Private applicator certification is required before an agricultural producer can purchase or use a restricted use pesticide. A producer who has the potential to produce more than $1,000 of an agricultural commodity must be certified to use any pesticide. There is no fee for a private applicator certification, which is valid for three years and expires on the last day of February.

First Fidelity Bank, in partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines), is proud to announce that a $142,500 commitment from the bank has unlocked an extraordinary $356,250 in matching funds through the Member Impact Fund – bringing the total investment in local communities to nearly $500,000.

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The Ag Leadership class in Gregory hosted Ag Olympics for high school students during National FFA Week on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Each class competed in six relay-style events, including hobby horse jumps, bale stacking and throwing, roping a dummy, pedal tractor races, cornhole, and hammering a nail into a stump. The class with the fastest overall time won a pizza and movie day. The freshman class took first place, finishing in 5 minutes, 45 seconds.

Beginning January 1, 2025, South Dakota private pesticide applicators must obtain a Non-Soil Fumigation Endorsement to legally purchase or apply fumigants in buildings, structures, grain bins, and burrowing rodents. This endorsement requires passing an in-person exam at an SDSU Extension Regional Center or participating county office. Once obtained, the endorsement expires at the same time as the applicator’s private applicator license.

February 26, 2026, at the Commodity Classic Convention in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the “One Farmer, One File” modernization, another action putting Farmers First with sweeping technological improvements at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through “One Farmer, One File,” USDA’s mission is to create a single, streamlined record that follows the farmer — no matter where they go in the USDA system.