A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

South DakotaUnion Farmer

Volume XCVII, NO. 8 Huron, SD October 2014

South DakotaUnion FarmerSouth DakotaSouth DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota

To join with the United Nations in celebrating the International Year of Family Farming, South Dakota Farmers Union will highlight a South Dakota farm or ranch family each month. This month South Dakota Farmers Union features the Mueller family of Ethan.

Farming near Mitchell for almost130 years, the Mueller family traces their South Dakota farm roots back to Great-Grandpa Adolf. A Wisconsin carpenter and farmer, Adolf packed up his young family and moved to the Ethan area after friends wrote him of the rich soil and farming opportunities South Dakota offered. That was in 1885.

Five generations later, Delmar Mueller, 63, and his sons, Jay, 35, and Derek, 31, continue the family farming tradition.

Supporting three families on the farm has not been simple. To make things work, Jay has an off-farm job and the men run quite the diversifi ed operation. They grow corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. They also raise a cow/calf herd, do some custom farming and silage work and operate custom feeding operations, which include backgrounding cattle and fi nishing feeder pigs.

Since the time Delmar began farming full-time in 1986, conservation has played an important role in their fi eld and land management. Over the years Delmar and his sons have planted shelter belts and returned marginal acres to pastureland. The fi elds have been no-till since the early ‘90s and the Muellers follow small grain harvest with cover crops, which include millet, Sudan grass and a mix of legumes and root crops to maintain soil health, prevent erosion and improve water infi ltration.

“If you don’t take care of the land, it won’t take care of you. Plain and simple,” explained Derek. “The land is ur livelihood and we are conscious of how we treat it.”

South Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates South Dakota Farm & Ranch Families

see Paving The Way on page 17

2014 Washington D.C. Farmers Union Fly-In

Rail Issues FrustrateFarmers, Elevators

and SDFU Leadership

PAGE 9

Atlas Blizzard:One Year Later

PAGE 8

Getting to KnowWayne Soren

PAGE 9

Mueller Family (L to R)Back: Jay, Blake (3), Angela, Derek, Kerri Wagner, Harrison (2) and Ryan Wagner. Front: Nancy, Sadie (6), Anna (4), Avery (8), Grady (6) and Delmar. Photo Courtesy of: Photography Unlimited, Mitchell, S.D.

“Your voice is critically important because it brings credibility to our voice. It’s important that they (those who make the decisions in Washington) know that our members are behind what we are saying. This is why we do Fly-Ins,” said Roger Johnson, President of National Farmers Union in his welcome address to the more than 250 Farmers Union members who traveled from across the U.S. to D.C. for the 2014 National Farmers Union Fly-In Sept. 8-10. see SDFU Head on page 6

Save the Date2014 Annual Convention

November 20 - 21Aberdeen, South Dakota

Union FarmerRail Issues FrustrateFarmers, Elevators

and SDFU LeadershipGetting to Know

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2 October 2014 www.sdfu.orgUnion Farmer

Clip and Save Calendar

Visit the Events section at www.sdfu.org for more details on upcoming events.

October1 Jr. Real, Volga1 Kingsbury County District 22 Candidate Forum, Lake Preston2 Harvest Lunch, Toronto2-3 SD Women in Agriculture Conference, Rapid City7 Jr. Real, Groton7 FSA Farm Bill Meeting, Yankton8 Jr. Real, Flandreau13 State Offi ce Closed

November5-6 REAL Session 1, Mitchell20-21 SDFU State Convention

27-28 State Offi ce Closed

December 24-26 State Offi ce Closed

Around the State with South Dakota Farmers Union

more details on upcoming events.Beef & Basil Tortilla PizzaSubmitted by: Danika and Matea Gordon, Members, from WhitewoodSubmitted by: Danika and Matea Gordon, Members, from WhitewoodSubmitted by: Danika and Matea Gordon, Members, from Whitewood

Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground beef │ 1/2 cup red onion, chopped │ 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed │ 4 fl our tortillas, 10 inch diameter

1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or quartered │ 4 Tbsp. thinly chopped fresh basil leaves 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese │ 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese │ crushed red pepper

fl akes for garnish │ 4 Tbsp. olive oil (or balsamic and basil oil from Tastefully Simple)

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On stovetop, brown ground beef with onion in nonstick skillet over medium heat; break into crumbles. Cook until beef reaches internal temperature of 160

degrees. Pour off drippings and discard. Season beef with salt and oregano. │ 2. Put a sheet of parchment paper on baking sheet. Place tortilla on parchment paper and brush it with 1 Tbsp. oil. Spoon a portion of cooked beef onto tortilla and distribute evenly. Top with tomato pieces, basil and cheeses. │ 3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges of tortilla are lightly browned and cheese is melted. │ 4. While one tortilla is baking, repeat steps to make remaining three tortilla pizzas

with remaining ingredients. Garnish each pizza with crushed red pepper fl akes.

Beef & Basil Tortilla PizzaSubmitted by: Danika and Matea Gordon, Members, from WhitewoodSubmitted by: Danika and Matea Gordon, Members, from Whitewood

1 lb. lean ground beef │ 1/2 cup red onion, chopped │ 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed │ 4 fl our tortillas, 10 inch diameter

1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or quartered │ 4 Tbsp. thinly chopped fresh basil leaves

To celebrate Farmers Union’s Centennial, we will be releasing a cookbook and we’re calling on Farmers Union members to contribute.

Please send your favorite recipes to khofhenke@sdfu.org or submit them through our website www.sdfu.org. Each month we’ll select one recipe to feature in the Union Farmer’s Cook’s Corner.

Cook’s Corner

NEWS, EVENTS AND MORE ONLINE NOW!

www.SDFU.org

We wanted to thank you for the opportunity to join you all in Washington D.C. It was an excellent learning experience and showed us a lot of what Farmers Union does for us (small producers) on a daily basis!

Thanks again,Jason & Laura Ries

Thank you for the computer I won at Farmers Union Day at the State Fair. It will come in handy for school, especially for my brother.

Justin Buschenfeld, Toronto, SD

Thank You South Dakota Farmers Union

Thank you for awarding a NOOK at the South Dakota State Fair. My daughter Matea is so excited.

We appreciate all you do for the ag and 4-H community and your education efforts.

We attend the state fair each year with our meat goats and always enjoy the Farmer’s Share lunch that you sponsor.

Thank you again!Kindra Gordon and Matea

South Dakota Farmers Union would like to extend our deepest condolences

to the families and friends of those who have recently lost a loved one

Elsie Alvina Hoveyage 81, of Brookings, passed away

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Charles John Swensonage 86, of Woonsocket, passed away

Thursday, September 11, 2014

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OFFICIAL CONVENTION NOTICETo: All local and county unions of the South Dakota Farmers Union. Notice is hereby given that the

99th annual convention of the Farmers Union Educational and Cooperative Union of America, South Dakota Division will convene on Thursday, November 20, 2014, at the Ramkota Hotel & Convention Center in Aberdeen, South Dakota at 10 a.m.

Directors from Districts I, III, V and VII and delegates and alternates to the National Farmers Union Convention will be elected. Bylaw changes, if any, will also be voted upon and delegates will adopt a policy program. The convention will remain in session until disposition has been made of all business.

The South Dakota Farmers Union bylaws provide:“Each chartered county union in good standing shall be entitled to one delegate for ten dues-paying

members or major fraction thereof. Each county president, if not an elected delegate, shall be a delegate ex-officio to district and state conventions and shall have one vote therein.

“Each local shall have the right to district and state representation in the same ratio as prescribed by the county unions. Such nominees will be voted on at the county meeting prior to the district and state conventions. Local delegates will then become part of the county union’s slate of voting delegates.

“Credentials must be signed by the president and secretary of the county which such delegates represent and be forwarded to the State Office or delivered to the Convention Credentials Committee as soon as possible after arrival in the convention city.”

FARMERS EDUCATIONAL AND COOPERATIVE UNION OF AMERICA (SOUTH DAKOTA DIVISION)Doug Sombke, PresidentKarla Hofhenke, Secretary-Treasurer/Executive Director

Three South Dakotans Inducted into the 2014 Cooperative Hall of Fame

Recently, South Dakota Association of Cooperatives and the South Dakota Co-op Managers Association held their 15th annual joint convention Sept. 10 – 11, 2014, at the Crossroads Hotel in Huron. During this year’s convention, three men were recognized by being inducted into the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame. Those inductees were: Gene Kroell, John Van Beek and Harvey Wollman.

With a strong support and involvement with cooperative businesses, South Dakota Farmers Union would like to congratulate these three men on their recent induction into the 2014 South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame. Their long lasting devotion to cooperative businesses has not gone unnoticed. It is clear that their involvement throughout the years has made a significant impact on different cooperatives around the state.

Gene Kroell – Santel Communications Cooperative, WoonsocketGene Kroell, of Pierre, devoted 50 years of his life to serving the

telecommunications industry; 33 of those years were spent at Sanborn Telephone Cooperative in Woonsocket.

During his time at the co-op, Kroell had the opportunity to see it expand its service area, delve into the cable industry and form a subsidiary to address telephone needs of businesses. His time at Sanborn Telephone Cooperative allowed him to assist the company in adding sales of business telephone service, mobile phone service, dial-up Internet and the purchase of US West Exchange.

“For the communities served by our southeastern South Dakota cooperative,

he was a maverick in the way he led progression from multi-party telephone service to the state-of-the-art broadband service to each and every patron we serve,” wrote Kent Swenson, Santel Communications board president.

Not only was Kroell highly active in the telecommunications industry and involved with cooperative businesses, but he was also an active member of his community and state. He served on several state, regional and national boards and committees; as well as serving as a member of the city council for three years, followed by four years of service as the mayor of Woonsocket.

John Van Beek – Cam Wal Electric Cooperative, SelbySince 1976, John Van Beek, of Pollock, has been a director for Cam Wal

Electric Cooperative in Selby. With 38 years of service to date, he is the cooperative’s longest serving director. Van Beek served as the board president from 1984 to 2013.

Van Beek serves on the South Dakota Wind Energy Association board, representing SDREA and its member-owned cooperative, as well as serving on the Basin Electric Power Cooperative Bylaw Committee and Resolutions Committee.

With a devotion to cooperative businesses, Van Beek hasn’t forgotten about involvement in his local community. He is active in his church, the American Legion, the Pollock Housing Corporation, Gale Grazing Association and was past president of the Pollock Farmers Elevator.

Harvey Wollman – AMPI, New Ulm, Minn. Harvey Wollman, of Sioux Falls, has devoted 43 years to working for the dairy

farmer-owners of a leading milk-marketing cooperative in the state. Growing up on a dairy farm near Bridgewater ignited his passion for the industry.

Wollman was a field representative for Farmers Dairy and Produce Association in Freeman. Eventually, the Co-op merged with AMPI, of New Ulm, Minn., and he continued his service with the organization, devoting 40 years to the industry.

“Harvey Wollman has been ‘Mr. South Dakota’ in AMPI since the cooperative’s beginning,” wrote retired AMPI President and CEO, Mark Furth. “He has had a measurable impact on the dairy farmer-owners of AMPI and their milk-marketing cooperative.”

In addition to his devout dedication to the dairy industry, Wollman also saw the importance of being active in his community. He was a member of the Freeman Jaycees, served in his church and was on the Freeman Economic Development board of directors. ■ By Hilary Risner, SDFU Summer Intern

Hall of Fame inductees (L to R): Gene Kroell, John Van Beek and Harvey Wollman

4 October 2014

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South Dakota Farmers Union Members Meet with Secretary of AgricultureSecretary of

Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, began his conversation with National Farmers Union Fly-In participants on a complementary note. “Farmers Union is extraordinarily well led. Roger Johnson

(President of NFU) has been a strong

advocate and voice for America’s farmers and ranchers who live and work in communities across the United States,” Vilsack said, during his talk which launched the 2014 D.C. Fly-In.

Vilsack went on to tell the crowd that he regularly depends upon Johnson and the NFU team for “providing me and the team at the USDA with good solid advice. We consider him (Johnson) a friend and key to getting this farm bill done - and done well.”

Vilsack, himself a member of the Iowa Farmers Union, went on to discuss the current farm bill and other issues which Farmers Union has been actively involved in – Beef Check-off funds, recruiting young and beginning farmers and rail issues.

In his discussion of Check-off funds, he echoed South Dakota Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, in his frustration over the lack of cooperation and consensus among the group he formed to resolve the issue. “I was disappointed

that the issue was not resolved within the family,” Vilsack said. “Given the fact that no consensus was found, it leaves producers with one of two options. Continue doing what we are doing, or delegate the decision to me. If and when I exercise discretion, it will ultimately trigger producer involvement – they won’t get off the hook.”

On the topic of recruiting more young farmers and ranchers back to production agriculture, Vilsack said, “I hope you understand that I don’t shy away from tough decisions focused on beginning farmers. We need to get more young people within this business.”

He went on to discuss a new USDA website which highlights useful and informational tools for young and beginning farmers. “We are going to make a concerted effort to encourage the other half of America who are engaged in farming. We all know it’s a partnership, and that women are engaged directly in farming and ranching operations across America; they need to be more involved and engaged. We are sending a message to encourage more young people – male and female – to get involved.”

On the topic of rail issues, Vilsack said, “It is unconscionable that CP

Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack

EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy

(Canadian Pacifi c Railway) is not more responsive to the challenges in the Upper Midwest. We are deeply concerned with the record harvest and how we will move product.”

Following his comments, Vilsack took questions from the audience. He was very responsive and instructed a member of his staff to take down contact information of several members so that his offi ce could follow up on concerns directly.

Enhanced relationships focus of EPA Administrator’s talkIn her talk, EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy,

began by saying she “hopes to enhance relationships with farmers and ranchers.”

This message was welcomed by the 250-plus Farmers Union members in attendance when she addressed the crowd during the 2014 Fly-In, Sept. 8.

“I’ve been out and about trying to see how EPA can enhance the relationship it has with farmers and ranchers. It is interesting how words matter.”

McCarthy goes on to explain how when she talks about “climate change” she gets a much less responsive audience than when she talks about “changing climate.”

“I’m so grateful that we can talk about the words that matter. We all agree about the values we cherish and the families we are trying to protect. If we can get the words right that match our feelings – those common interests go a long way.”

She goes on to joke about how good Farmers Union looks for 112 years old. “You are still fi ghting all the good fi ghts, understanding who your friends are and how you can get what you need, as well as not underestimating your ability to win and survive. I want to hang out with you. I would like to be 112 someday and still out there fi ghting for the things that matter to me,” McCarthy said.

Her message of trying to better understand farmers and ranchers hit home when she said, “I know you have been living on the land for decades, if not for centuries. We (EPA) need to realize you’re not just another industry; you are tied to the land in a way that is personal and in a way that matters to you. That is why the words we write and use mean even more to the agriculture industry. We need to fi gure out how we can write our policies in ways that will convince you that we actually listen.”

Her discussion led directly to the Waters of the U.S. debate which concerns many Farmers Union members. She acknowledged that the language needs to be changed and was open for input. “I heard it. I’ll take it home. I’ll do better.”

As to the Renewable Fuels Standard, she made a promise not to change the ruling. “It’s fi nally getting to the point where all investments in renewable fuels and biofuels are paying off, and we will not see that backslide.” ■

October 5

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Farmers Union Members Reviewed Policy at the County Counselors Meeting On September 17, 2014, South Dakota Farmers

Union held its annual County Counselors meeting to discuss the 2014 SDFU Policy.

Members of the SDFU board, the elected County Counselors and many other SDFU members were in attendance. A number of different issues were discussed in the meeting, including a discussion on voluntary credit sales.

Protections for VCS abuse One SDFU member was concerned with

the lack of language in the policy addressing protections for VCS abuse. When the dust settled, an addition was made in the policy to support a grain pool protection fund that would be established to protect farmers from poor VCS practices. The new addition would look like this:

• We support grain pool protection fund.• Grain sales and voluntary credit sales would

be covered by the funds.Recruitment Another major topic of the day revolved

around efforts to encourage and promote beginning farmer opportunities in the state. This led to a long discussion in which all in attendance seemed to agree on the issue. The result of this discussion culminated in forming the largest addition to the policy. An entirely new section labeled Recruitment was added under the Beginning Farmer tagline that includes a statement that urges SDFU to establish programs that support and promote beginning farmer practices. The new section would read as follows:

Recruitment• We encourage SDFU to develop and

maintain a registry for aspiring farmers, as well as for established farmers who desire to pass their operation on to a beginning farmer.

• SDFU should develop an educational tool to highlight that there are also many opportunities in agriculture other than the predominant mega-crop and livestock farms and ranches of the state.

Taxation Probably the issue which received the most

discussion was one that took place after the policy discussion had been closed. This issue was taxation.

Specifically, it was the issue of taxation in regards to necessary upgrades to state infrastructure. It was noted that with the current conditions of roads and bridges, a large sum of additional funds, nearly $300 million over 10 years, will need to be generated.

It was apparent throughout the conversation that this issue was the most contentious. Nearly every member shared their position on the issue. Ultimately, it appeared a unanimous consensus would be difficult to attain. However, it was noted that with the difficult task at hand, it was vital for the organization to find common ground.

Moreover, in order to have a significant

influence, SDFU would need to remain un-splintered. When the meeting concluded, the take away was one chalked full of optimism. Participation in the policy process is crucial to any organization and was certainly not in short supply that day.

Note to members: It is important to note that no proposals made are final at this point. The policy in its current form will be accepted or rejected during the annual SDFU Convention Nov. 20-21 in Aberdeen. ■ By Matt Sibley, Membership Advocacy Specialist, SDFU

National Farmers Union Awards Sen. Tim Johnson with Golden Triangle AwardSouth Dakota Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, presented Sen. Tim

Johnson with the Golden Triangle Award on behalf of National Farmers Union (NFU) during the NFU Fly-In held in D.C. Sept. 8-10, 2014.

“It is truly an honor to recognize Sen. Johnson for his leadership and support of policies that benefit America’s family farmers and ranchers,” Sombke said. “This is not the first time Sen. Johnson has been recognized by National Farmers Union with this award, but since he is retiring, sadly, it will be the last.”

Sombke presented the award to Sen. Johnson before a group of about 20 South Dakota Farmers Union members who attended the three-day Fly-In and represent South Dakota family farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses.

The Golden Triangle Award is the National Farmers Union’s highest legislative honor. The annual award is presented to members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership and support policies that benefit America’s family farmers, ranchers, fishermen and rural communities.

“Recipients of the Golden Triangle Award have been strong advocates for family farmers and ranchers and support similar principles and policies as Farmers Union,” said Roger Johnson, NFU President. “We are pleased to honor those who have proven to be true allies of our organization and our members across the country.”

This year’s Golden Triangle recipients were selected for their leadership on a variety of issues, including votes on the farm bill and related amendments. The awards were presented at a reception during NFU’s Annual Legislative Fly-In.

The Golden Triangle Award is based on NFU’s symbol – a triangle with “legislation” and “cooperation” forming the sides and “education”, the base. The Golden Triangle Awards have been presented to legislators since 1988. ■

Election of Officers was held September 17, 2014 for the 2015 County Counselors Committee. (L to R) President Gail Temple, Vice President DuWayne Bosse and Secretary Sandee Gittings, were all re-elected to their respective positions.

6 October 2014

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Among those in attendance were more than 20 South Dakota Farmers Union members. These South Dakota farmers, ranchers and agri-business people dedicated five days away from their work and families to visit with members of Congress and their staffers about issues important to and currently impacting family farmers and ranchers.

“The biggest benefit to attending this Fly-In is the opportunity it gave us to let our voices be heard. We know that the things that impact us every day are voted on here,” explained S.D. Farmers Union member, Laura Ries.

And heard we were. Whether it was during a Farmers Union

members only Q & A with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Gina McCarthy, Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in sit down meetings with Congressional representatives and staffers from across the U.S. or in an exclusive White House meeting with members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, the policies and issues near and dear to family farmers and the future of South Dakota’s agriculture industry were discussed with candor throughout the Fly-In.

The four issues and messages delivered in all meetings, based on Farmers Union Policy, voted on by its membership, included:

1. Do not change COOL;2. Oppose legislative changes to lower the

Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS);3. Do not support TPP (Trans-Pacific

Partnership) in its current form; and4. Rail Issues in the Midwest – the status quo is

unacceptable.Laura and her husband, Jason, were among seven

South Dakota Farmers Union members invited to attend the exclusive Farmers Union White House meeting that included about 100 Fly-In members sitting around a large oval table with members from the Senate and House Agriculture Committees.

“With just one voice of a small producer, I don’t

get heard. But, as part of this big group, I realized we really do have a voice,” Jason said.

New to Farmers Union, this was Jason and Laura’s first time in D.C. A fifth-generation farmer, Jason operates a dairy and cow/calf herd with his two brothers, Todd and Deric, near Watertown.

Along with the opportunity to visit with decision makers, Wessington Springs cow/calf producers, Scott and Amber Kolousek, were impressed by the respect Farmers Union members received on each visit. “I didn’t realize how much clout we had until the Secretary of Agriculture stood up and said he was a member of Iowa Farmers Union and thanked the organization for what we do. I was very impressed with the connections Farmers Union has in D.C.,” said Scott, a fifth generation farmer, who along with cattle, raises corn, wheat and oats.

His wife, Amber, agreed. “This entire experience was eye-opening. I enjoyed seeing where the rules are made and getting to meet with the people who make them – really this Fly-In gave me the opportunity to put faces to the process.”

The experiences described by the Ries and Kolouseks brought back many memories to Wayne Soren. Having attended more than 15 Fly-Ins throughout his years as a Farmers Union member, Soren said it was during his first Fly-In, almost 20 years ago, that he became fully committed to the organization he now serves as Vice President. “Our state Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, and I were the young farmers back then. This Fly-In shows Farmers Union members the power we have as an organization,” Soren said. “Looking out across the crowd of Farmers Union members from across the nation who took the time to attend, it looked like South Dakota had the most diverse crowd. South Dakota’s agriculture community was well represented in this group – we had all ages and men, as well as women, turned out to stand up for South Dakota’s agriculture future.”

Seeing young farmers step up and participate in

Adam Schindler: A sixth-generation Reliance cattle and crop producer. “It was good to see how pro;active NFU is.”

Jessi & Kasey Keller: Farmers Union Insurance representative from Rapid City. “Interesting to see how this all works.”

Joel Keierleber: Colome livestock, grain and hay farmer and District IV President. “It’s important that we as farmers make the time to meet with our Congressional representatives because we live the problems they are trying to solve, and most of the time they listen to us.”

Wayne Soren: Farms and raises livestock near Lake Preston and is SDFU Vice President. “I think we are a believable group because we are here to tell our personal stories of what is going on in our country. We are the ones living it. We aren’t paid to be here. We are taking time out of our work at home to be here and tell them our story.”

Amber & Scott Kolousek: Wessington Springs cow/calf producers. “This entire experience was worth the time we took away from our family and work – just the level of people we had the opportunity to visit with was impressive.”

Chris Nemec: From Holabird and a member of the NFU NYAC. “It was cool to hear from the Administrator of the EPA. She had valid points and was very polite; a different person than I expected.”

South Dakota Farmers Union Members Head to Washington D.C. to Tell Their Stories(Continued from page 1)

October 2014 7

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the Fly-In was also encouraging to Joel Keierleber, a third generation Colome livestock, grain and hay farmer and District IV President. “Not enough young farmers take the time to get involved; and, in reality, this is their future we are dealing with now. Our future is pretty well passed. They are the ones whose future we need to work for today,” Keierleber said.

Because South Dakota Farmers Union members had the opportunity to meet with leaders from states in addition to South Dakota, Keierleber said the Fly-In also provided a great opportunity to share urgent issues facing Midwestern agriculture producers with individuals who, even though they were unfamiliar with the issue, still cast votes which matter.

“I was surprised by the fact that we brought up issues that many people we talked with had no idea about – like the rail issues we are dealing with in the Midwest. I don’t think anyone we talked with outside of our state had a true handle on how serious this issue is,” Keierleber said.

The rail issue hits close to home for many farmers with harvest around the corner and much of 2013’s crop still waiting to ship at the local elevator due to limited access to rail cars. Limited access to rail is all too familiar to Ben Hetzel who works as grain Terminal Manager for a cooperative in northwest South Dakota.

When the group visited with Sen. John Thune, Hetzel shared, “The issue is multi-faceted which needs a long term solution. The problem we see is the fact that solutions lessen the pressure for the short term, but they are not long term solutions. They fix a problem for today, but as they fix one problem, there are already two more problems developing.”

During this same meeting, SDFU President Doug Sombke voiced a similar concern to Thune. “We appreciate what you are doing, but I don’t think it goes far enough … I don’t think everything needs to be regulated, but in a case like this where we are a captive market, we do need government to help

us,” Sombke said.Thune responded, “There is a hearing on this

issue tomorrow. Left to their own devices they (railroads) will maximize their profit. If they don’t make grain a priority, then all the cars will go up to the Bakken.”

Before the meeting wrapped up, Sombke thanked Thune for his work on COOL. “We can’t stress enough our appreciation for your position.”

One of the last items of business the South Dakota Farmers Union delegation took care of before heading home, was to award Sen. Tim Johnson with the Golden Triangle Award. “Tim, I’m proud, on behalf of National Farmers Union, to give you the Golden Triangle Award, the most prestigious award our organization awards, to thank you for voting on our behalf. This is not the first time you have received this award, but unfortunately, it is the last,” said Sombke with much emotion.

Johnson was among 40 members of Congress to receive the organization’s highest legislative honor. The annual award is presented to members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership and support policies that benefit America’s family farmers, ranchers, fishermen and rural communities.

“Recipients of the Golden Triangle Award have been strong advocates for family farmers and ranchers and support similar principles and policies as Farmers Union,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We are pleased to honor those who have proven to be true allies of our organization and our members across the country.”

The Golden Triangle Award is based on NFU’s symbol – a triangle with “legislation” and “cooperation” forming the sides and “education”, the base. The Golden Triangle Awards have been presented to legislators since 1988.

Because the South Dakota delegation flew in on Saturday Sept. 6, Fly-In participants had a day to explore our Nation’s Capitol. If you are interested in participating in the 2015 Fly-In, Sept. 7-9, please contact Karla Hofhenke, 605-352-6761 ext. 114 or khofhenke@sdfu.org. ■ By Lura Roti, for SDFU

Jacob, 11, & Ben Hetzel: A grain terminal Manager for a cooperative in northwest South Dakota. “What a great opportunity for my son to learn about U.S. history and see the process in action.”

Larry Birgen: Farms near Beresford and has been attending Fly-Ins off and on since 1994. “It’s the best way you get your voice heard other than calling your Senator up on the phone.”

Laura & Jason Ries: Dairy and beef producers from Watertown. “Until this experience, I didn’t realize what NFU does on a day-to-day basis to get our message across.”

Terry Sestak: Farms and raises feeder cattle near Tabor and is District I President. “This is what Farmers Union is about. We get involved taking our issues to those who make decisions. We are the voice of farmers, ranchers and small communities for rural America.”

Troy Hunhoff: A fourth generation farmer from Yankton, a student at SDSU majoring in Agriculture Systems Technology and is participating in NFU Beginning Farmers Institute. “I was impressed by how the entire process takes place. This is a great organization. Through this Fly-In experience, I realized how close the Farmers Union philosophy matches my own.”

Dayton Trujillo: From De Smet and a member of the NFU NYAC. “The issues they are discussing are the same issues I come in contact with because of my farm background. I can really relate to what is going on here.”

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Devastating Winter Storm Atlas: One Year LaterNearly a year after the blizzard Atlas hammered

western South Dakota, ranchers continue to work on rebuilding their herds.

While official numbers from USDA’s Farm Service Agency will not be ready until after the first of the year, the state veterinarian’s office gathered and verified numbers from the time the blizzard hit Oct. 4 through January 2014.

Jim O’Dea, who ranches near Howes, S.D., with his wife, Vonnie, says they lost 80 cows and 60 calves. Their herd consists of about 300 commercial cows.

“We usually sell all of our calves in the fall, but last year we kept all of our heifers because we lost a bunch of cows, so we’re trying to build our cow herd back,” O’Dea says.

Union Center, S.D., ranchers Dallis and Tammy Basel run a commercial and registered Red Angus herd along with 500 head of sheep. They did not lose many sheep since they were up close to the barn. They lost about 25 percent of their cow herd and 5 percent of the calf herd.

Both Basel and O’Dea reported their losses to the state and FSA. State veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven says his office collected livestock loss numbers, partly because the federal government was shut down at the time of the blizzard, and there was a need for a centralized point of reporting death loss to measure the impact of the storm.

Oedekoven says their reports show a loss of 21,980 cattle; 1,082 sheep; 299 horses; 40 bison; one goat and one llama.

“Those were voluntary reports of death loss; certainly not a complete number by any means. We did take some effort to ensure those numbers were accurate,” Oedekoven says. “We asked several questions to try and verify those numbers the best

we could without physically going on-site.”Since FSA has not released any official numbers,

Oedekoven and others feel it is too soon to talk about the economic impact.

At the time of the blizzard, most cattle were out on pasture. Rain came before the blizzard started. Basel took the heaviest loss of his herd on the gumbo land west of Union Center. Cattle that were up a ridge north of Union Center survived. The cattle that drifted with the storm ended up in deep draws and were covered by snow.

Livestock losses varied throughout western South Dakota. O’Dea says one of his neighbors lost two head while another lost about 40.

After the dead stock were buried in pits in pastures across the affected area, ranchers had a lot of work to do. O’Dea and Basel both kept all of their heifer calves to replace the cows they lost in the storm.

“We’re getting by. It’s just going to take some time to build back up. The cow business is awful slow getting production back,” O’Dea says.

“In our situation we normally sell quite a few bred heifers and we just ended up keeping all of our heifers that were normally sold,” Basel says. “We ended up calving more heifers, which was something maybe we didn’t have the facility for, but we went ahead and calved more heifers than we normally would. It got our numbers back up but we also lost the income we would have gotten from selling them.”

Ranchers in western South Dakota were fortunate to have a good summer. Rain came in June and grew a lot of grass in the pastures. O’Dea says they put up more hay on their place than ever before. Basel says they probably put up a two years’ supply of hay this year.

As the anniversary of the blizzard approaches, cool temperatures and the possibility of snow in the Black Hills keeps ranchers’ thoughts on

Courtesy of SD Stockgrowers Association

Courtesy of SD Stockgrowers Association

whether it could happen again.“They’ve got snow as a possibility this week. It

makes you wonder if we’re going to have it all over again,” Basel says. “It should be a once in a lifetime event.”

Even with the threat of snow, O’Dea and Basel says ranchers are moving on. O’Dea feels optimistic because cattle prices are so good right now.

“I guess you’ve just got to move on. I know we’ve been through some bad storms before, but nothing like this. This is the worst I’ve even heard of in my lifetime; but you’ve just got to work through these things. Hopefully you can stay financially strong to do it,” O’Dea says. ■ By Wendy Sweeter, for SDFU

To donate online go to: www.sdfu.orgor mail to: SD Farmers Union, PO Box 1388, Huron SD 57350

Dallis and Tammy Basel, Union Center, S.D.

October 2014 9

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Q: Tell us about your farm and how you got started?A: I’m a third-generation farmer. I raise corn,

soybeans and wheat and operate a cow/calf herd near Lake Preston.

The way I got into farming is different than most because I didn’t grow up on a farm. My dad is a civil engineer who grew up on the farm where I now live.

I grew up in Denver and the Kansas City area, but spent some of my summers as a youth on my Grandpa Chester’s farm. When I was in high school, my grandpa had a heart attack; he knew he would not be able to continue farming, but didn’t want to sell in case one of his grandsons was interested. He called my dad, and my dad sat us boys down and asked us if we were interested. I said I was. So, my grandpa held on to the farm for 10 years - leasing the land to neighbors - until I was ready to start.

It was 1980 when my wife, Vicki, and I moved to South Dakota. Grandpa Chester helped me get started because I could not get an FHA loan since I didn’t grow up on a farm. If it wasn’t for him, my life would have been completely different. There are many days when I think of him and hope he is looking down with a smile as he sees what we’ve done here on the farm.

As all farmers my age will attest, we went through some really tough times – even with my grandpa’s help. I did whatever I could to bring in extra income and I learned a lot. Basically, when farming is easy, you don’t learn much about what you have to do to make it. I learned a lot from those challenges.

Q: What do you see for the future of your family’s farm?A: At this point, it is unclear if one of my sons

will come back to farm full-time or not. Both of my sons have careers off the farm; however, my oldest does come home each spring to help. I always think that once they have children of their own and realize what a great place Lake Preston is to raise a family, maybe one of them will be interested in taking it over.

Q: How did you get involved in Farmers Union? A: Dallas Tonsager and Dick Pastian encouraged

me to get involved. It was during the state convention that I was hooked. I discovered that the Farmers Union philosophy and policy aligned with my own.

Growing up, I always had thoughts of becoming involved in politics; perhaps becoming a legislator. Then, I realized that it wouldn’t work for me because of the time commitment – which for me and my

operation was too much. However, through my involvement in Farmers Union, serving on County Counselors, as a District President and now as State Vice President, I realize that I can be involved in policy development and make a positive difference for South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers.

Q: Since we’re visiting during the 2014

Farmers Union Fly-In, tell us why you see Fly-Ins as a valuable event for members to participate in?A: I’m very encouraged by the number of young

farmers and agri-business people who took time away from their farming operations and businesses to participate in this year’s Fly-In. We need young producers here to learn how the process works and understand how they can be infl uential in D.C. policy just by showing up.

I know that many young people look at D.C. and just see how fl awed and dysfunctional it is. However, through this Fly-In they can actually see how showing up as a group to present issues that impact us as a collective group and can make a positive difference for our state and its agriculture industry.

This Fly-in will be number 15 for me.I am still impressed at the way that Congressmen

and their staffers take the time to listen to us because we are the individuals who are actually doing the work and have the calluses on our hands to prove it.

Q: What issues are you watching closely?A: COOL and the current rail issues are very

close to my heart. When you look at the current state of the rail system and the anticipated big harvest that will be unloaded at elevators across the Midwest, while there are still all the bushels waiting to be shipped to market, the rail issue seems urgent at this point.

It was eye opening to me how many folks in D.C. didn’t even know about the rail issues facing those of us in the Midwest. Another reason why the Farmers Union Fly-In is so important – we don’t just meet with our representatives, we share the issues impacting South Dakota’s farmers with Congressional leaders and their staffers from other states as well. ■

As a grassroots farm/ranch organization, Farmers Union relies heavily on our board members for guidance and insight. So you can get to know this team of leaders, each issue of Union Farmer will be featuring one of our board members.

Getting to know Board Member: Wayne Soren

Wayne Soren, Vice President

Rail Issues Frustrate Farmers, Elevators & SDFU Leadership

“What’s a guy have to do to get a train around here?” That’s the question running its way down Midwest railroad tracks.

Harvest will soon be in full swing, and with predictions of a record crop year compounded by limited storage – without rail cars showing up to load, where will all the grain go?

Rail issues are becoming more prevalent daily and producers are exhausting every possible option, even storing crops on the ground.

With rail delays growing daily, one would only expect the rail industry is struggling fi nancially. One could not be more wrong. The rail industry is raking in record profi ts while simultaneously creating record problems.

From the outside, it appears that the rail industry, in the preference of big oil, has taken captive the industry of agriculture and many others.

With the present monopoly in the Midwest, isn’t there an entity of oversight that can establish a system of fairness? What can be done to eliminate the signifi cant backlog that exists today? South Dakota Farmers Union looked to get

the answers to these questions and more during a closed door meeting with the members of the Surface Transportation Board on September 8, 2014, while we were in Washington, D.C. for the National Farmers Union Fly-In.

I attended the meeting, along with our President, Doug Sombke. Representatives of North Dakota, Montana and Minnesota Farmers Union were also in attendance.

Unfortunately, the message from this meeting was far from optimistic and the answers to important questions were lacking, if not non-existent.

Testimony SharedThe members of the STB listened as

representatives from these four groups shared horror stories they have experienced from the rail industry backlog.

North Dakota Farmers Union President, Mark see Rail Issues on page 10

10 October 2014

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Watne, explained that North Dakota had already seen a loss of $92 million due to backlog. At this rate, Watne said North Dakota farmers could see a combined loss of $165 million by next year.

Montana Farmers Union President, Alan Merrill, stated that farmers in Montana had already begun to store this year’s wheat on the ground due to lack of storage brought on by the rail inefficiencies. He even showed photos of grizzly bears helping themselves to grain stored on the ground.

South Dakota Farmers Union President, Doug Sombke, shared that coal shipments have been impacted and are delayed, with some coal-powered plants down to only one month’s supply. In response to these testimonies, President Sombke posed a question to the STB asking what the rail industry’s 10-year plan is to account for these issues?

None of the STB members were able to adequately answer this question. In an attempt to respond, it was stated that BNSF Railway planned to invest

$5 billion in its own efforts. However, the details on how that $5 billion would be spent, and whether agriculture would be a beneficiary of the investment, were unknown.

Based on current conditions, one would expect the investment is not meant to relieve agricultural burdens, but rather is a response to the exponential growth of the oil industry in the Upper Midwest. Moreover, the STB was also unable to account for the lack of action being taken by Canadian Pacific (CP).

With the seriousness of the issue well established, the STB was asked what tools, if any, they have in place to correct the problem in the Midwest. It was clear from the STB members’ responses that the STB war chest is very limited.

The one, and seemingly only, tool currently available to the STB was the power of Emergency Order. The STB board was then asked what qualifies as an emergency order in concurrence with the power of Emergency Order. Again, the answer was ambiguous. However, what was made clear was that

Agricultural Act of 2014 Questions and Answers from Recent Meetings Across the StateDuring the months of August and September,

South Dakota Farmers Union traveled across the state and teamed up with local Farm Service Agencies to hold meetings in 17 different counties concerning the 2014 Farm Bill.

We invested in these meetings because we are not alone in feeling that this Farm Bill is a very complex piece of legislation - with 959 pages and a cost nearly equaling the number of pages at $956.4 billion.

While the meetings were well received, the complexity of the bill generated a number of questions. So, in order to clear up some of the confusion, I have put together a Q and A based on the most commonly asked questions we heard from producers during these farm bill meetings.

Question: Will I still be able to sign up for my current programs?A: No, the old programs (Direct Payments,

Countercyclical Payments and the Average Crop Revenue Election) have all been repealed and replaced with Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage: County and Agricultural Risk Coverage: Individual.

Question: Can I update my base acres; if so, how?A: Yes. However, you do not get to decide how

the STB believed that the current issues facing the agricultural industry and many other industries would not qualify as an emergency.

Yet, the Emergency Response Capabilities outlined on stb.dot.gov seemingly paint a different picture. According to the site, “The Surface Transportation Board has broad authority under its governing statute to issue emergency service orders to address serious disruptions to rail freight service. Under 49 U.S.C. 11123, the Board can respond quickly to transportation emergencies, acting on its own initiative or upon request. The Board’s emergency powers can be used in appropriate situations to address serious rail service disruptions, whether they result from damage to rail tracks and facilities, from serious congestion of the rail network or from the inability of a carrier to meet its transportation obligations for whatever reason.”

It is unclear how the issue at hand would not fall under the umbrella of this statute.

While the common theme at the meeting was pessimistic ambiguity, there was reason for optimism in the Senate. Senator John Thune and Senator Jay Rockefeller proposed a bill to address

inefficiencies within the STB that may help alleviate the issue in the Midwest. However, concerns have been voiced that while the Bill has promising intentions, the legislation does not do enough to hold the rail industry accountable.

Specifically, the Bill does not provide any mechanisms to levy fines for inadequate operations or delays in service.

Overall, the message coming out of Washington is not only one of ambiguity, but is one that lacks empathy and overlooks the severity of the conditions being faced in the Midwest.

Our President and SDFU state staff will keep our members posted on any updates, as well as any actions we can take to improve rail conditions. ■ By Matt Sibley, Membership Advocacy Specialist, SDFU

you want to reallocate your bases. The reallocation is based on planted and considered planted crop history from 2009-2012. The reallocation process is a simple yes or no. Basically, do you want to reallocate base acres based on what you have planted from 2009-2012 or do you want to leave your base acres where they are now?

Question: Can I update my yields; if so, how?A: Yes, you can update your yields. Farmers are

offered a one-time option to update payment yields. These yields will be based off of 2008-2012 average yields. In the case of a poor yield year, that year will be replaced by a 75 percent yield plug that is based on count yields. Ninety percent of that average will then become the payment yield.

Keep in mind that some farmers may benefit from updating payment yields, but others may not. Make sure you know what the results will be before the decision is made.

Question: Who decides what program to sign up for?A: The landlord and tenant must agree when they

sign up for the program. If tenants were to change during the duration of the program, the land will remain in the original program that was selected.

Question: What happens if the landlord and tenants do not agree?A: If parties do not agree, the farm will be enrolled

in PLC as a default and will not receive program payments for 2014.

Question: Do I have to be conservation compliant in order to receive benefits?A: Yes, you must have a valid 1026 on file in order

to qualify for the 2014 Farm Bill programs.Question: Concerning the price guarantee in ARC, what is an Olympic Average?A: The five most recent years of Marketing Year

Average prices are used to set the guarantee. Within those five years, the two extremes (the highest and lowest) are taken out of the equation leaving the other three years to be averaged. For example, if the last five years looked like this ($6, $4.50, $4, $6.50, $5), you would drop $6.50 and $4 as they were the highest and lowest, and you would average $6, $5, $4.50 to get $5.17 as an Olympic Average.

If you have more questions, please give me a call anytime, 605-350-8410 or 352-6761 ext. 122 or send me an e-mail, msibley@sdfu.org. ■ By Matt Sibley, Membership Advocacy Specialist, SDFU

(Continued from page 9)Rail Issues Frustrate Farmers, Elevators & Farmers Union Leadership

October 2014 11

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Roger JohnsonNational Farmers Union President

Congress was in town for only a few short weeks before taking another recess for campaign season in October. Senate Resolution 544 - designating the year of 2014 as the “International Year of Family Farming” - was passed.

Also on the agenda were a number of issues important to family farmers, issues such as opposing any legislative changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and rejecting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) fl awed proposal for 2014 blending targets; stopping any effort to undermine Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL); bringing attention to rail issues in the Midwest; and ensuring the Trade-Pacifi c Partnership (TPP) between the U.S. and 11 countries in the Asia-Pacifi c region is not supported in its current form.

Farmers Union members traveled from across the country to address these concerns with their members of Congress, and White House, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and EPA offi cials at the Annual Fall Fly-in.

International Year of Family FarmingA Senate Resolution designating 2014 as the

“International Year of Family Farming” was passed in September, recognizing the important contribution of family farming in food security, economic and social well-being of the United States and around the world. The resolution also recognizes the importance of raising the profi le of family farming by seeking to focus worldwide attention on the signifi cant role family farming plays in alleviating hunger, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development in rural areas.

NYAC Travels to Washington, D.C.Six young adults from across the country

took part in fi ve days of congressional visits, USDA, White House, and Capitol Hill briefi ngs, presentations, and Washington, D.C. tours as a part of the 2014/2015 National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC) program.

Participants learned public speaking 101, met with NFU President Roger Johnson, and NFU Vice President of Government Relations, Chandler Goule, took part in events of NFU’s Annual Fall Fly-In, dined at restaurants with ongoing commitments to supporting family farmers and even took a Smithsonian segway tour!

BFI Holds First Session The fourth class of the NFU Beginning Farmer

Institute (BFI) was held in Washington, D.C., in September, where the new students took part in the institute’s fi rst session. Participants learned about USDA programs, risk management, bookkeeping, how to discuss a business plan with a

lender and lesser-known opportunities to generate farm income and keep production costs in line. Those in the fourth class are Nicole Vojtech of Ohio; Tracey Zink of Nebraska; Courtney Krueger of North Dakota; Chris Holman and Kriss Marion of Wisconsin; Harrison Topp of Colorado; Glen Hughes of Indiana; Erin Bailey of Washington; Rick Duvall of Illinois; Chelsea Kruse of New Hampshire; Troy Hunoff of South Dakota; Nicholas Levendofsky, Matt and Leah Ubel of Kansas.

The second BFI session will take place Nov. 6-9, 2014, in Minnesota. It will focus on local foods, cooperatives and farm tours.

Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL)USDA’s COOL rules, which require products

to be labeled with information about where the meat was “born, raised and harvested,” signifi cantly improve the information available to consumers by reducing confusion about the origins of meat products. It also provides ranchers the opportunity to differentiate their products.

According to a May 2013 public opinion poll, more than 90 percent of consumers support COOL. And farmers and ranchers, who raise this nation’s livestock and fresh vegetables, love COOL as well, because they’re rightfully proud of what they produce. They want to have their names, in the form of a COOL label, on their products.

Since its passage, COOL has been under full frontal assault both domestically and abroad in an attempt to have the law thrown out in the U.S. courts or by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The multinational meat industry has sued USDA and had their case tossed out three times. But with the deep pockets of the multinational meat barons, the sky is the limit on how many more

times they might take a shot at the appeal process.We are now awaiting an October ruling from the

WTO on COOL’s compliance with international trade agreements. After the ruling, there is a 60-day window for an appeal before the WTO issues a fi nal, binding ruling. NFU contends that U.S. trade negotiators should pursue all options available to ensure that COOL remains in effect, and that there will likely be fl exibility in whatever fi ndings the WTO announces. Even if the WTO rules partially against the United States in this case, there are still more avenues for trade offi cials to explore to preserve basic consumer-right-to-know labels like COOL.

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)The fate of the RFS remains in limbo. Last

November, EPA proposed to reduce the 2014 blending targets for the RFS. Yet, observers are still waiting on the Obama administration to fi nalize targets that were supposed to be completed in June. It is NFU’s hope that the delay is due to EPA working to get the numbers right, as it has been painful for both the oil and ethanol industries; making planning diffi cult and attracting new investment virtually impossible. Ethanol and the RFS benefi t farmers, consumers, the economy, our nation’s energy security and the environment.

The RFS creates competition in our nation’s transportation fuel sector by ensuring access to cheaper, clean, low-carbon alternatives to oil, and creating choice for consumers at the pump. It also creates $184.5 billion of economic impact and supports up to 852,056 jobs nationwide. Finally, it reduces dependence on foreign oil and cuts greenhouse gas emissions. ■ Provided by National Farmers Union

Join the

today!Each year more than 3,000 rural youth and adults participate in Farmers Union

education programs. To help fund those programs, South Dakota Farmers Union recently launched the 365 Club. A fundraising campaign for the Farmers Union

Foundation Endowment, by donating only $1-a-day, anyone can invest in tomorrow’s leaders. To help build momentum, the South Dakota Farmers Union

Board of Directors will be matching the first 100 contributors that pledge $365!

Programs funded through the South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation

• Youth Leadership Camps• Youth Leadership Achievement• “Team Up for Safety” Quiz Bowl

• Young Producers Group• Rural Economic and Leadership

Development (REAL)• Junior Rural Economic and Leadership

Development (Jr. REAL)

YES! I want to contribute towards the education and leadership development across our state!

Full Name: ___________________________

Address: _____________________________

City:_________________________________

State: ____ Zip:_______ Phone: __________Please enclose a check for $365 with this complete form and mail to:

SD Farmers Union FoundationP.O. Box 1388

Huron, SD 57350

“Insuring a Brighter Tomorrow” Scholarship Recipients

SD Farmers Union Donates $25,000 for New 4-H Building on State Fair Grounds

South Dakota Farmers Union affi rms its commitment to youth and agriculture through a $25,000 donation to the South Dakota State Fair Foundation for the construction of the new 4-H complex on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds in Huron.

“Youth leaders who have a strong understanding of our state’s agriculture industry are the future. With their support, agriculture will remain our state’s number one industry and succeed for generations to come,” said Doug Sombke, during the Aug. 30, 2014 check presentation made on the Northwestern Stage during Farmers Union Day at the State Fair.

Sombke went on to explain that the almost 9,000 South Dakota youth who participate in 4-H programming gain hands-on leadership and life skills, participate in community service activities and develop an understanding of South Dakota’s agriculture industry. “Whether they live in a rural or urban community, 4-H exposes our kids to service and life skills which help them develop into citizens we can all be proud of. Farmers Union is proud to support the 4-H organization in this way,” Sombke said.

The $25,000 will go toward the construction of the new 44,000-square-foot Earl Nordby Center for 4-H Youth and Community which replaces the footprint of Clover Hall which was torn down in 2013 due to structural issues.

“This contribution means that we will be able to continue the 4-H program here at the state fairgrounds. This is the state championship for 4-H and 4-H activities - having a new facility for 4-H to display their exhibits and host special competitions and performing arts presentations will mean a lot to 4-H statewide,” said Jerome Hertel, State Fair Manager.

Peter Nielson, SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Director, adds, “The dedication and belief in the 4-H program that is represented by the dollars given by individuals and organizations like Farmers Union makes the 4-H program more viable and relevant, as we strive for better youth development programs across the state.”

Farmers Union supports rural youth through a number of leadership programs throughout the year and 57 camps each summer. During Farmers Union Day at the State Fair, Farmers Union gave away more than $25,000 in scholarships to South Dakota students pursuing post secondary education.

“Providing youth with quality education is one of the best ways we can support them and the future of our rural communities,” Sombke explained. “It’s our hope that some of these youth return to their hometowns with degree in hand to start their careers, either on the farm or ranch or in another local business.” ■

State Fair Farmers Union Quiz Bowl Championship Encourages Youth to Think About Farm & Ranch Safety

The FFA chapter from Viborg-Hurley High School was the top scoring team during the fi fth annual Team up to Safety Quiz Bowl Championship held August 30, 2014, during the South Dakota State Fair in Huron.

Hosted by State Fair Premiere Sponsor, South Dakota Farmers Union, the quiz bowl was held as part of South Dakota Farmers Union Day at the state fair.

“The quiz bowl is a fun way for high school students to learn about safety on the farm or ranch,” said Doug Sombke, South Dakota Farmers Union President, of the competition that asks FFA members questions on farm and ranch safety.

“We hope the information they learn during the quiz bowl will prepare them if they are ever faced with an emergency situation or if they’re working with livestock or doing any other potentially dangerous job on the farm,” Sombke said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 million youth under the age of 20 live on farms in the U.S.

see Quiz Bowl on page 14

Gary Sharp, S.D. State Fair Commissioner, Pam Geppert, South Dakota State Fair Commissioner, Doug Sombke, SDFU President and Wayne Soren, SDFU Vice President

October 2014 13www.sdfu.org Union Farmer

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14 October 2014 www.sdfu.orgUnion Farmer

LUCKY

WINNERS

Justin Buschenfeld, Toronto, won the laptop from SDFU Day (Left); Elly Hohn, Parkston, won the Kindle from SDFU Day (Right); Matea Gordon, Whitewood, won the Nook from the Booth Kids drawing (Not Pictured); Bea Leitheiser, Emery, won the sign from the Booth Adult drawing (Not Pictured)

Over half of them do farm-related work. Sombke points out that agriculture is often

listed among the most dangerous occupations in America. Because of the large machinery they work with, along with chemical hazards, unpredictable livestock and enclosed spaces like grain bins that hold thousands of pounds of grain, farm workers face many risks.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that in 2010 the injury rate for agricultural workers was over 20 percent higher than the rate for all other workers. The department reported that 440 farm

Viborg-Hurley FFA Chapter (L to R) Dakota Flint, Abby Hora, Derek Hight and Tony Goergen

Howard FFA Chapter (L to R) Brandon Schwader, Brandon Jacobson, Gunner Gilbertson and Carter Schwader

Clark FFA Chapter (L to R) Gus Carlson, Jay Foster, Kayla Hemmingson and Kathryn Paulson

Wolsey/Wessington FFA Chapter (L to R) Caleb Brandt, Hunter Johnson, John Hamilton and Ryne Johnson

Quiz Bowl: “Team Up For Safety” Championship Encourages Farm & Ranch Safety(Continued from page 13)

workers died from work-related injuries in 2009 alone.

“The risks are real, especially for young people on the farm or ranch,” Sombke said. “Part of Farmers Union’s mission is to educate young people about agriculture and farm safety is a very important part of that.”

Viborg-Hurley competed against the following FFA Chapters: Clark, Wolsey-Wessington and Howard. The four teams qualifi ed for the State Fair Championship during the Quiz Bowl competition Farmers Union hosted during the South Dakota State FFA Convention held in Brookings this April.

Howard placed second. This quiz bowl is one of many youth activities

Farmers Union hosts throughout the state. Farmers Union funds several leadership-focused activities

designed specifi cally to provide rural youth, ages 6 through 18, with leadership and life skills as well as insight into South Dakota’s number one industry of agriculture. ■

Union Farmer

October 2014 15www.sdfu.org Union Farmer

SDFU Foundation $500 Scholarship

Applications Due Dec. 1South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation

will be awarding three $500 scholarships to young people who commit to attending a South Dakota college, university or technical school; and are children of parents who are current dues-paying members of South Dakota Farmers Union.

Scholarships are available to high school seniors or freshmen currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution in South Dakota.

“South Dakota Farmers Union is all about building South Dakota’s rural communities. We invest so much in rural youth from the time they are in early elementary school and old enough to attend District Day Camps. This scholarship is a natural fi t with our philosophy to support young people and rural communities across South Dakota,” said Bonnie Geyer, South Dakota Farmers Union Education Director.

Deadline is Dec. 1, 2014To apply for the 2015 scholarships, students

need to turn in a completed application before the Dec. 1, 2014 deadline. No late or incomplete scholarships will be accepted. Applications can be found on the S.D. Farmers Union website, www.sdfu.org, at a local Farmers Union cooperative or through a local Farmers Union Insurance agent.

If you do not apply through the online application form, all documents should be mailed to: South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation Scholarship Committee, PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350-1388; and must be postmarked Dec. 1 or before.

If you have any questions, contact Geyer at bgeyer@sdfu.org or 605-352-6761 ext. 125. ■

South Dakota Member Receives Farmers Union Industries Foundation Stanley Moore $1,500 Scholarship

South Dakota’s own Joellen Gonsoir is among four college students to receive the 2014 Farmers Union Industries Foundation Stanley Moore $1,500 Scholarship.

“It has been a while since I’ve had the privilege of seeing a South Dakota student receive this competitive scholarship,” said Doug Sombke, South Dakota Farmers Union President. “Joellen is an outstanding representative of South Dakota’s family farming and ranching youth. She has grown up on a family farm and has the values of leadership and cooperation that are at the heart of Farmers Union.”

It was on her family’s Groton farm that Gonsoir says she developed her passion for agriculture and a strong desire to promote the industry. “Agriculture is the foundation of my life, and I plan to continue to build upon that foundation,” said Gonsoir in her scholarship essay. “My involvement in our family ranch and FFA has instilled in me the importance of agriculture. I know the importance of agriculture and therefore it has become my passion.”

Combining her passion for agriculture with an interest in public speaking and communications, Gonsoir is pursuing degrees in agriculture business, communications and animal science at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. “I hope to utilize my degrees as a public relations specialist

for an agricultural business. This career will allow me to combine my love for agriculture with my love of public speaking to promote the future of agriculture business in the United States.”

Supporting the next generation of agriculture leaders is the purpose of this scholarship, explained Sombke.

“This is just one more way Farmers Union continues to show its strong commitment to education,” he said.

Each year only four students are selected from a large pool of qualifi ed applicants from Farmers Union members’ children in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The selection process includes a written or oral essay, an application and a phone interview.

Named for Stanley Moore, a past President of North Dakota Farmers Union and a strong advocate of education, this memorial scholarship honors his achievements and dedication to Farmers Union.

To learn more about the Farmers Union Industries Foundation Stanley Moore $1,500 Scholarship, contact Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director, khofhenke@sdfu.org or 605-352-6761 ext. 114. ■

Aaron Linke, Woonsocket

South Dakota Farmers Union sponsored two “Best of Show” awards in the Horticulture Building Division.

Marlin Clendening, Esmond

“Best of Show” Awards at the South Dakota State Fair

Union Farmer

16 October 2014 www.sdfu.orgUnion Farmer

Gubernatorial and Senatorial Debates During 2014 South Dakota State Fair

During the South Dakota State Fair, Farmers Union hosted Gubernatorial Debates, followed by Senatorial Debates.

Unfortunately, the debate for Representative between Democratic candidate Corina Robinson and Congresswoman Kristi Noem had to be cancelled due to the scheduling conflicts of Congresswoman Noem, who informed SDFU she could not attend the debates.

All candidates for both the Gubernatorial and Senatorial debates were able to participate. Candidates in attendance at the Gubernatorial debate included: Governor Dennis Daugaard, Democratic candidate Susan Wismer and Independent Mike Myers. In attendance for the Senatorial debate included: Former Governor Mike Rounds, Democratic candidate Rick Weiland, Former Senator Larry Pressler and Independent Gordon Howie.

Both events were moderated by Carrie Law, former host on Today’s Ag Show and Director of Communications and Government Relations for Sioux Valley Energy. Written questions were accepted from the crowd and used throughout the debate. “Farmers Union has a long-standing tradition of hosting candidate debates during the State Fair. What better location to discuss issues relevant to rural South Dakota and agriculture than the State Fair?” said Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director of S.D. Farmers Union. A variety of topics were covered during the debates.

Below you will read a summary of the topics, as well as responses from those candidates in attendance.

Gubernatorial Debate Summary:Education Education was a major issue throughout the

debate. Governor Daugaard spoke to the fact that he

did cut funding to education, but that everyone shared in the cuts. He also stated that education funds are being restored. His other point was that South Dakota ranked among the top 35 states for spending per student.

Susan Wismer (Democratic Candidate) had other thoughts on the matter.

Wismer argued that spending per student is a moot point if South Dakotans do not invest in

teachers. She further noted that South Dakota ranks near the bottom, compared to other states in the United States, for teacher pay. Wismer also stated that education has not been restored to the funding levels prior to the budget cuts.

Mike Myers (Independent Candidate) argued that the entire system was broken and that if he were Governor, he would eliminate Common Core.

BudgetThe budget was another major topic of the day. Governor Daugaard, in his statements, noted

that during his first campaign he promised to balance the budget without raising taxes and he did.

This time however, “all options are on the table,” including raising taxes, according to Daugaard.

Wismer took issue with the first statement. According to Wismer, the cuts Governor Daugaard made were unnecessary. She stated that not a single dime needed to be cut from the budget and it would have been balanced.

EthanolAnother issue that

fueled the debate was that of ethanol. All of the candidates seemingly endorsed the use of ethanol to varying degrees.

Wismer supported a more aggressive use of ethanol, specifically with blends like E-30. Moreover, Wismer noted that if she were Governor, the entire state fleet would operate using E-30.

Governor Daugaard stated that in his support of ethanol he “ordered that all of our larger fuel pumps in our larger facilities provide ethanol at the E-15 level.” Also, he recognized “the blend wall that exists at the E-10 level.”

Wismer said this is not enough. She argued that we need leadership in eliminating the myths that surround mid-level blends, specifically E-30. The first myth, she stated, was that it’s illegal to use E-30 in standard vehicles. The second myth she listed was that using E-30 causes damage to vehicles and voids warranties.

Wismer closed by stating “there has not been a single warranty denial based on the use of E-30.”

Senate Debate Summary:BudgetOne of the primary issues in the Senate debate

revolved around the budget and the current deficit. Former Senator Larry Pressler (Independent

Candidate) noted that our deficit is growing. One way Pressler suggested we can reduce the deficit is by reducing foreign military spending. Furthermore, it is his belief that “we cannot police the world.”

Gordon Howie (Independent Candidate) noted that Rounds left a $127 million deficit when he left office, suggesting that his expertise in balancing the budget was lacking.

Former Governor Mike Rounds (Republican Candidate) noted that during his term as Governor, he did have a balanced budget. Also, he wanted to dismantle the Department of Education and cut down on the government bureaucracy.

Rick Weiland (Democratic Candidate) pointed out that Rounds hired 1,500 bureaucrats to the state payroll during his time as governor. He also stated that the state constitution requires the governor to balance the budget. Weiland argued that it was the federal stimulus money that allowed Rounds to balance the budget.

Keystone XL PipelineThe Keystone XL Pipeline emerged

as another major issue in the debate. Former Governor Rounds

advocated for the pipeline. He stated that, “We ought to take that oil up there, and we ought to put it in a pipeline and ship it out.” He further noted that “we need to become energy independent in North America.”

Weiland voiced his opposition to the pipeline. According to Weiland, “If this oil sludge that comes in from Canada, which is heated up to 200 degrees, leaks, it is heavy oil. It is going to go into our water, and it is going to create some really ugly problems for our state and for our

country.” Also, the pipeline creates primarily temporary

jobs and does not help sustain long term employment in South Dakota, says Weiland.

Pressler stated he did support an oil pipeline, but that he would work with President Barack Obama to establish a better deal for South Dakota.

Howie also voiced his support for the pipeline, noting that it is a major issue when the federal government has the authority to determine the energy policy in South Dakota. ■ By Matt Sibley, Membership Advocacy Specialist, SDFU

Gubernatorial challenger, Susan Wismer

Incumbent Gov. Dennis Daugaard

Gubernatorial challenger, Mike Myers

Senatorial Debate: (L to R) Former Senator Larry Pressler, Gordon Howie, Rick Weiland and Former Governor Mike Rounds

Union Farmer

October 2014 17 www.sdfu.org Union Farmer

(Continued from page 1)If you ask fifth-generation farmer Derek Mueller,

31, why he chose a career on his family’s Ethan farm, his answer is simple. “Farming is something I have always loved and really wanted to do.”

Building up the Mueller’s farming operation to support the next generation, which includes his brother, Jay, 35, is a little more complicated.

To begin with, their dad, Delmar Mueller’s farm was not large enough to support three families and available land in their area is scarce. When land does come up for sale or rent, bidding wars keep prices at levels out of reach for most beginning farmers.

“Competition for land is the biggest challenge these young farmers face. It’s a dog-eat-dog world right now. There are very few retiring farmers and those who are retiring most often lease or sell to the highest bidder,” explains Delmar, 63.

In fact, Derek and Jay say they would not be farming today if it had not been for a long list of retiring friends and relatives – that list includes their Grandpa Herbert, 92, and Delmar – who offered to lease farm and pastureland to the brothers at fair rates. “I don’t know if it was luck or what, but we jumped at the opportunity when the farm and pastureland was offered to us,” Derek says.

Delmar says his sons’ desire to continue the family farming tradition is the reason he retired early from row crop farming. When they were ready to come back, he made the decision to focus his farming business on livestock and raising alfalfa hay so he could lease all his farm acres to his sons.

“I’ve always been concerned about ways to keep young people returning to farming. My sons were my motivation for transitioning out of farming because I knew they couldn’t do it without access to land,”

Paving the Way for the Next Generation Through Blood, Sweat and Diversificationsays Delmar, whose daughter, Kerri, and son-in-law, Ryan Wagner, also farm.

Delmar got his own start farming full-time when his father-in-law, Harold Nearhood, 88, gave him a similar opportunity to lease his farmground in the early 1980s. Until this opportunity to farm full-time came along, Delmar taught school.

“I enjoyed teaching, but it wasn’t what I felt I was meant to do. I enjoy being my own boss and the fact that when you’re farming, no day is the same. Granted, at times your

days get a bit long, but it’s a good life,” Delmar says.From the start, Delmar was diversified, raising

crops and livestock. “Markets change. Crops are good some years and livestock do well other years. Most years they are not good at the same time. The more diverse you can make your farm, the better,” Delmar says.

With this philosophy in mind, the Mueller Farm is quite diverse. Today the men maximize profits on all acres by raising a mix of small grains, corn and soybeans; they also grow and market premium quality alfalfa hay and run a commercial cow/calf herd on pastureland and marginal farm acres they converted to grassland.

In addition, the men operate custom feeding operations, which include backgrounding cattle; Derek and Delmar do some custom farming and silage work. To supplement their farm income further, Derek manages a hog finishing unit and Jay works for South Dakota Department of Transportation.

“When it comes down to it, my farm income just is not enough to support my family. This job provides insurance and is my way of diversifying my income, just as I do with my farm,” explains Jay, who together

with his wife, Angela, have three children, Avery, 8, Sadie, 6, and Blake, 3.

Jay says he’s able to get his farm work done after work and on the weekends thanks to advancements in technology, and the fact that the men run a no-till farming operation.

Delmar transitioned his farm acres to no-till when Jay and Derek were youngsters of 15 and 11. “It’s a moisture saver, an erosion saver and a time saver,” Delmar says of the practice. “I read a lot about it, specifically the work Dr. Dwayne Beck has done at Dakota Lakes Research Farm. It just made sense.”

The no-till decision is one both of his sons are proud of their dad for making. “He wasn’t afraid to try something new. At the time I remember there were only a handful of other farms in our area implementing no-till,” Derek says. “Looking back, it was a good choice. Today it saves Jay and me a lot of time.”

Looking back, Jay and Derek say the work ethic their dad instilled in them growing up on the farm

helps them do what it takes to make their farming operation work today.

“Dad taught us not to give up, even when things weren’t going our way; if we stuck with something and worked hard, it would probably turn out,” Derek says. “There is a feeling of pride that comes from

farming. You work hard at something, and then when the project is finished and turns out well, you have the satisfaction of knowing that your hard work paid off.”

To view more photos of the Mueller family, visit www.sdfu.org. ■ By Lura Roti, for SDFU

Rich Hofer suggested Farmers Union highlight the Mueller Family. Rich knows the Mueller family because he is their Farmers Union Insurance Agent. Rich has served farm families like the Muellers for 44 years.

Pushing a shopping cart through the grocery aisle, who hasn’t felt sticker shock from time to time?

Fairgoers had an opportunity to learn just how much of that price tag South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers take home after harvesting the crops or

livestock they raise during Saturday’s Farmers Share Luncheon hosted by South Dakota Farmers Union during the South Dakota State Fair in Huron.

“Everyone is concerned about high prices in the grocery store - I understand that, it wasn’t too many years ago that I was shopping for a family of five,” said Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director of S.D. Farmers Union. “However, what our state’s farmers and ranchers actually take home as income is a far cry from the prices we all see on our grocery receipt after a trip to the super market.”

To clearly illustrate this, S.D. Farmers Union hosted the Farmers Share Luncheon, sold to fairgoers at the same price that farmers receives for retail the ingredients. This year’s lunch, which retailed for $8 was sold to diners for only 34 cents. The lunch was a pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, potato chips and milk.

Each food item was priced out so diners could see exactly how much South Dakota Farmers and Ranchers took home for the wheat, meat, milk and other commodities used to make the lunch.

“As a farmer, I know that in that $5 box of cold cereal, I only receive about 6 cents for the corn that I grew; however, it’s tough to convey that message to folks who don’t grow food for sale,” said Jim Wahle, a fifth-generation McCook County farmer who raises corn and soybeans on the land his great-great grandparents homesteaded in 1882.

Wahle was among the 1,000 people to enjoy the Farmers Share Lunch during Saturday’s Farmers

34 Cents for Lunch! State Fair Farmers Share Luncheon Informs Public on What South Dakota Farmers & Ranchers Really Earn

Jim Wahle, McCook County

JAC Member, Jason Hanson, Herreid

Union Farmer

18 October 2014 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org

Union Day at the State Fair. A strong advocate for the state’s family farmers and ranchers, Wahle serves on the Farmers Union board of directors and is the District II County President.

Supporting farmers like Wahle, is the motivation behind the Farmers Share Luncheon, explained Hofhenke. “Everything we do within our organization is to support family farmers and ranchers, rural communities and their youth. As more and more South Dakotans become generations separated from the farms and ranches which make up our state’s number one industry, we feel it is our responsibility to educate them on the work, money and pride that goes into producing food ingredients.” ■

Farmer’s Share of Retail Food Dollar Did you know that farmers and ranchers receive only 15.8* cents of every food dollar that consumers spend on

food at home and away from home?

According to USDA, off farm costs including marketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing account for more than 80 cents of every food dollar spent in the United States.

Bacon1 Pound

Retail: $6.06Farmer: $1.19

Top Sirloin Steak1 Pound

Retail: $8.79Farmer: $2.58

Bread2 Pounds

Retail: $2.19Farmer: $0.14

Fresh Carrots5 Pounds

Retail: $4.39Farmer: $1.27

Beer6-Pack Cans

Retail: $6.49Farmer: $0.05

Cereal18 Ounce Box

Retail: $5.49Farmer: $0.10

Tomatoes1 Pound

Retail: $3.29Farmer: $0.24

Eggs1 Dozen

Retail: $2.69Farmer: $1.08

Flour5 Pounds

Retail: $2.39Farmer: $0.70

Boneless HamPrice per Pound

Retail: $4.39Farmer: $1.19

Lettuce1 Head (2 Pounds)

Retail: $2.19Farmer: $0.54

Milk1 Gallon, Fat Free

Retail: $4.29 Farmer: $2.04

Potato ChipsLays Classic, 10.5 oz

Retail: $4.79Farmer: $0.20**

Fresh PotatoesRusset, 5 Pounds

Retail: $4.69Farmer: $0.55

SodaTwo Liter Bottle

Retail: $1.49Farmer: $0.06

Farmer’s share derived from USDA, NASS “Agricultural Prices,” 2014.Retail based on Safeway (SE) brand except where noted.*Figure according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service**Reflects July 2014 price.

August 28, 2014www.nfu.org

Enjoying Lunch!

October 2014 19 www.sdfu.org Union Farmer

see SDFU Celebrates on page 20

South Dakota Farmers Union recognized five South Dakotans for giving back to their rural communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award at the South Dakota State Fair.

“One survives with the other,” said Karla Hofhenke, South Dakota Farmers Union Executive Director, of the integral connection between those who work in South Dakota’s number one industry and their rural communities. “Without thriving communities, it’s difficult to encourage young people to return to their family’s farm or ranch. Rural communities are key to the future of South Dakota’s agriculture industry; which is why we like to recognize those individuals who help them thrive.”

Selected through a nomination process, the 2014 Rural Dakota Pride Award recipients include: Cindy Wilk, Huron; Jeff Kieser, Wessington Springs; Alan Vedvei, Lake Preston; Nick Nemec, Holabird; and John Wheeting, Groton.

Read on to learn how these individuals contribute to their rural communities.

South Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates Local Heroes with Rural Dakota Pride Awards

2014 Rural Dakota Pride honorees recognized (L to R) Wayne Soren, John Wheeting, Hub Kieser, Cindy Wilk, Alan Vedvei, Nick Nemec and Doug Sombke

Union Farmer

Show Us Your Farmers Union Gear!!

South Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates Local Heroes with Rural Dakota Pride Awards Jeff “Hub” Kieser, Wessington Springs

(Continued from page 19)

Union Farmer

20 October 2014 www.sdfu.orgUnion Farmer

“I’m very interested in supporting my church and community. Without one, you don’t have the other.”

Jeff Kieser, or “Hub”, as everyone calls him, can trace his Wessington Springs roots back to 1881 when his great-great grandfather, H.H. Kieser settled in the area.

Today, Kieser continues to farm and operate -81 Enterprises Inc., a tractor repair and restoration, welding and fabrication business near Wessington Springs.

Like the land he farms, his connection to his church, United Methodist Church of Wessington Springs, runs deep. “My family on my father’s side has been Methodists since way back before they dug the river,” he says, of his family’s founding membership in the 1903 Viola Township Methodist Church and the three generations of Kiesers who have attended services in Wessington Springs.

For years, Kieser has shown his commitment to his church by serving its membership as a trustee, board and finance chairman and as a founding member and chairman of the Wessington Springs Church Concessions Group. “I’m very interested in supporting my church and community. Without one,

“That’s the thing about farmers and ranchers - it doesn’t matter where we live in the state, we can all relate to each other’s struggles.”

Nick Nemec, Holabird

“I think the responsibility they learn through taking care of a livestock project is a great learning experience.”

A fifth-generation Hyde County farmer, Nick Nemec, 55, has always served a community which extends beyond county lines - this being the community of folks involved in South Dakota agriculture.

So, when Storm Atlas devastated western South Dakota ranchers, Nemec and the other volunteer members of the

nonprofit, North Central Resource Conservation and Development District (NCRCD) didn’t sit idle. They adopted Heifers for South Dakota, providing them with NCRCD’s 501c3 status so that cattle producers from South Dakota and surrounding states could receive tax benefits for their donations of heifers and funds to help young producers who lost cattle during the storm.

In the end they were able to donate about 1,000 heifers and more than $2 million dollars to ranchers in need.

As president of the organization, Nemec spent countless hours organizing the effort which processed all paperwork related to the effort; he answered questions and drove cross country to help sort cattle. “At one time I was a beginning farmer, and there were years when things were nip and tuck for a while. I know what it is like when things completely out of my control impact my bottom line,” Nemec says. “That’s the thing

about farmers and ranchers - it doesn’t matter where we live in the state, we can all relate to each other’s struggles.”

In addition to NCRCD, Nemec has served the greater South Dakota community as a S.D. State Legislator for District 23 (‘92-’96), served in the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserves, is a member of the board for St. Mary’s Catholic Church in

Highmore, on the Hand County Hospital Board, member of the Highmore Knights of Columbus, Public Utilities Commission Candidate (2004), on the Executive Board of the S.D. Democratic Party, as well as a member of the National Democratic Party Committee.

you don’t have the other.” Established in 2003 to support the community’s efforts in launching the

annual Foothills Rodeo, the group organizes all eight local churches to serve breakfast and concessions during the rodeo and other community events. “All told, with the rodeo, bull bash and wagon train breakfast, we serve more than 3,000 meals each year. This provides a needed service to our community. The Foothills Rodeo brings a lot of people and money to our town.”

For their efforts, all eight rural churches bring back about $300 to supplement their church’s annual budget. “It may not sound like much, but the truth is, rural churches are suffering financially because of the expanded list of priorities people give to - but that doesn’t lessen the churches’ needs.”

In addition to chairing the Wessington Springs Church Concessions Group, Kieser is also chairman of the Charity Cemetery committee, Community Center committee, served on the Wessington Springs 125th Planning Committee, is a member of the Foothills Classic committee and is a member of Farmers Union.

John Wheeting, GrotonWhen John Wheeting looks at his family tree,

there is a 4-H leader on several branches. “My dad was a 4-H leader, my grandpa was a 4-H leader and my great-grandpa was as well.”

Although Wheeting was never a 4-H leader, he does follow the family tradition by giving back to the

organization he credits for inspiring his career in South Dakota’s agriculture industry. For the last 24 years, the District Sales Manager for Producers Hybrids has volunteered as Superintendent of the Open Lamb and Swine shows at the Brown County Fair.

“4-H and FFA exposed me to the off-farm opportunities available within the agriculture industry,” Wheeting, 49, says. “The experiences I had through these organizations also provided me with communication and leadership skills that I use every day.”

When his three daughters were young, Wheeting and his wife, Chris, encouraged them to become involved in 4-H as well. “I think the responsibility they learned through taking care of a livestock project was a great learning

experience.” He adds that the responsibility 4-H involvement

instilled in him and his children is not unique to their family - the reason he continues to volunteer even though his daughters are mostly grown. “I see kids in our community that I’ve worked with through 4-H livestock shows, and after they graduate from 4-H, they go off to become successful. Whether they pursue an agriculture

career or not, 4-H gives them a strong foundation for success.” Wheeting also serves his community through active involvement in the

Groton Area Chamber of Commerce and holds several leadership positions in St. John’s Lutheran Church. Under his leadership, the church started a Christian preschool. Today, St. John’s PreSchool welcomes about 35 youngsters each fall. “Like 4-H, this is a program that lays a foundation for young kids.”

October 2014 21 www.sdfu.org Union Farmer

Union Farmer Cindy Wilk, Huron

“It’s important to give back and do what you can.”

Vedvei, 56, returned to Lake Preston in 1978 after pursuing a degree in General Agriculture from South Dakota State University and began working for Arnold Wienk, the owner of Wienk Charolais and the man who would eventually become Vedvei’s father-in-law when he and his wife, Deb, married. The couple

purchased their own farm and began building what would become a 300-head purebred Charolais herd and raising corn, soybeans, small grains and alfalfa 7 miles from Vedvei’s family farm.

Even when their now grown children were young, Vedvei would “shut things off and go take care of off-farm business,” to coach or referee girls’ basketball games; serve as a 4-H Leader or FFA volunteer; or attend a meeting of one of the many boards he serves/has served on including:

Kingsbury Conservation District, Conservation Commission, Kingsbury Electric, East River Electric Power Cooperative, Prairie Ag Partners, United Church of Christ Council, Purebred Charolais Breeders of Kingsbury County, South Dakota Charolais Breeders, and the American International Charolais Association.

“Rural communities are limited in the number of people who are able to be involved - that’s why everyone who can needs to be involved.” ■ By Lura Roti, for SDFU

“No matter where they go after high school, they know that their hometown believes in them. I don’t want these kids to forget their roots.”

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Helping women in her community has been Cindy Wilk’s calling for more than 30 years. It began when her mother, Jan Manolis, was among a group of women to open a women’s shelter in Huron.

“Domestic violence is something that is very dear to my heart. Before this shelter, there was no place for women to go for help. If they didn’t have help from family or friends,

there was nothing - no shelters or no counseling,” explains Wilk, who serves as a volunteer advocate.

Today, thanks to the Jan Manolis Family Safe Center and numerous volunteer advocates, not only do victims and their children (the shelter also helps men who are abused) have a safe place to stay if they are in an abusive situation, but they also have an advocate to help them move forward. “We make sure they are not alone,” Wilk says.

As an advocate, she carries a shelter cell phone for two weeks, answering calls from victims and helping them with anything they need. “We are there to

let them know we are on their side.” In addition to her work at the shelter, Wilk also serves as National Director

for South Dakota to Miss Rodeo America, is Jr. Miss Rodeo South Dakota Queen Coordinator and is on the Miss Rodeo South Dakota Board. “South Dakota has great cowgirls!” Wilk says. “Our daughter was Jr. Miss Rodeo South Dakota in 2006 and she had to do it all on her own. I’m here so other girls don’t have to go it alone.”

Working fulltime with her husband, Red, in the family business, Red Wilk Construction, Wilk says serving her state and community is something she makes time for because it’s important. “It’s important to give back and do what you can,” she says.

Along with the shelter and Miss Rodeo South Dakota, Wilk gives back to many local organizations through her involvement in the following: Salvation Army Advisory

board, Spirit of South Dakota Committee, Women’s Expo Committee, Volunteers at Safety City, is a United Way reading volunteer, member of Riverview United Methodist, Beadle County Democrat Women and VFW Auxiliary.

Alan Vedvei, Lake PrestonA third-generation Lake Preston farmer, Alan

Vedvei always knew he would return to his hometown after college. “I really like this community. I like its friendliness and, even as a young college student, I felt like the community supported me and gave me opportunities. I thought, ‘what better place to raise a family?’”

Vedvei works to ensure that all Lake Preston youth feel the community’s support through his 15-plus years of service on the Lake Preston Higher Education Board. The board’s fundraising efforts provide scholarships to all Lake Preston High School graduates pursuing post-secondary education.

In 2014, the Foundation gave each graduating senior a $500 scholarship from the funds which have grown to more than $100,000.

“$500 may not sound like much, but I believe these scholarships give the kids a tie to the community of Lake Preston. No matter where they go after high school, they know that their hometown believes in them. I don’t want these kids to forget their roots.”

Union Farmer

22 October 2014 www.sdfu.orgUnion Farmer

Waiting For the Wheat to Move The wheat that pours like red gold into the

hopper of a combine harvesting a fi eld outside of Pierre could bake the bread that feeds the world – but fi rst it has to get to where millers and bakers can buy it.

And that’s a problem this year. A scale-tipping harvest, a lack of bin space from last year and a shortage of rail cars have some farmers, and some elevators, pouring wheat on the ground because there’s no place to put it.

“I’ve been here for fi ve years, and this is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Phillip Pease, Pierre terminal manager for Midwest Cooperatives, a part of CHS.

Midwest Cooperatives grain merchandiser Jeremey Frost agreed, noting that Midwest Cooperatives has been running from 20 to 60 percent of historical winter wheat harvest car placements at its various locations – in other words, receiving about one to three grain cars this year for every fi ve cars it received in previous years. But the wheat harvest this year makes the demand for cars greater, not less. Originally published in the Aug. 28, 2014 issue of Land & Livestock, by Lance Nixon

Transportation Crops

Vilsack Steps Into Check-off BattleDuring the National Farmers Union

Fly-In, the president of South Dakota’s group sat down face to face with U.S. Secretary of Ag Tom Vilsack. The secretary told Doug Sombke and other Farmers Union members that changes to the beef check-off are forthcoming. Vilsack made a public statement Sept. 8, that the working group has not shown enough signs of forward motion, and he intends to step in and ensure that the beef check-off is amended.

“Here is what he said, ‘I tried intimidation, tried letting the groups work it out on their own.’” Sombke said Vilsack likened the organizations involved in the Check-off Enhancement Working Group to bickering children who need an adult to step in with a solution. Credit: Originally published in the Sept. 13, 2014 issue of Tri-State Livestock News, by Carrie Stadheim

For your reading enjoyment, we’ve pulled some highlights from South Dakota-based agriculture newspapers and websites. If the lead intrigues you, visit our website, www.sdfu.org for the rest of the story. If you read an article you’d like to share with fellow Farmers Union members, please send the headline, byline, publication and issue date to karla@sdfu.org and we’ll include it in next month’s In Case You Missed It section.

Conservation/Natural Resources“Grow: 66/125” Trees Coming To Each County

Trees growing in soil collected from all 66 South Dakota counties were being delivered to historic sites in each county of the state during August.

The “Grow: 66/125” project was developed by Altman Studeny, a Plankinton teacher and founding member of South Dakotans for the Inclusive Arts, to symbolize the historic declaration which brought the disparate elements of the state together.

“Just as every county is uniquely itself,” Studeny said, “so is its soil. But, only when all of those wonderful differences are combined can our state grow to be the type of forward-thinking environment that improves upon the dreams of the past to persevere long into the future.” Credit: The State of South Dakota

Animal HealthImport Inquiry: National cattle organizations have concerns over Argentina beef, foot-and-mouth disease

The questions are many and the answers are few when it comes to global trade. This is particularly true when dealing with beef and cattle, and the questions become more elevated and acute when foot-and-mouth disease is mentioned.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced last week a proposal to allow the importation of fresh - chilled or frozen - beef from northern Argentina. Originally published in the Sept. 6, 2014 issue of Tri-State Livestock News, by Carrie Stadheim

Are Drones An Industry Risk or An Opportunity?

A National Geographic article published in July 2014 and written by Mary Beth Albright entitled, “How drones will change the way you eat,” discussed the use of drones in a variety of situations. She addressed the concept of a photographer shooting photos without permission, attempting to portray agriculture producers as criminals.

Albright wrote, “Drones will improve the welfare of animals we eat and use for food production. Investigative journalist Will Potter has been long frustrated by state ‘ag gag’ laws criminalizing the use of false pretenses to access a farm for purposes not authorized by the owner (such as photographing animal cruelty). In some cases, the photographer is subject to greater punishment than the perpetrator of animal cruelty. So Potter got creative with a Kickstarter campaign to buy drones and photography equipment to fl y over and photograph factory farms and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Originally published in the Sept. 6, 2014 issue of Tri-State Livestock News, by Amanda Radke

Technology

Livestock

Cleaning Ergot Out of WheatReports of ergot in wheat continue to

come in, with numerous loads being rejected at area elevators. A local seed conditioning facility recently cleaned a load of spring wheat contaminated with ergot to make it marketable.

The uncleaned contained 0.16% ergot by weight, over 3 times the acceptable level. As stated in a recent column, the USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service grain standard, used by elevators, grades grain as undesirable when the level of ergot exceeds 0.05% by weight.

The standard cleaning process, normally conducted to prepare harvested wheat for planting, lowered the level to 0.05% ergot by weight, which is acceptable, and allowed the grower to market the crop. If the standard cleaning process fails to reduce the level of ergot to where it can be sold, a gravity table may also be used as the ergot bodies are lighter than wheat kernels. Originally published in the Aug. 15, 2014 issue of the Farm Forum, by Bob Fanning, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist, SDSU Regional Extension Center, Winner

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Plentiful Corn Harvest May Become Nightmare

Could growers in South Dakota be selling corn for less than $2 per bushel later this year?

One area expert thinks such a scenario is possible, though it would likely represent a worst-case outcome for growers who are already fretting over a harvest market that is looking like a supply-side nightmare. Originally published in the Sept. 5, 2014 issue of Farm Forum, by Bryan Horwath

Markets

Palmer Amaranth Found in South DakotaSDSU weed science team confi rms the fi nding

of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in South Dakota. The Palmer Amaranth plants were found in a sunfl ower fi eld in Buffalo County next to the Missouri River in central South Dakota. “Palmer Amaranth is a vigorous weed that is a member of the pigweed family that also includes common waterhemp, redroot pigweed, prostrate pigweed and others,” said Paul O. Johnson, SDSU Extension Weed Science Coordinator. Originally published Sept. 15, 2014 on iGrow.org/SDSU Extension

Union Farmer

October 2014 23 www.sdfu.org Union Farmer

The South Dakota Union Farmer is published 10 times per calendar year.

Karla Hofhenke, Publisher ~ Lura Roti, Editor Jodie Fenske, Copy Editor ~ Rebecca Long, Layout and Design

All information for publication must be submitted by the 15th of the month. You may submit items

by mail to the State Office, P.O. Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 or email items to: sdfu@sdfu.org

Doug Sombke SDFU President

South DakotaUnion FarmerA PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

South Dakota Union Farmer, ISSN 0745-8797, publishes ten times per calendar year, with issues printed in January, Febru-ary, March, April, May/June, July/August, September, October, November and December. Copies are available for $3.00 per year (included with membership dues), and non-members annual subscription is $7.50. Advertising rate is $6.00/column inch. Periodical postage paid at Madison, S.D. POSTMASTER: Address changes to: SDFU, PO Box 1388, Huron, S.D. 57350-1388

Contact SDFU 888.734.8136 605.352.67611410 Dakota Avenue South, PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350

www.sdfu.org sdfu@sdfu.org

SDFU State Office Staff

Matt Sibley..................ext. 122 Member Advocacy Specialist Huron

Bonnie Geyer..............ext. 125 Education Director Huron

Rebecca Long.............ext. 115 Graphic Designer Huron

Luanne Thompson.....ext. 111 Administrative Assistant Virgil

Kelsey Schnetzer........ext. 116 Member Relations Specialist Wolsey

Kristen Fink...............ext. 118 Leadership Program Specialist Huron

SDFU Board of Directors

Wayne Soren..........Vice Pres.Lake PrestonTerry Sestak...........District ITaborJim Wahle..............District IISalemFranklin Olson.....District IIIPierpont

Doug Sombke.........PresidentGroton

Joel Keierleber.......District IVColomeDallis Basel..............District VUnion CenterLynn Frey...............District VILemmonChad Johnson.......District VIIGroton

Contact NFU National Farmers Union 20 F Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001

Roger Johnson, President ~ Donn Teske, Vice President Doug Peterson, Secretary ~ John Hansen, Treasurer

202.554.1600 www.nfu.org

Karla Hofhenke.......ext. 114 Executive Director

Huron

From the President....Cooperatives Play a Vital Role in Rural Communities

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.”

Because October is Cooperative Month, it’s only fitting we recognize what our cooperatives have done for rural communities in South Dakota.

Farmers Union plays a vital role developing cooperatives. Cooperatives have come to the rescue of many rural communities and farms over the years. As members of communities come together as members of their cooperative, they not only benefit from the services provided, but the cooperatives help these communities thrive and prosper.

Together cooperatives and their member/owners positively impact the local communities they serve.

To truly understand cooperative business structure, I encourage all patrons to attend the annual meeting where they will learn the financial condition and meet the elected leadership.

Unlike private businesses in rural communities, cooperatives annually report financial and physical conditions of the business. This transparency, I believe, is very beneficial to the economic health of our rural communities.

Cooperatives are a vital part of South Dakota and we should all take every opportunity to inform those who are not members of a cooperative on their benefits to ensure cooperatives are never taken for granted or abused for personal gain.

Over the years, cooperatives have combated legislation in Pierre and D.C. which would create financial hardships to cooperatives. This is a never ending struggle and South Dakota Farmers Union stands with them defending the cooperative structure.

As a general agriculture organization, SDFU deals with many issues. After all, that’s what we do. Unlike agriculture commodity organizations which were formed to promote and develop a specific commodity, cooperatives were developed by their members to support the purpose of their members.

That being said, sometimes legislatively our organizations are on different sides.

For instance, this coming legislative session, one issue we will be discussing is whether or not South Dakota should use the highest and best method or actual use method when determining how agricultural land should be taxed.

SDFU supports actual use since we feel taxes should not be a determining factor when farmers decide how to use their land.

While South Dakota Corn Growers supports highest and best, one can only assume their reasoning supports growing more corn. Thus, since they are funded by Check-off dollars, they will receive more funding supporting their cause.

However, with the price of corn and cattle today, you may want to challenge their logic.

One question arises from South Dakota Corn Growers interests in this issue: how does a Check-off organization, which promotes corn, end up commenting on taxation of land?

I thought they were formed to promote corn.As a member of both SDFU and SDCGA, I prefer

my general farm organization works for me in Pierre and D.C. on issues of taxation and the like. Likewise, my corn promotional organization should do what it was intended to do - promote corn and corn products like ethanol.

If our organizations use our resources for their intended purposes, cooperatively we can positively impact family farmers’ and ranchers’ operations - resulting in stronger rural communities in South Dakota.

Have a safe and bountiful harvest; God Bless all you do!