shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com March 17, 2015 • Page 17 NATIONAL AG WEEK SD Farm & Ranch Recognition HURON — Farm and ranch families who have enjoyed ownership of their South Dakota farm or ranch for 100 or 125 years have the opportunity to be honored on Thursday, Sept. 3, during the South Dakota State Fair in Huron. Agriculture has long been the foundation of South Dakota history. The South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) would like to recognize and honor these longstanding South Dakota families. To qualify as a South Dakota Century Farm or Ranch, a family must have retained continuous ownership of at least 80 acres of original farmland for 100 years or more. If the family ownership of land has reached 125 Master Gardener Volunteers years, they may apply to be recognized as a Quasquicentennial Farm or Ranch. Documentation of the original date of purchase must be included with the application. Application forms are available online at www.sdfbf.org by clicking “All About Ag” and then “CenturyQuasquicentennial Farm & Ranch Program” or call the SDFB at (605) 353-8052. The deadline to apply is Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015. The South Dakota Farm & Ranch Recognition program was initiated in 1984 by the SDFB. Since then, the SDDA has joined the program. There have been 2,770 century farms and ranches and 250 quasquicentennial farms and ranches recognized thus far. n SDSU iGROW U.S. Farm Bill Payments to Peak Government support for U.S. grain farmers under the new five-year farm bill will peak with the coming 2015 crop, the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute said in a new report. The 2014 farm bill replaced traditional direct payments to farmers with support tied to market prices, with farmers needing to choose one of two basic formulas by March 31. One, called Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), makes payments based on moving five-year average prices at the county level. The other, called Price Loss Coverage (PLC), provides payments when national average prices fall below fixed reference prices. Farmers commit to one option for all five years. “Payments under 2014 farm bill programs increase when crop prices fall,” FAPRI said in its 2015 U.S. Baseline Briefing Book. The think tank estimated that $3.9 billion in ARC and PLC payments for last year’s 2014 crop would be made after fiscal 2016 begins on Oct. 1. “ARC spending is greatest in 2015/16 but declines in later years as the moving averages that determine benchmark revenues adjust,” FAPRI said. “Projected average ARC and PLC payments peak with the 2015 crop at about $6.5 billion but decline to $3.4 billion for the 2018 crop.” FAPRI, based at the University of Missouri, said actual ARC and PLC payments are likely to differ greatly from the projected averages, given price and yield volatility. The projected farm support payments are separate from the huge U.S. private crop insurance program, which the government both guarantees as a reinsurer and subsidizes by paying 50 percent or more of farmer premiums. FAPRI estimated crop insurance net outlays would average more than $8 billion per year over the next 10 years. Because of expectations of lower prices, U.S. farmers are projected in 2015 to reduce corn, wheat and cotton acreage while slightly increasing soybean area, FAPRI said. The institute said it expected average corn prices to recover to $3.89 per bushel for the 2015/16 marketing year because of reduced U.S. production, while continued large global supplies would pressure wheat to $5.17 and soybeans to $9.29. FAPRI expects milk, hog and poultry prices to fall in 2015 as lower feed costs and record 2014 prices boost production. Cattle and beef supplies are tight in 2015, but prices will begin to decline in 2016 as beef production starts to expand. Master Gardener Endowment BROOKINGS — Each year, South Dakota Master Gardeners and Master Gardener groups are eligible to receive funds from the South Dakota Master Gardener Endowment for projects that support or promote gardening education and experience.  The South Dakota State Master Gardeners Executive Board determines the amount of funds available each year and selects the worthy applications.  Applications can be found at iGrow. Applications are due by March 20, 2015 and should be submitted electronically to David Graper by mail at David Graper, Box 2140C, Brookings, SD  57007. The South Dakota Endowment Grant program was developed in honor of Mr. Earl Dailey, a Pennington County Master Gardener who envisioned the establishment of this endowment and award program.  Dozens of grants have been disbursed since 2006 when the first grants were awarded. Grant recipients are expected to provide a brief presentation at the State Master Gardener Annual Update, to be held in Pierre this year in September. n SDSU iGROW n Reuters (AP) Third and Fourth Grade Essay Contest MILLER — South Dakota Ag in the Classroom (SDAIC) and South Dakota Farm Families are sponsoring an essay contest for all South Dakota third- and fourth-graders and high school seniors in South Dakota. The themes of the contest revolve around conservation and preservation of natural resources. The topic for the third and fourth grade contest is “How Do Farmers Turn Waste into Something Useful?” and the senior contest topic is “How Are Farmers Actively Working to Preserve and Protect the Environment?” “Protecting the environment is something farmers and ranchers do every day,” said Ann Price, SDAIC director. “If they don’t protect the natural resources they are given, there won’t be any way to grow the crops and animals that feed us.” n PROTOCOLS From Page 13 for at least 1 hour per check period. This results in a total of 3 hours minimum with 5 to 6 hours of heat detection being better. Recommended heat detection protocols for heifers include: 1 Shot PG (Prostaglandin) 7 Day CIDR® - PG MGA® - PG Heat Detect and Time AI (TAI) Protocols: These protocols include a combination of both heat detection and timed insemination. Heifers observed in heat should be inseminated 6 to 12 hours after standing heat. Heat detection should be done for approximately 3 days after PG injection, all heifers not showing heat will be given an injection of GnRH and inseminated (i.e. timed insemination). The amount of time spent on heat detection is reduced with early responders having a better chance of conceiving compared to a single fixed-timed AI. The recommended Heat Detect and Time AI protocols include: Select Synch+CIDR® & TAI MGA® - PG & TAI 14-day CIDR® - PG & TAI Fixed-Time AI (TAI) Protocols: With a fixed-time protocol, all heifers are inseminated at a pre-determined time and no heat detection has to occur. In general heifer pregnancy rates for fixed-time AI protocols tend to be 5 to 10% lower than heat detection alone. When considering these protocols, synchronize Call Classifieds 665-5884 Winners in the third and fourth grade categories will receive a classroom pizza party and a certificate. The winner of the high school contest will receive $250 cash. Entries are due April 4, 2015, and winners will be announced on or before April 10. Entry forms must be included with all entries and can be found at www.agclassroom.org/sd or www.agunited.org. Third- and fourth-graders should submit their 100-250 word essays and seniors should submit their 500-1,000 word essays to Ag Week Essay Contest, c/o South Dakota Ag in the Classroom, PO Box 402, Miller, SD, 57362 or email them to sdagclassroom@yahoo.com with the subject line “Ag Week Essay Contest.” Contact Ann Price at sdagclassroom@ yahoo.com or 605-853-6040 with questions.   n South Dakota Department of Agriculture no more females than can be inseminated in a 3 to 4 hour period of time. Recommended Fixed-Time AI protocols include: 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR® 5-day CO-Synch+ CIDR® MGA® - PG 14-day CIDR® - PG For more information related to estrous synchronization, contact Robin Salverson, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist at 605.374.4177 or Dr. George Perry, SDSU Extension Beef Reproductive Management Specialist at 605.688.5456. n South Dakota Department of Agriculture When you finish reading, Please RECYCLE. Gardeners help answer local gardeners’ questions. PHOTOS COURTESY OF iGROW Organic Producer Surveys Due April 3 BROOKINGS — National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) mailed its 2014 Organic Producer Survey to organic producers nationwide. Participation is mandatory. “I urge all South Dakota organic producers to fill out the survey as the data collected is crucial to developing agriculturerelated programs that Hoxeng Crop Insurance LLC For Your Crop Insurance Needs MPCI & Crop Hail 33 years of crop insurance experience. Dave Hoxeng directly affect the life and communities of growers,” said Alvaro Garcia, SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Director & SDSU Professor. M.T. & R.C. SMITH INSURANCE Serving the Yankton Area Since 1949 Home, Auto, Business, Life, Bonds 209 W. 4th St. • Downtown Yankton, SD 605-665-3611 smithins@iw.net Office: 605-267-2767 Cell: 605-661-1136 • 1-855-969-2767 We are an Equal Opportunity Employer Farm safe farm aware KEEP EQUIPMENT 10 FEET CLEAR OF OVERHEAD POWER LINES For more information, call 800-245-6977. n SDSU iGROW “Don’t Gamble” - Insure With 44867 303rd St. • Volin, SD 57072 Overhead power lines are necessary to deliver electricity to farmsteads. But the electricity can be deadly if wires are touched by large equipment. Farmers and their equipment should always be at least 10 feet clear of overhead power lines. Online responses are by April 3, 2015. The online survey can be found at the USDA Ag survey website.