Hazardous Occupation Safety Training in Agriculture (HOSTA) sessions will be delivered across the state this spring (2013) by SDSU staff. HOSTA is a program which aims to educate South Dakota youth about the dangers associated with working on a farm or ranch. Currently, the law states that any individual who is 14 to 15 years old must be trained on the safe operation of tractors, farm machinery, and other hazardous activities in the agricultural industry.

Swine producers and employees looking to certify or renew their Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) certifications will have 3 opportunities to do so this month, including two sessions on April 19 in Aberdeen and Huron, as well as another session on April 22 at the Parker Community Building.

Spring is a season of hope. It is appropriate that the first day of spring occurs during National Agriculture Week, March 17-23. It is a time to recognize the abundance provided by agriculture, and celebrate the opportunity it holds for South Dakota and humanity. As farmers once again move into the fields to plant crops, and also begin calving and lambing season, it's important to keep in mind the challenges ahead.

The 2013 South Dakota Master Pork Producer winners were announced at the 44th annual South Dakota Pork Congress banquet held January 9th. Two of the winners introduced that night were Ryan and Amy Storm from Mt. Vernon, SD. Ryan and Amy Storm built the first of their hog barns in 1997, which consisted of a 600 head nursery and a 1,200 head finisher.

The 2013 South Dakota Master Pork Producer winners were announced at the 44th annual South Dakota Pork Congress banquet held January 9th. Two of the winners introduced that night were brothers Matt and Jared Storm from Ethan, SD. Matt and Jared’s swine operation consists of a 700-head nursery that they use to flow into 3 finishing barns. They take pigs out of the nursery between 35-40 days to keep up with the flow.

Ag states throughout the nation, but especially across the Midwest, have been tagged “fly-over states.” Nationwide, people often consider this area someplace to cross as fast as possible, and many of us don’t think we have much in common with the states on the coasts either. Ag states do, however, have a huge impact on the economy and food production worldwide. Now is your chance to voice your opinions and to influence policy design.

SDSU’s iGrow Pork will now feature Dr. Mike Brumm’s commentary on the quarterly USDA’s Hogs and Pigs Report.

Hams – they can be lean, extra-lean, ready-to-eat, honey-cured, spiral-cut, water-added, with natural juices, and so much more.  How do you know what all the words on the label mean?  Below is a little background on the ever popular Easter dinner meat, along with a key to some of the most common words you’ll find on those ham labels.

The savory aroma of a backyard barbecue on a summer afternoon, the flavor of a juicy flame-kissed pork chop, or the great feeling you get from making a delicious ham for dinner. These all begin with the selection of your favorite pork cut at the grocery store or local meat market. When you are standing there deciding which pork product you are going have for your next meal, you can be faced with over 10 different options. With so many options available to us at our favorite store making a decision may not be an easy task.  Many labeling claims exist which can lead to confusion when you are making your decision at the meat case. Therefore, we are providing some points to help you as a consumer make a more educated decision about the pork products that you are purchasing.

Most people have completed the first component of the Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) PLUS program, which is the Certification segment.  Certification is simply attending a 1.5 hr session on the 10 Critical Control Points that make up PQA PLUS, and it is good for a 3-year period.  Since most packers require producers to be PQA PLUS certified, almost all US pork producers are certified.