WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that it expects to award up to 52 grants or cooperative agreements for agricultural conservation in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. The estimated total program funding available was cited as $123 million with a ceiling of $1 million. The categories of funding activity are a) agriculture, b) environment and c) natural resources. The funding is open to: County governmen  more

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, South Dakota, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force (28th Bomb Wing) issued the following news: The 28th Bomb Wing participated in a Major Accident Response Exercise March 3 to 6 in Belle Fourche, S.D. This exercise was designed to test the wing's ability to respond to an aircraft accident outside of the installation. "We were able to study the details of a similar incident several years ago to help us focus on where possible shortfalls may be," said Mark Schlichte, the 28t  more

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, South Dakota, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force (28th Bomb Wing) issued the following news: Ellsworth officials announced that in line with the current imposed travel ban, effective immediately all permanent changes of station are on hold, TDYs are canceled and leave for military members is restricted to a two-hour driving radius until further notice. For leave only, Ellsworth family members and civilian employees are highly encouraged (but not mandated) to adhere to the  more

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, South Dakota, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force (28th Bomb Wing) issued the following news: The Ellsworth AFB Veterinary Treatment Facility hosted a ribbon cutting event and an open house March 9. "The Veterinary Treatment Facility hosted [the event] to show the renovations and new capabilities that the vet clinic provides to active duty and retired military members," said U.S. Army Capt. Casey Barwell, the Ellsworth AFB veterinary section officer in charge. The renovat  more

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota, March 21 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service - South Dakota Field Office issued the following news release: South Dakota feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 240,000 cattle on feed on March 1, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down 8 percent from last year. Placements during February totaled 36,000 head, down 14 percent from 2019. Fed cattle marketin  more

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota, March 21 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service - South Dakota Field Office issued the following news release: Honey production in 2019 from South Dakota producers with five or more colonies totaled 19.4 million pounds, up 62 percent from 2018, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. South Dakota ranked second in the nation for honey production. There were 270,000 honey producing colonies in South Da  more

HURON, South Dakota, March 21 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service South Dakota office issued the following news release: * * * - How to Reduce Future Risks * * * As farmers prepare for a better spring planting season, the best news from last season is the accumulated knowledge gained from almost 4 million Prevented Plant (PP) acres in South Dakota. Here are five PP field scenarios along with lessons learned from each, compiled by agronomists and so  more

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following news release: * * * - Above-average temperatures expected from coast to coast * * * March 19, 2020 NOAA forecasters predict widespread flooding this spring, but do not expect it to be as severe or prolonged overall as the historic floods in 2019. Major to moderate flooding is likely in 23 states from the Northern Plains south to the Gulf Coast, with the most signific  more