The SD Corn Growers Association on the Farm Bill Extension and Economic Assistance for Producers

Dec 19, 2024

The South Dakota Corn Growers Association greatly appreciates the inclusion of a farm bill extension as well as around $10 billion in 2024 economic assistance for producers with the short-term continuing resolution to fund the federal government. Input prices have generally been increasing, including relatively recent spikes in fertilizer costs. We also note that targeting these dollars to those that bear risk, is strongly supported by our members.

Finally, we thank our Congressional delegation and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) for the inclusion of a fix to allow the sale nationwide, year-round of E15. This is great for consumers’ pocketbooks and a win for the environment, as E15 burns cleaner than other fuel options. South Dakota farmers have great ability to help provide food, feed and fuel here in our country. If anything has become apparent from “black swan” events such as Covid and Ukraine, it is that if we can produce energy and food here in the U.S., we should do so. We support the funding bill package and urge Congress to quickly pass this important legislation.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.