Rural

SD hunter residency investigation and arrest create ‘nightmare’ for retired combat veteran

The legal language describing who qualifies as a South Dakota resident when it comes to in-state hunting privileges is laid out in state law, but the real-world definition is now murkier than ever.

California energy firm will turn SD farm wastes into usable natural gas

A new industry launching in South Dakota will use manure from dairy farms to generate usable natural gas, creating a new income stream for some South Dakota farmers and reducing greenhouse gas emissions along the way. California-based renewable energy company Brightmark Energy announced plans on Feb. 5 to capture, refine

New elk hunting season proposed to reduce feed loss and property damage on S.D. prairies

North American elk are returning to the prairies of western South Dakota after more than 100 years of absence, a migration seen as a win for wildlife conservation but which has farmers and ranchers bothered by feed losses and property damage. The herding of Rocky Mountain elk as far east

A look inside a CAFO: SD farmers share stories of a life in livestock

MILLER, S.D. – The expansion of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, in South Dakota is without a doubt one of the most controversial topics in agriculture. CAFOs are large livestock farms that generally house 1,000 or more animals in a confined, indoor space at any one time. Supporters

State financial incentive program for CAFOs criticized as ‘bribery’

The state of South Dakota entered the fray over siting of new large livestock operations in the state when it created an economic development initiative in early 2019 that can provide large payments to counties that approve new concentrated animal-feeding operations. The program, which has not yet distributed any funds,

Human health, environmental and antibiotic concerns follow CAFO development

A growing body of research into the rising number of concentrated animal feeding operations across the United States reveals deepening concerns over impacts on human health and the environment. The high concentration of manure and other wastes created by animals housed in confined areas — and the storage and spreading of

Expansion of large CAFO livestock farms causing division and concern across South Dakota

Expansion of large CAFO livestock farms causing division and concern across South Dakota

Editor’s note: This is the first of a four-part series on expansion of CAFOs in South Dakota. The livestock industry in South Dakota — among the state’s largest economic engines — is undergoing a fundamental transformation that may alter farms, farmers and rural communities for generations to come. Despite a