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Glyphosate resistant kochia challenges farmers

Kochia has been a weed of concern in South Dakota for almost a century. First introduced to the U.S. as an ornamental plant in 1900, kochia has had plenty of time to become an aggressive weed.

Dakotafire community conversation events start in Britton on March 28

The first in a new series of events intended to spark community and regional conversations will be from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, March 28, at the Marshall County Community Building in Britton, S.D.

The event, called a Dakotafire Café, intends to get people talking about the topics presented in the latest issue of Dakotafire magazine, according to Dakotafire Editor Heidi Marttila-Losure.

“Most of our small towns have a place where locals gather to solve the world’s problems over a cup of coffee,” Marttila-Losure said. “These events are intended to bring that spirit of problem-solving conversations to the issues that affect our communities—which are the topics we try to address in the magazine.”

The Affordable Care Act: Impacts for Seniors

If you are a senior who currently receives Medicare coverage, then you are in compliance with the Affordable Care Act and don’t need to replace your coverage with a new plan, explained Leacey Brown, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist.

Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design™ issues request for proposals for rural communities facing design challenges

The Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design™ (CIRD) has issued a request for proposals to rural communities facing design challenges – such as Main Street revitalization, how to manage and direct growth, design community-supportive transportation systems, preserve natural and historic landscapes and buildings, protect working agricultural lands, and provide adequate and affordable housing – who are interested in hosting a local workshop in 2014-2015.

The view from the Johnson Farms farmyard. Photo by Becky Froehlich

New herbicide-resistant crops may affect neighbors

Advocates of the new technology say the new crops provide a vital weapon in the war against weed resistance to glyphosate, which is becoming a stubborn and costly problem for farmers across the country.

Unfortunately, stubborn weeds aren’t the only thing that 2,4-D kills, and gardeners, vineyard owners and even other farmers of commodities who don’t switch to the new technology could be affected if the 2,4-D drifts onto their fields.

Resources for rural communities, February 3, 2014

The following is from Christine Sorensen, rural development coordinator for the U. S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development in Pierre, S.D. Read on for valuable resources for rural communities, including several grant opportunities.