Sponsored By
An organization or individual has paid for the creation of this work but did not approve or review it.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

AgweekTV Full Show: COVID vaccination, May WASDE report, soybean processing plant and the 30 by 30 plan

AgweekTV for May 15-16, 2021.

Coming up on AgweekTV, we will find out why some rural residents aren't getting a COVID vaccination. We'll take a look at the USDA's first estimates on new crop production in the May WASDE Report. We will discuss ADM's announcement of a new $250 million soy bean processing plant in North Dakota. We'll talk about the pandemic causing a shortage of farming parts during the busy planting season. Finally, we will take a look at the president's 30 by 30 plan.

COMING UP ON AGWEEK TV

WE'LL FIND OUT WHY SOME RURAL RESIDENTS AREN'T GETTING A COVID VACCINATION.

USDA PROVIDES THEIR FIRST ESTIMATES ON NEW CROP PRODUCTION IN THE MAY WASDE REPORT.

ADM ANNOUNCES A NEW $350 MILLION SOY PROCESSING PLANT IN NORTH DAKOTA.

ADVERTISEMENT

THE PANDEMIC CAUSES A SHORTAGE OF FARM PARTS DURING THE BUSY PLANTING SEASON.

AND WE HAVE REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT'S 30 BY 30 PLAN.

WELCOME TO AGWEEK TV, I'M MICHELLE ROOK.

THE MAY WASDE REPORT WAS RELEASED THIS WEEK, WITH USDA PROVIDING ITS FIRST NEW CROP OUTLOOK.

NEW CROP CORN ENDING STOCKS WERE ABOVE ESTIMATES AT OVER 1.5 BILLION BUSHELS, BUT OLD CROP CARRYOVER WAS DOWN 95 MILLION FROM APRIL. USDA CONSERVATIVELY LOWERED BRAZIL CORN PRODUCTION 5 MILLION METRIC TONS.

USDA PUNTED LEAVING OLD CROP SOYBEAN CARRYOVER UNCHANGED AT 120 MILLION BUSHELS. WHILE PRODUCTION WAS AS EXPECTED, NEW CROP STOCKS WERE ABOVE ESTIMATES AT 140 MILLION. SOUTH AMERICAN PRODUCTION WAS NEARLY UNCHANGED.

AND WHEAT PRODUCTION WAS AS EXPECTED, BUT WINTER WHEAT WAS ABOVE ESTIMATES. OLD CROP CARRYOVER WAS 20 MILLION ABOVE APRIL, WITH NEW CROP EXCEEDING ESTIMATES AT 774 MILLION BUSHELS.

AND JOINING US WITH ANALYSIS IS MATT BENNETT. MATT, LET'S START OFF TALKING ABOUT SOYBEAN ENDING STOCKS IN THE OLD CROP CATEGORY. USDA BASICALLY PUNTED AGAIN, DIDN'T THEY?

ADVERTISEMENT

Matt Bennett: YEAH, I MEAN, NO BIG SURPRISE. USDA HAS KIND OF SHOWN THEIR CARDS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, 120 IS THEIR NUMBER, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO STICK WITH. WE ALL KIND OF KNOW IT'S PROBABLY A REAL NUMBER BELOW THAT.

WE'RE TRADING BELOW 120 ON THE ENDING STOCKS, BUT DOES IT MATTER, BECAUSE THE CASH MARKET IS DOING ALL THE WORK

Matt Bennett: YEAH THE CASH MARKET, YOUR BASIS, YOUR SPREADS. THOSE ARE THE PLACES THAT I ALWAYS LOOK TO SEE, IS THIS MARKET GOING TO REMAIN HEALTHY? IS THIS MARKET GOING TO CONTINUE HIGHER? AND THE BASIS IS ASTOUNDING. WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF SOYBEANS, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THEY'LL DO WHATEVER THEY'VE GOT TO DO TO GET AHOLD OF TEM.

NEW CROP ENDING STOCK ON SOYBEANS, ABOVE EXPECTATIONS AT 140 MILLION BUSHELS.

Matt Bennett: MY BIG THING I GUESS WHEN I LOOK AT THE NEW CROP BALANCE SHEET, YOU'LL ADD ACRES, BUT 50.8 MIGHT BE A STRETCH FOR ME RIGHT NOW TO MAKE THE ASSUMPTION ON YIELD, JUST SIMPLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING A SUPER FAST START.

OLD CROP ENDING STOCKS ON CORN USDA LOWERED 95 MILLION BUSHELS, WE'RE STILL AT 1.26 BILLION BUSHELS AGAIN WE'RE TRADING A NUMBER BELOW THAT, DON'T YOU THINK?

Matt Bennett: I DO. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. YOU ADD EXPORTS OF 100 MILLION BUSHELS, THAT'S CERTAINLY A CHANGE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE AND ABLE TO DO SO WITH SOME CONFIDENCE. INSPECTIONS HAVE BEEN AWFULLY GOOD HERE LATELY, AND OBVIOUSLY THE CHINESE CONTINUE TO BUY. NOW THEY'RE BUYING NEW CROP SUPPLIES AT THE PRESENT TIME, BUT BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE SEEING THAT THE DEMAND'S STILL STRONG. WE'RE SEEING THAT THE VALUE OF CORN IS STILL STRONG ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE ARE STEPPING IN HERE AND BUYING IT.

SO THE NEW CROP ESTIMATE WAS A LITTLE BEARISH, ABOUT 1.5 BILLION BUSHELS, BUT USDA IS STILL USING A 179.5 BUSHEL PER ACRE YIELD. DOES THAT SEEM HIGH HERE, CONSIDERING HOW MUCH DROUGHT THERE IS IN THE CORN BELT?

ADVERTISEMENT

Matt Bennett: I AGREE WITH YOU, IF I WAS GOING TO BE HANDICAPPING THIS CROP AT THE PRESENT TIME, 179.5 PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE WHERE I'D START. YOU KNOW, IT HASN'T EXACTLY BEEN IDEAL ONCE AGAIN. YOU COULD PROBABLY USE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE ON HARVESTED ACRES LIKE THE USDA CHOSE TO DO ON THIS REPORT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CORN ACRES. HOW MANY ACRES IS GOING TO BE KEY.

DO YOU THINK WE'LL TAKE OUT THE 2013 HIGHS IN THE OLD CROP?

Matt Bennett: YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TAKE OUT YOUR ALL TIME HIGHS. NOW, IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN WITHOUT MAYBE SOME U.S. SUMMER WEATHER, WITHOUT BRAZIL STAYING DRY. PROBABLY NOT. YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A FEW FACTORS TO COME INTO PLAY. BUT RIGHT NOW I WOULD SAY IT'S A REASONABLE CHANCE.

WHEAT ENDING STOCKS ON THE OLD CROP CATEGORY WERE UP 20 MILLION BUSHELS FROM LAST MONTH. NEW CROP ENDING STOCKS CAME IN ABOVE EXPECTATIONS, SO KIND OF A BEARISH REPORT?

Matt Bennett: YEAH, IT'S KIND OF A BEARISH REPORT, BUT I MEAN IF WE COMPARE IT TO YEARS PAST, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING 50 PERCENT STOCKS TO USE FOR QUITE SOME TIME YOU KNOW AND THEN WE KEEPING WHITTLING DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND WHAT THAT DOES FOR US IS IT MAKES IT NECESSARY IN MY OPINION TO HAVE A DECENT CROP. WHENEVER YOU'RE LOOKING AT CORN PRICES THIS HIGH, WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE GOING FEED WHEAT, IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT

THANKS SO MUCH, THAT'S MATT BENNETT WITH AG MARKET.NET .

USDA ALSO ANNOUNCED PRODUCERS IN PRAIRIE POTHOLE STATES CAN NOW SIGN UP FOR THE SOIL HEALTH AND INCOME PROTECTION PROGRAM OR SHIPP.

.FARMERS CAN ENROLL LESS PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS AND PLANT COVER CROPS TO IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH, WHILE PROTECTING FARM INCOME. UP TO 50,000 ACRES WAS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE 2018 FARM BILL. IN THIS SECOND YEAR OF THE PILOT, RENTAL RATES WILL GET A BOOST AS USDA IS ALTERING THE CALCULATION METHOD.

ADVERTISEMENT

Zach Ducheneaux: We're changing it to 50-percent of the county average rental rate and regardless of the soil productivity. Before it was tied to soil maps, soil productivity and we just want to get folks in the door thinking about this so that's the, that's the approach we're taking.

ANOTHER CHANGE IS PRODUCERS CAN SELF-CERTIFY THE ACRES THEY OFFER ARE LESS PRODUCTIVE. PLUS, THEY CAN USE FIELD BOUNDARIES AND STRAIGHT LINES TO DELINEATE OFFERS.

SIGN UP BEGINS AT FSA OFFICES MAY 10 AND RUNS THROUGH JULY 16.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS RELEASED ITS 30 X 30 PLAN, KNOWN AS THE CONSERVING AND RESTORING AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL REPORT.

IT OUTLINES EIGHT PRINCIPALS TO CONSERVE 30-PERCENT OF THE NATION'S LANDS AND WATERS BY 2030. ONE SUPPORTS VOLUNTARY STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS OF PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, AS WELL AS CURRENT CONSERVATION EFFORTS THROUGH EXISTING USDA PROGRAMS.

AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION'S KEVIN SCOTT SAYS DETAILS ARE VAGUE, BUT THEY WON'T SUPPORT IDLING PRODUCTIVE LAND AT THE RISK OF LOSING THEIR COMPETITIVENESS. PLUS WITH CONSERVATION AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION PROGRAMS ALIKE, MOST FARMERS ARE ALREADY VESTED IN THOSE PRACTICES AND SHOULD BE REWARDED JUST LIKE THOSE NEWLY ENTERING THE PROGRAM.

Kevin Scott: We know that building organic matter and soil structure is critical to passing it on to the next generation and so we're kind of in a race already.

THE PLAN ALSO ESTABLISHES AN INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP TO CREATE A STEWARDSHIP ATLAS. AN ANNUAL REPORT WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE EFFORTS, WITH THE FIRST TO BE RELEASED AT THE END OF 2021.

ADVERTISEMENT

MINNESOTA WILL BECOME THE FIRST MIDWESTERN STATE TO ADOPT CALIFORNIA'S CLEAN CARS RULE.

AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE HAS GIVEN THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY THE GO AHEAD TO IMPLEMENT THE CALIFORNIA STANDARD. IT IS BEING CRITICIZED BY THE STATE'S CAR DEALERS, BUT WILL ALSO HURT MINNESOTA'S ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL MARKETS.

ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO BUILD A $350 MILLION SOY CRUSHING AND REFINING PLANT AT THE SPIRITWOOD ENERGY PARK NEAR JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA.

THE PLANT WILL BE RUNNING BY HARVEST 2023 AND PROCESS 150,000 BUSHELS OF SOYBEANS A DAY OR 37.5 MILLION BUSHELS A YEAR. THIS IS OVER 20-PERCENT OF NORTH DAKOTA'S PRODUCTION.

ADM IS TAKING OVER THE SITE OF A FORMER CARGILL BARLEY MALTING FACILITY THAT CLOSED IN 2018.

THE HEAD OF THE NORTH DAKOTA SOYBEAN COUNCIL SAYS ITS GREAT NEWS FOR THE STATE, AND FOR SOYBEAN GROWERS.

Stephanie Sinner: WE'VE SEEN JUST TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN SOYBEAN PRODUCTION OVER THE LAST TEN, FIFTEEN YEARS HERE IN NORTH DAKOTA, AND SO AS I'VE MENTIONED WE'VE JUST LONG AWAITED THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CRUSH PLANT, SO REALLY GRATEFUL THAT ADM SEES THE ADVANTAGE OF SOURCING HERE IN NORTH DAKOTA.

A PREVIOUS DEAL TO BUILD A SOYBEAN PLANT AT THAT SITE FELL THROUGH AFTER FAILING TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY.

ADVERTISEMENT

SPRING PLANTING IS AMONG THE BUSIEST AND MOST STRESSFUL TIMES OF THE SEASON FOR FARMERS.

AND THIS YEAR, THERE'S AN EXTRA WRENCH IN THE WORKS. AS MIKKEL PATES REPORTS, MANY FARMERS AND IMPLEMENT DEALERS ARE SEEING A SHORTAGE OF PARTS AND OTHER SUPPLIES NEEDED TO KEEP THINGS ROLLING.

THE COOLER SPRING WEATHER ISN'T THE ONLY THING THAT SLOWED JAY MYERS DOWN THIS PLANTING SEASON.

Jay Myers: WE HAD A SHAFT BREAK ON A PLANTER THIS LAST WEEKEND AND THERE WERE ONLY THREE PARTS IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES. AND THE CLOSEST ONE WAS JUST ABOUT FOUR HOURS AWAY. AND IF WE WERE GOING TO ORDER THAT PART IT WAS GOING TO TAKE UNTIL JULY 29TH TO GET.

THEY WERE ABLE TO WELD THE SHAFT THEY HAD, BUT DID GO BUY THE CLOSEST ONE, JUST IN CASE.

Jay Myers: BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

THE SHORTAGES SEEM TO RUN ACROSS THE REGION, AND ACROSS THE BOARD, FROM TRACTORS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT TO THE PARTS AND TIRES NEEDED TO RUN THEM. EVEN SEED AND CHEMICALS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY. SOME SAY COVID-RELATED STAFFING SHORTAGES ARE CAUSING SHIPPING DELAYS. IN NEBRASKA, FARMER MIKE KORTH HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET ROUTINE PARTS.

Mike Korth: We can't get filters for our tractors, there's certain filters that are out.

Jay Gudajtes: SO IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE COMMON WHERE WE'RE TRAVELING 90, 100, 200, 300 MILES FOR PARTS.

MINTO FARMER JAY GUDAJTES SAYS HIS FAMILY'S OPERATION IS BIG ENOUGH THAT THEY TEND TO KEEP A LOT OF PARTS ON HAND. BUT STILL, THEY'VE HAD TO TRAVEL FAR AND WIDE AT TIMES TO GET SOMETHING THEY NEED TO KEEP GOING.

Jay Gudajtes: THE RAIL SYSTEMS SEEM TO BE SLOWER NOW. I THINK IT'S ALL RELATED TO MAYBE ALL THE WAY FROM THE PORTS WITH THE SHIPPING TO THE RAIL YARDS TO THE WAREHOUSES.

RIGHT NOW, NO ONE IS PREDICTING WHEN THE SHORTAGES MIGHT EASE, SO GUDAJTES SAYS HIS BEST ADVICE IS TO ANTICIPATE WHAT YOU MAY NEED, AND TRY TO HAVE IT ON HAND. IN MINTO, NORTH DAKOTA, THIS IS MIKKEL PATES FOR AGWEEK.

SEVERAL DEALERS W SPOKE TO SAY THEY ARE CONFIDENT SUPPLY CHAINS WILL BE BACK ON TRACK IN A FEW MONTHS.

RURAL RESIDENTS ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO GET A COVID VACCINE THAN THOSE IN CITIES. WE'LL TAKE LOOK AT WHY, UP NEXT ON AGWEEK TV.

EPIDEMIOLOGISTS ARE HOPING AMERICA CAN GET TO AN 80 PERCENT OR HIGHER VACCINE RATE, TO REACH HERD IMMUNITY.

BUT A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT ABOUT 30- PERCENT OF RURAL AMERICANS DON'T PLAN TO GET THE VACCINE. THAT'S TWICE AS HIGH AS IN URBAN AREAS.

A LOOK AT WHY THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE IS THIS WEEK'S AGWEEK COVER STORY.

EPIDEMIOLOGIST MARK STRAND IS A PROFESSOR IN THE NDSU COLLEGE OF HEALTH.

HE WAS ALSO RAISED ON A FARM, SO HE UNDERSTANDS THE FEELINGS THAT MAY BE KEEPING RURAL PEOPLE FROM GETTING THE VACCINE. IT MAY INCLUDE A DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT, CONCERN THAT VACCINE SIDE-EFFECTS COULD DISRUPT THEIR WORK, OR THE TRADITIONAL RURAL SELF-RELIANCE.

BUT STRAND SAYS FARMERS ALSO RELY ON THE SCIENCE AND VACCINES IN THEIR WORK. SO HE'S HOPING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THEY'RE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

Mark Strand: I KNOW THESE ARE PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL. THERE'S NO INTENDED HARM, BUT I WANT TO APPEAL TO THEM TO PUT ASIDE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PARTISAN, OR EVEN PHILOSOPHICAL VALUES, THAT REALLY RESULT IN HARM TO THEMSELVES BUT ALSO HARM TO THEIR NEIGHBORS.

YOU CAN READ MORE ON THIS IN THE NEXT AGWEEK MAGAZINE, OR AT AGWEEK.COM .

FARM RESCUE HAS BEEN HELPING FARMERS IN NEED FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, AND RECENTLY THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION LENT ITS HELPING HAND TO A MINNESOTA FARMER WHO'S HAD A TOUGH PATCH.

EMILY BEAL HAS MORE ON THE GROUP'S LATEST EFFORT.

Robert Nord: IT'S HARD TO PUT IN WORDS TOGETHER WHAT IT MEANS TO US. IT'S A BLESSING.

ROBERT NORD GROWS CORN, SOYBEANS AND ALFALFA NEAR WOLVERTON, ABOUT TWENTY MILES SOUTH OF MOORHEAD, MINNESOTA. HE ALSO HAS A HERD OF REGISTERED ANGUS CATTLE. AN ATTACK BY ONE OF HIS COWS WHO HAD JUST GIVEN BIRTH THIS SPRING, WAS JUST THE FIRST IN A STRING OF BAD LUCK RECENTLY.

Robert Nord: AND THEN THE RESULT OF THAT BROKE MY BACK, SO I'M LAID UP FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME HERE NOW.

ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT HE GOT COVID, AND TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT HE HAD HIS GALLBLADDER REMOVED. SO HE'S GRATEFUL FOR FARM RESCUE'S HELP PLANTING HIS CROPS. A BIG JOB DONE IN NO TIME, WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS.

Robert Nord: IT'S A GREAT STRESS RELIEVER KNOWING IT'S GETTING IN AND GETTING IN ON TIME, YES IT'S WONDERFUL.

FARM RESCUE STARTED IN 2006, TO HELP NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS SIDELINED BY ILLNESS OR INJURY. IT'S NOW GROWN TO SEVEN STATES, AND THEY'VE HELPED MORE THAN 700 FARMERS, WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THAT'S NOTABLE, SINCE FARMERS OFTEN HESITATE TO ASK FOR HELP.

Dan Erdmann: EVEN IN SOME OF THE MOST DIRE OF CIRCUMSTANCES IT'S NOT EASY FOR THEM TO ASK FOR HELP, SO WE GET A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND A LOT OF EMAILS FROM MAYBE A SPOUSE, IT MAY BE A RELATIVE, A NEIGHBOR, A FRIEND, SOMEONE THAT KNOWS THAT THEY ARE IN NEED OF SOME HELP.

FARM RESCUE'S GOAL IS TO HELP A FARMER THROUGH A TOUGH SEASON, SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP FARMING FOR MANY SEASONS TO COME. NEAR WOLVERTON, MINNESOTA, THIS IS EMILY BEAL FOR AGWEEK.

FARM RESCUE HELPS BETWEEN 50 AND 75 FARM FAMILIES EACH YEAR.

THIS LAST YEAR WAS SLOWED SOME BY COVID, BUT THEY HOPE TO BE BACK AT FULL STRENGTH SOON.

AHEAD ON AGWEEK TV, WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT A NEW SOY-BASED DUST SUPPRESSANT THAT'S BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND FOR FARMERS.

WE DID GET SOME MUCH NEEDED RAIN IN DRY AREAS OF OUR REGION THIS LAST WEEK, BUT WE ARE FAR FROM BREAKING THE DROUGHT THERE. WILL THERE BE ANY FOLLOW UP PRECIP?

HERE'S JOHN WITH OUR AGRI-WEATHER OUTLOOK.

AGWEEKTV SOY INSIGHT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NORTH DAKOTA SOYBEAN COUNCIL

A NEW SOY PRODUCT OFFERS A SUSTAINABLE DUST SUPPRESSANT FOR FARMS, ROADS, CONSTRUCTION SITES, OR ANYWHERE DUST IS A PROBLEM.

EXCESS DUST ALSO AFFECTS AIR QUALITY FOR PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.

CURRENTLY THE MOST COMMONLY USED DUST SUPPRESSANTS ARE SALT PRODUCTS, WHICH CAN WASH OFF ROADS AND DAMAGE FARMLAND, CARS AND EQUIPMENT.

BUT THANKS TO FUNDING FROM SOYBEAN CHECKOFF DOLLARS, NDSU RESEARCH HAVE DEVELOPED A SOY-OIL DUST SUPPRESSANT THAT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, AND IT'S A BOON FOR SOYBEAN GROWERS.

Kendall Nichols: THIS IS REALLY A DOUBLE WIN FOR US IN NORTH DAKOTA, BECAUSE YOU KNOW ALL THE MILES OF GRAVEL ROADS THAT WE HAVE, ALL THE DUST THAT BLOWS AROUND. AND ACTUALLY EACH MILE WILL LOSE ABOUT A TON OF GRAVEL A YEAR, AND THIS WILL HELP HOLD IT DOWN AND KEEP IT.

THE NEW PRODUCT IS CALLED "EPIC E-L" DUST SUPPRESSANT. BECAUSE IT'S MADE WITH SOY OIL, IT WON'T WASH AWAY.

Jim Bahr: SO IT WILL KIND OF LOCK IN PLACE ON THE GRAVEL SO WHEN IT RAINS IT DOESN'T WASH OFF. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT HAS THE ABILITY TO BE BIODEGRADED OVER TIME.

IT TAKES ABOUT 190 BUSHELS OF SOYBEANS TO MAKE A 275-GALLON TOTE OF EPIC E-L CONCENTRATE. VISIT ' BIOBLEND.COM ' AND LOOK FOR EPIC E-L FOR MORE INFORMATION.

STILL AHEAD, AS GRILLING SEASON KICKS OFF... IT'S THE PERFECT TIME TO CELEBRATE BEEF!

MAY IS BEEF MONTH AND A GREAT TIME TO HIGHLIGHT THE HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT THE CATTLE INDUSTRY MAKES HERE IN OUR REGION.

In South Dakota alone, cattle producers raise 4 million head of cattle, which outnumber the residents by 4.5 to one.

Laurie Johnson: Huge kudos to the 14,000 beef farmers and ranchers that we have in South Dakota and it's an exciting time to celebrate them and what they do every day, you know making that protein possible to be on your plate.

She says May Beef Month is also a time to thank cattle producers for the positive contribution they make to the economy.

Johnson: We're in the local communities purchasing whether its equipment or feed or groceries. Dollars that we make here, we're selling back or we're bringing back to the community.

The Council is also launching several promotions including the Reclaim the Summer Campaign and encouraging everyone to grill beef this summer.

Johnson: Most of the beef I believe over like 30-percent of the dollars are sold between Labor Day and Memorial Day.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF AG WEEK TV.

REMEMBER, FOR ALL YOUR AG NEWS, GO TO AG WEEK.COM , AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM AS WELL. HAVE YOURSELF A GREAT AND SAFE WEEK.

What To Read Next
Get Local

ADVERTISEMENT