaeger adds.

The Meat Counter, formerly the Meat Lab, is celebrating 100 years in 2025, and the public is invited to view the display “A Cut Above the Rest: A Meat Lab Centennial” at the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum East Gallery. The display is open through April 2026.

Your next read: Grocery Store Dynamics: Make Your Product Seen in the Meat Case

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.

Rommereim Named SDSU 2024 Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family and Community

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 18:33:23 GMT

By Lura Roti

Leadership in agriculture begins at slat level, explained fifth-generation hog producer Steven Rommereim .

“Because I’m a hog producer, I refer to it as ‘slat-level leadership.’ Our pigs are raised on slats that the manure drops through. If you have not been at slat level, you don’t understand what those of us who have been there are going through,” explained the former president of the National Pork Board. “It’s important that the individuals leading agriculture organizations have skin in the game. As producers, we take risks every day because so much depends on elements outside our control — the weather or the markets. Unless you are a farmer, it is difficult to grasp what farmers are going through.”

Understanding the need for farmer leaders, in addition to serving as president of the National Pork Board, Rommereim served as president of the United States Animal Health Association board, the South Dakota Pork Producers Council and Agriculture United for South Dakota. And for more than a decade, he has served as a governor-appointed member of the South Dakota Animal Industry Board.

Over the years he’s invested a lot of time and thought into how he serves the members and organizations who elect him.

“To be a good leader, you need to be a servant, someone people can trust and someone who makes time to listen and understand what the issues are that are challenging your members so you can work with the leadership team to come up with solutions,” Rommereim said. “I also make a point to ask all board members’ opinions before sharing mine.”

But as a kid growing up on a traditional, diversified South Dakota farm in the 1960s, Rommereim didn’t think too much about leadership — slat level or otherwise.

What was on his mind? Farming and livestock.

“I was a typical farm boy of the 1960s. I was in 4-H and FFA. I didn’t do a lot of sports because they were always during harvest, calving or planting,” Rommereim said. “On my family’s farm, I grew a love for the land and a love for taking care of livestock.”

His childhood interests and high school sweetheart, Charlotte Leafstedt, led him to South Dakota State University. However, as a college freshman, he applied himself more to networking than studies. At the end of his first year, he saw his grade-point average, and 18-year-old Rommereim decided it may be a good idea to take a year off.

“I worked for various farms and really enjoyed it, but then Charlotte’s dad said that if I wanted to get serious with his daughter, I needed to return to college,” Rommereim said. “It’s amazing what spending time in the library studying with your girlfriend can do for a GPA.”

This was not the last time that James Leafstedt would say something that had a positive impact on Rommereim’s future. A few years after he graduated with a degree in animal science, Leafstedt asked Rommereim if he would return to South Dakota to farm with him on his Alcester farm.

“Charlotte and I were married, and I was working in Texas for a Cargill packing plant because my family’s farm was not large enough to support another family,” Rommereim said. “James provided an opportunity of a lifetime to me. Not only an opportunity, but he shared a wealth of knowledge, especially in the hog industry.”

A progressive pork producer, Charlotte’s dad was known throughout the pork industry for raising premier swine genetics. He was called upon to judge large 4-H and FFA swine shows, and because of an unfortunate 1970s pseudorabies outbreak on his farm, he also became known for helping to eradicate the disease in the U.S.

“James led the charge from a producer standpoint,” Rommereim explained.

Working to eradicate pseudorabies, James Leafstedt invested time serving on several national boards. He collaborated with state veterinarians across the nation as well as U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and helped secure the funds and implement protocols necessary to combat pseudorabies.

“I learned a lot from James,” Rommereim said. “To me, he is one of the best examples of a producer making a huge difference because of advocacy.”

Rommereim began working for his father-in-law in 1985. In 1995, he took over daily management and was made a partner in the family operation.

A lot of changes occurred in the pork industry during that decade. “It was getting difficult to hire enough employees to keep up. We needed quite a few employees because we were a farrow-to-finish operation, and we housed our pigs in these little sheds. In the winter it was especially tough. We needed to carry bedding to keep them warm,” Rommereim explained. “And with artificial insemination, sales of our breeding stock were getting harder.”

In 2005, Rommereim made the decision to build modern confinement facilities, quit farrowing and focus on finishing. The changes made the workload manageable, increased farm profits and came with an additional benefit — easy access to manure for the family’s farm acres.

“Manure is a value-added by-product. It’s a lot cheaper than commercial fertilizer, and it gives the soil all the macro-nutrients,” Rommereim said.

Improving the farm’s soil health has long been a focus on the farm. “It’s quite hilly here, so we have been farming no-till for a long time. Keeping the soil on the hill prevents soil erosion and nutrient runoff. Erosion is a serious concern.”

Rommereim became actively involved in South Dakota Pork Producers in the early 1990s after he and Charlotte were asked to serve alongside other young producers on a National Pork Producers Demand Enhancement Committee.

Through involvement in state and national pork industry organizations, Rommereim said the couple made lifelong friends, and he quickly recognized that the challenges and opportunities their family farm experienced were not unique.

Working to equip the next generation of pork producers with the resources and education necessary to move the industry forward, Rommereim was part of the team instrumental to building and funding the SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility.

When it comes to the next generation of pork producers, Rommereim also considers the legacy of his family’s farm. Like their mom, daughters Lara and Leah both married farmers. In 2020, Leah called to ask if Rommereim was ready to welcome the next generation to join the farm.

Although Rommereim was not ready to retire, he also did not want to pass up the opportunity, so in addition to raising hogs and farming, he began working off the farm as a truck driver.

“When you think about it, this is the opportunity for generation six and seven to continue this farm’s legacy,” Rommereim said. “This is the same dirt that Charlotte’s great-great-grandfather got from the U.S. government in 1874. It’s the same land that we built our life on. It is rewarding to know our history will continue here for hopefully another 100 years.”

Celebrate Rommereim during Eminent Leaders banquet
Rommereim will be honored for his contributions to South Dakota during the 2024 Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community recognition banquet held at the McCrory Gardens Education and Visitor Center on the SDSU campus Sept. 20. Rommereim is continuing a Leafstedt farm tradition. In 1985, his wife’s Grandpa Wendell received the honor.

Rommereim will be honored alongside Floyd Hansmeier, Bristol; Brad Greenway, Mitchell, and Pam Geppert, Kimball. During the banquet, portraits of the award recipients will be unveiled. These portraits will be displayed in a virtual gallery at https://www.sdstate.edu/eminent-leaders .

Honorees are selected by the SDSU colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and Education and Human Sciences.

Your Next Read: Speechless: The Call That Saved One Hog Producer’s Farm

Brad Greenway Named SDSU 2024 Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family and Community

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:58:35 GMT

By Lura Roti

Advice Brad Greenway received from his college adviser 40 years ago guides him to this day.

“He told me, ‘Don’t ever start something you are figuring on failing at,’” recalled the third-generation Mitchell farmer.

It was the Farm Crisis of the 1980s, and Greenway wanted to farm full time but thought he should get a welding degree just in case farming didn’t work out.

After the conversation with Myron Sonne, he decided to major in agriculture and joined the Mitchell Technical College Livestock Judging Team.

“Myron’s was just the upbeat message I needed — if you put your mind to something, you can succeed,” Greenway said.

With the success of his family’s farm as his focus, Greenway worked to build a sustainable, diversified crop and livestock operation.

Together with Peggy, his wife, and partners Brent Greenway, their son, and Thomas Smith, today Greenway Farms raises row crops and a cow/calf herd, is a partner in a sow farm and owns a wean-to-finish hog operation, raising 14,000 pigs each year.

Greenway Farms team members are proud to sell about half of their pigs to Wholestone Farms, a packing plant they co-own with 230 other pig farmers.

“Our farm truly is a full-circle, sustainable operation. The manure from our pigs is applied to the corn fields. The corn is harvested and fed to our pigs,” Greenway said. “Our cattle graze land that should not be farmed.”

Wind turbines are yet another sustainable aspect on their farm, generating energy for the confinement barns.

Sustainability motivated Greenway’s 2006 decision to transition from raising pigs outdoors and in hoop barns to modern confinement barns.

“We were not producing enough pigs to earn a living,” Greenway said.

After decades of raising pigs outdoors, investing in a large confinement barn was a big decision. Greenway credits the support and encouragement he received from progressive producers he met through involvement in South Dakota Pork Producers.

“It really was the support from other pork producers that gave us the confidence we needed,” Greenway said.

In the first year of operation, Greenway could see the move to confinement was the right choice. “Our pigs’ comfort used to keep Peggy and me up at night. If there was a blizzard or an extreme heat event or rain event, we could only do so much to keep the pigs comfortable,” he explained. “Today, I don’t have to worry because we can keep our pigs’ environment constant and comfortable.”

And because his parents, Tom and Janice, were still raising pigs outdoors, Greenway was able to see the cost savings. “Feeding pigs in the hoop barns was more than double the feed cost than what it was in our new modern confinement barn. The only difference was the more comfortable indoor environment.”

When the Greenways put up their first confinement barn, they used it as a way to share their story of animal comfort, environmental stewardship and sustainability of South Dakota’s No. 1 industry with the more than 400 community members who came out to their farm for the open house.

Advocacy is yet another way Greenway works toward a sustainable future. “Farmers have done a tremendous job improving how we take care of the environment and our animals, but we have done a really poor job of telling consumers how we do it,” Greenway said.

He first became involved in Pork Producers after receiving a $200 college scholarship from Davison County Pork Producers. Local involvement led Greenway in 2000 to serve on the South Dakota Pork Producers Council. He was elected state president in 2005 and 2006.

In 2003, Greenway became involved in the National Pork Board, serving as an Operation Mainstreet presenter, sharing his farm’s story with more than 150 civic organizations, dietitian groups, meat packers, retailers and others throughout South Dakota and across the nation.

“Even in Mitchell, S.D., consumers have questions about how we raise their food,” Greenway said.

Although Greenway received advocacy and media training from National Pork Board, he said he is comfortable speaking in front of people because of public speaking experience he gained as a 4-H member and collegiate livestock judge.

Recognized for his service to South Dakota agriculture, in 2014 Greenway was named the Governor’s Ag Ambassador. In 2016 and 2017 he was elected vice president of the National Pork Board. He served as chairperson for U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance in 2016-2018. And in 2016, the National Pork Board named Greenway America’s Pig Farmer of the Year.

“My passion has always been raising pigs, farming and talking to people about what we do,” Greenway said.

Celebrate Greenway during Eminent Leaders banquet
Greenway will be honored for his contributions to South Dakota during the 2024 Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community recognition banquet held at the McCrory Gardens Education and Visitor Center on the SDSU campus Sept. 20.

Greenway will be honored alongside Floyd Hansmeier, Bristol; Steven Rommereim, Alcester; and Pam Geppert, Kimball. During the banquet, portraits of the award recipients will be unveiled. These portraits will be displayed in a virtual gallery at https://www.sdstate.edu/eminent-leaders .

Honorees are selected by the SDSU colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and Education and Human Sciences.

Your Next Read: USFRA’s Brad Greenway Helps Farmers Find Their Voice

$1.2 Million Gift to Expand SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 14:04:14 GMT

The South Dakota Corn Utilization Council announced a $1.2-million commitment to expand the Swine Education and Research Facility at South Dakota State University. The grant will fund the addition of two new wean-to-finish nutrition rooms to the existing complex and double the facility’s research capabilities.

“Pork producers are a valued partner of corn farmers, and underpinning that demand for corn is the need to always improve research capabilities. This gift enables SDSU’s swine program to take a tremendous step forward and we are pleased to help support fellow producers in this manner,” says South Dakota Corn Utilization Council President Jim Ketelhut.

SDSU President Barry Dunn explains this expansion would not be possible without this generous gift from the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council and its support of the pork producers in the region.

“The Swine Education and Research Facility has become a vital part of the swine industry in South Dakota and has helped establish SDSU as a leader in swine teaching and research,” Dunn says. “This expansion will allow SDSU to continue to attract the brightest students from around the country who will become the next generation of industry leaders and innovators.”

The South Dakota Pork Producers shared their gratitude for this donation. President Adam Krause explains that the SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility is “a testament of what happens when the entire ag industry supports each other so innovation and education can take place.”

SDSU students and faculty have benefited tremendously from this facility since it opened in 2016, points out Joe Cassady, South Dakota Corn Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at SDSU.

“SDSU has established itself as a leader in the swine industry with a growing reputation for impactful research around nutrition and management. Livestock production was the initial ‘value-added’ for corn, grains and soybeans, and it continues to utilize a very significant amount of these products every day,” says Distinguished Professor and SDSU Extension Swine Specialist Bob Thaler. “The addition of these research rooms will help us further increase demand for corn and other locally produced feedstuffs. Also, from a sustainability standpoint, nothing is more environmentally friendly than the symbiotic relationship between crops and livestock production.”

New Survey Shows Labor is Serious Challenge for Ag Industry

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 18:00:19 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.

(Farm Journal)

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.

(Farm Journal)

Wholestone Farms Halts $500M Sioux Falls Plant Project, For Now

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:35:10 GMT

Rumors of doubt have been shared regarding the new construction of the Wholestone Foods pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D.—a proposed $500 million pork processing plant that’s jumped numerous hurdles, including a ballot initiative, a lawsuit and over $1 million in donations against it, to get the green light.

While the projected looked to be full steam ahead, earlier this week, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken expressed his doubts about the site to a local news source .

“If I had a crystal ball, do I think we’ll be breaking ground on a pork plant during my term in office? I don’t, based on all the things that have happened even in the last six months, but we’ll see,” said TenHaken to the local news source.

Additionally, a Sioux Falls council member described the plans for the plant as being temporarily on hold, the article said. The custom butcher shop on the site is also now closed until further notice.

With questions in the air regarding the Sioux Falls location, the company recently shared news of its union with Prestage , an Iowa-based company. This includes a joint plant in Eagle Grove, Iowa, which is expected to be operational by early 2024, Meatingplace reports.

Luke Minion, Wholestone Farms chairman, clarified in an interview with Meatingplace, that the company has indeed put a hold on the Sioux Falls facility, but only as a result of the joint venture that has taken precedent for the company.

“It does mean we’ll do Sioux Falls later. It obviously will move back,” Minion told Meatingplace. “And so right now, the simple answer is we own the site in Sioux Falls. Obviously, we endured a great deal of events to continue to have that site and our possession and have it permittable. And we love the site, we love the community. We don’t have any plans to not keep it in our business plan, but the next best move for us was to do the joint venture with Prestage.”

Minion also explained that the Eagle Grove site provided an opportunity for the company to capitalize on the geography and be operational more quickly. However, the site “doesn’t fully satisfy what we have in our business plan, and that’s why I like to continue to emphasize that Sioux Falls is a ‘later,’” Minion told Meatingplace.

Wholestone Farms’ projects continue to grow as plans for renovation and expansion of its Fremont, Neb., location was also recently announced.

Read More about Wholestone Farms:
Wholestone Farms and Prestage Foods Embark on Joint Venture
Wholestone Farms Shares Big Plans of Renovation and Expansion in Fremont

First All-Steel Swine Barns Under Construction in South Dakota

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 17:10:03 GMT

A new 12,000-sow complex is under construction in South Dakota that features the first prefabricated steel swine barns in the U.S.

The new facility is the largest sow complex ever constructed by Ag Property Solutions, the company announced in a release at the Iowa Pork Congress. With a footprint of up to 55 acres, the complex includes a 187,500-square-foot farrowing barn and gilt developer unit and a 225,000-square-foot gestation barn that incorporate the prefabricated steel panels. The site will also have a compost structure and tractor shed both made from wood.

“Compared to traditional wood structures, the steel buildings are designed to offer a more biosecure, flame-retardant and energy-efficient environment for pigs, while also being more durable and faster to build,” according to a company release.

Two swine buildings at the site will utilize polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulated plasterboard sandwiched between two sheets of metal in their sidewalls and ceilings. The high thermal performance allows the foam to smolder and melt, but not burn or drip or cause surrounding materials to catch fire, the release says.

The release noted the all-steel barns entail higher building material and labor costs compared to wood structures, but claim they will ultimately provide an insurance expense payback after a period of time which will vary depending on the facility.

The sow facility is scheduled for completion this summer. The steel building package, designed by C-Lines, is being provided by AP, AGCO’s swine equipment brand. AP dealer Ag Property Solutions (APS) is constructing the barns, which will be managed by Pipestone Management.

In addition to manufacturing the building components, AP will provide its equipment, including feed and ventilation systems, bin scales and EDGE 2 controller.

“As the global population grows, AP is committed to supporting the need for more efficient swine production solutions,” Brian Rieck, AP product manager, said in a release. “We’re very proud to team up with Ag Property Solutions and Pipestone Management to develop these innovative, industry-first steel swine barns.”

When fully operational, the facility expects to utilize in excess of 20,000 tons of feed per year and 60,000 gallons of water per day and produce over 45 million pounds of retail pork cuts per year.

Chris Schmitz, director of construction services for APS, said their company discussed the idea of a wood alternative swine structure with Pipestone Management for several years.

“With insurance premiums on the rise, catastrophic fire concerns and biosecurity threats, 2022 was time to make it a reality,” Schmitz said in a release. “Last summer, forces aligned with AP presenting a steel building package option for our turnkey construction bid.”

$9-Million Loss In 45 Packing Plant Thefts Uncovered, Three Suspects Arrested

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:46:15 GMT

Uncovering approximately 45 thefts totaling over $9 million in loss, three Florida men have been arrested for stealing semi-loads of frozen beef and pork from packing plants across the Midwest.

Starting June 27, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the events occurring in Nebrask a.

Soon realizing the case reached further than Nebraska, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, along with Homeland Security Investigation (HIS) Omaha identified approximately 45 thefts totaling $9 million in loss beginning in June 2021. Investigators described the theft ring as a “sophisticated and ‘highly organized criminal enterprise,’” reports a local news source .

Additionally, the investigators determined the criminal enterprise to be based in Miami and targets beef and pork packing plants specifically in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

While investigation began in June, thefts continued to occur across the region. In September, more than $100,000 in pork products were reported stolen from the JBS plant in Ottumwa, Iowa .

Utilizing cell phone records and GPS tracking devices, on Oct. 20, investigators identified and arrested three targets in the enterprise, recovering three semi-trailers with stolen merchandise valued at $550,000, says the news source. Yoslany Leyva Del Sol, Ledier Machin Andino and Delvis L. Fuentes were charged with the transportation of stolen goods and money laundering in Florida’s federal court.

A Minnesota news source reports each of the men possesses a valid Class A commercial driver’s license.

At this time, it is unknown what the men did with the stolen meat, however, the investigation remains ongoing.

Wholestone Farms Permits Stand; Completes Butcher Shop Construction

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 16:02:11 GMT

On Oct. 19, a judge declined to rescind permits for a custom butcher shop in northeast Sioux Falls being built by Wholestone Farms, the current focus of an ongoing debate over a proposed pork processing plant on the site, reports the Mitchell Republic .

Last week, Circuit Judge Sandra Hoglund Hanson allowed the group opposed to Wholestone’s plans to file an amended complaint in the case, shifting the legal parameters of the discussion. But in the second hearing on Oct. 19, she ruled that deciding the case would require a “full trial with the opportunity to call witnesses and present evidence, rather than an abbreviated hearing.”

This pushes any further legal action until after the Nov. 8 election, the article said. Smart Growth Sioux Falls gathered signatures to put the slaughterhouse ban on the ballot. During the election, voters will decide whether to approve a ban on any new slaughterhouses within city limits.

Hanson said it is not appropriate for the court to “stick its foot in that door.”

Smart Growth had claimed victory following last week’s hearing, saying Hanson’s statements from the bench stopped the permitting process, the Mitchell Republic reports. But Wholestone maintained that the judge had not issued any ruling regarding the permits and they would continue work toward opening the butcher shop.

The city of Sioux Falls issued several permits for the butcher shop, including allowing occupancy of the building on Oct. 7. According to Meat+Poultry , construction on Wholestone Farm’s butcher shop is now complete. Wholestone Farms’ plans for its $500 million pork processing facility await the result of the Nov. 8 election.

Read more:

Special Olympics Reverses Position, Now Supports S.D. Pork Plant

Non-Profit Group Tries to Stop Construction of Pork Processing Plant

Wholestone Farms CEO Discusses Concerns About Potential Sioux Falls Pork Plant

New SD Pork Process Plant Faces Opposition

SD Gov. Noem Signs Law That Targets Companies Marketing 'Fake Meat'

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:23:13 GMT

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has signed legislation that requires “fake meat” products to be correctly labeled, hoping to reduce the impact of lab-cultured products on the local meat market.

A product is misbranded if it intentionally labels products in a false, deceptive or misleading manner that misrepresents it as meat or a meat byproduct, the law states.

Noem signed the bill on March 18 and it will go into effect July 1, the American News reported . Her press secretary, Kristin Wileman, said the measure correctly defines real meat.

“In South Dakota, we are proud of our agricultural heritage. We pride ourselves in producing quality food products, so it’s concerning when something is grown in petri dishes and labeled as meat. This legislation clearly outlines how we define meat in South Dakota and how we expect real meat to be treated around the country,” Wileman said.

Data from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service shows South Dakota had over 4 million total head of cattle, including calves, as of January 1, 2019.

The South Dakota Stock Growers Association believes the non-meat alternatives need to be clearly defined as such. Meat substitutes should not be allowed to benefit from the generations of hard work that have gone in to creating the current day market for actual meat food products, according to the association’s news release.

The bill will rely on the current inspection system to catch violators who mislabel artificial meat products as real meat.

Rep. Carl Perry said the bill simply makes it unlawful to purposely mislead consumers.

“If it’s fake meat, you can’t say it’s meat,” he said.

Proponents believe the measure will help protect the livestock industry from being impacted if problems arise with artificial meat products.

“What if something goes wrong with these lab-cultured products? Even though they leave the plant OK, if there’s a contamination, and they are called meat, the whole industry will take the hit,” said Rep. Oren Lesmeister, one of the bill’s sponsors.

Critics argue such statutes can be problematic for free speech in marketing.

“The problem with a lot of these laws is they’re written to make it illegal to use terms like veggie burger,” said Jarrett Dieterle, director of commercial freedom at R Street Institute.

USDA: South Dakota's Hog and Pig Numbers Up 5 Percent

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:30:09 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of hogs and pigs in the state is up 5 percent from the same time last year.

The latest report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service says there were 1.41 million head Sept. 1, a 5 percent increase over the same time last year, and up 1 percent from June 1.

The breeding hog inventory of 195,000 is a 15 percent increase over the year, while the 1.22 million market hogs are a 4 percent jump.

The June-August 2016 pig crop of 1.04 million head was up 6 percent from 2015. Sows farrowed during the period totaled 97,000 head, up 7 percent from last year.

South Dakota hog producers intend to farrow 97,000 sows during the September-November 2016 quarter.

Company Stands up for Hog Facility Amid Complaints over Odor

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:28:49 GMT

A farming company is trying to set the record straight about the odor produced by a hog facility it manages in Davison County, S.D.

Since it began operating in May 2013, the Jackrabbit Family Farms sow operation that’s about 10 miles south of Mount Vernon has farrowed 150,000 hogs annually. And for just as long, neighbors have been complaining about the odor emitted from the four manure pits at the facility.

Pipestone System vice president Barry Kerkaert said he is frustrated by what he described as continued verbal attacks over the smell of pig manure.

“We just exercised our rights, and we’re tired of being harassed,” he told The Daily Republic . Kerkaert added that Jackrabbit has complied with state environmental standards and manure management regulations and has taken additional steps to reduce the odor.

Kerkaert said the facility bought several filters at a cost of about $35,000 to put on fans that take air out of buildings. But at a recent Davison County Commission meeting, several neighbors to the facility said the filters didn’t do enough to curb the smell.

“We did that out of the goodness of our heart, and now the filters aren’t even good enough,” Kerkaert said.

John Jones, a farmer who owns a stake in the farm, argues that the smell comes with the territory of living in an agricultural community.

“You might smell a little bit of pig, but is that worth a fuss over to shut down a sow farm?” Jones said.

Betty Moller, who lives two miles north of the facility, said the odor is annoying and “smells like rotten eggs.”

Moller said she doesn’t expect county commissioners to change their minds, and that she sees the benefit for farmers who have invested in the facility. But she said that because of the odor, she doesn’t like to have family and friends over and spend time outside.

“I certainly wouldn’t want to have a cookout,” Moller said. “I’d love to have all the (Davison County) commissioners here at about 5 o’clock for steaks and see if they could possibly even eat their steak.”

Grit and Passion: Rommereim Reflects on Swine Industry

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:59:16 GMT

The worn photo album illustrating Steve Rommereim’s family heritage is not unlike that of the U.S pork industry.

“These pictures and the story behind them are for the most part a good representation of those that immigrated to the Midwest,” began Rommereim in his retiring address as National Pork Board president last Friday at the National Pork Industry Forum. “What we all have today is all based on the hard work, passion, grit and brains of those that have come before us.”

On a quiet hill overlooking Iowa and Nebraska, Rommereim said he has a hard time imagining the courage and determination generations before him possessed as they traveled 5,000 miles to the farm he calls home today.

He and his wife, Charlotte, live in Alcester, S.D., on a farm settled by Swedish immigrants in the latter half of the 1800s. Their family started raising hogs in 1918, specializing in Poland China hogs, known for their ability to produce fat. In the mid-60s, the trends began to change as demand for lard dropped and a leaner product became the new normal.

Their family transitioned to raising Duroc and Spotted swine until 2000 when a major move to integrated systems took place in their area, dropping the demand of farm-raised genetics dramatically. In the years following, they transitioned from producing genetics in outdoor pens and on pasture to producing commercial hogs.

“Pigs have been part of everyday life for our family, including generation number six, who are slowly taking over our farming operation,” he said. “This couldn’t make me happier.”

The Pork Industry Evolves

When Rommereim considers the changes his farm has gone through, he sees many parallels to the pork industry.

“In the 1800s, life on the prairie was difficult at best and some of our homesteading families had a few pigs around for their own needs. As the population in this country continued to grow, markets developed, and hogs started to be raised for profit,” he said.

The industrial age brought machinery and more fertile land into production. Packing facilities, local elevators, feed and seed companies, all changed food production dramatically, he added.

“The individual farmers decided they needed a unified voice both in legislative and regulatory worlds as well as product promotion, education and research. Commodity groups started springing up in the 1940s with pork starting around specific breed groups that already were working towards these goals within the breeds,” Rommereim said.

With a bit of money and a vision, the American Pork Producers Association became the first national pork association of record in 1940. In 1964, the National Swine Growers Council voted to change their name to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

Rommereim discussed the evolution of the Pork Checkoff, the “Pork, the Other White Meat” campaign and the 2001 court order for NPPC to split to pursue legislative and regulatory efforts and the National Pork Board to pursue promotion, education and research.

“I believe we can duplicate the successes of the past by using their example for Checkoff 4.0,” he said. “In the midst of all the change happening on the farm as well as the rest of the food chain, its apparent that we needed a reset.”

A Look Ahead

“Forward-thinking” is critical to remain relevant in today’s changing food-chain environment, he said. Pork 2040, a research project centered around where to invest dollars internationally for the next 20 + years, will help provide the foundation needed for the decades ahead.

He highlighted groundbreaking research efforts focused on the wise investment of dollars for understanding the needs and wants of the consumer, the We Care Commitment program to revitalize sustainability messaging, and the Secure Pork Supply program to help producers deal with ongoing threats of foreign animal diseases.

“The pork industry, as I’ve shown here with this brief history lesson, has high expectations and is willing to sacrifice to make things happen,” he said. “The results are best quantified by the return on your investment. 25 to 1 is better than I alone have ever done.”

He urged producers to review the successes of the past in order to best meet the needs of the present and adapt to the changing needs of the future.

“It all starts with a conversation, a relationship with one another as pig farmers and between pig farmers and the food chain,” Rommereim said. “The strength of this org will always be the relationships of men and women with a common goal of people, pigs and the planet.”

Grit and Passion: Rommereim Reflects on Swine Industry

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 04:51:27 GMT

The Pork Industry Evolves

A Look Ahead

“Forward-thinking” is critical to remain relevant in today’s changing food-chain environment, he said. Pork 2040, a research project centered around where to invest dollars internationally for the next 20 + years, will help provide the foundation needed for the decades ahead.

He highlighted groundbreaking research efforts focused on the wise investment of dollars for understanding the needs and wants of the consumer, the We Care Commitment program to revitalize sustainability messaging, and the Secure Pork Supply program to help producers deal with ongoing threats of foreign animal diseases.

“The pork industry, as I’ve shown here with this brief history lesson, has high expectations and is willing to sacrifice to make things happen,” he said. “The results are best quantified by the return on your investment. 25 to 1 is better than I alone have ever done.”

He urged producers to review the successes of the past in order to best meet the needs of the present and adapt to the changing needs of the future.

“It all starts with a conversation, a relationship with one another as pig farmers and between pig farmers and the food chain,” Rommereim said. “The strength of this organization will always be the relationships of men and women with a common goal of people, pigs and the planet.”