PIERRE, SD (KELO.com) — 100 farms and 100-thousand acres of farmland lost in South Dakota last year. While the trend isn’t new, Ag and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts says it’s serious and bears watching. What’s different the last few years is farm commodity prices are lower, with many farms operating in the red. Roberts says the 12-billion dollar Farmer Bridge Assistance program will provide some relief for the current challenges.
Adding to the concerns is the aging population of farmers. Roberts says the average age of farmers in the state is approaching 60. He calls that a situation that “is not ideal.” But, he says, Governor Rhoden’s Keep Farmers Farming program is helping. It is operated by the South Dakota Agriculture Foundation and provides consulting to help families take their operations to the next generation.
Another big plus is the recent success in developing ag processing facilities. The High Plains Processing plant near Mitchell is providing an outlet for soybeans and other oil seed commodities from local farms. Soybean producers are getting at least ten cents per bushel more for their product by selling to High Plains. That bonus comes at a time producers need it most. The announcement by Smithfield Foods to build a new state-of-the-art pork producing facility in the Foundation Park development park on the northwest side of Sioux Falls was also “a fun story to tell” according to Roberts – one that bodes well for pork producers and the regional economy.
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