There are two important initiatives underway in Washington, D.C., to help America’s cattle farmers and ranchers. One is intended to ensure that mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef is included in the 2024 Farm Bill. The other is to ensure that the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) new rule that mandates the use of electronic identification (EID) eartags is overturned. Let’s discuss both, but first… Despite all the rhetoric and propaganda to the contrary, there are two separate and distinct industries that comprise the multisegmented beef supply chain. You have the cattle industry, the supplier of live cattle; and you have the beef industry, the buyer of live cattle and manufacturer and seller of beef. These industries sell different kinds of products: The cattle industry sells live cattle, and the beef industry sells beef.

The results from Ribfest are in, and the consensus is “delicious.” But since champions have to be named, hard decisions were made. Derek Stukel and Ted Stevicks of Smokin’ S’s placed first in the ribs division, followed by Joel Bartling of Casual Smokers in second and Ryan Cook and Andrew Hamilton of Northside Slayers in third.

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Farmers market season is just around the corner. The Burke Area Farmers Market will kick off the year with their first market on Thursday, July 11, 2024, from 5:307:00 p.m. at the Burke City Park. In addition to shopping with vendors, there will be a meal for purchase by Cahoy’s Kitchen, Burke’s new restaurant, bringing their skills to the street.

Nothing gives life quite like water. We rely on it every single day for nourishment, for cleanliness, and so much more.

The Homestead Act of 1862 opened South Dakota to settlement and development by Americans, explicitly allowing women to own their own land. This opportunity was hard to pass up for some women. They packed up everything they could, joined a wagon train and headed west to the Great Plains to try to “prove up,” their land.