February 24, 2015 • Page 12 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com South Dakota State FFA Farmers continued from page 11 ro projects. Board members include: Bob Hull, Sisseton; Mark Gross, Sioux Falls; Bill Hansen, Center ville; Chuck Jepson, Ft. Pierre; Jim Doolittle, Belle Fourche; Marcia Hendrickson, Chancellor; and Nathan Jensen, Beresford. For information on the financial programs offered through SDDA, please contact one of the board members or Terri LaBrie, SDDA finance administrator at 605.773.5436 or terri.labrie@state. sd.us. Agriculture is South Dakotas No. 1 industr y, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agricultures mission is to promote, protect, preser ve, and improve this industr y for today and tomorrow. Visit us online at http:// sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook and Tw witter. r The 2014-2015 South Dakota State FFA Officer Team F e Skylar Mix, Arlington and Shania Jensen, Beresford. ky (front, from left to right): Dean Barr y Dunn, SDSU College of Ag & Biological Sciences; Vice President Kaden Eisenbraun, Wall; Jack, the SDSU Jackrabbit. (2nd row, from left to right): Secretar y Ellen Minihan, Brandon; Repor ter Jennifer Emer y, Wall. (3rd row, from left to right): Treasurer Nicole Hamilton, Hitchcock Tulare; PresiHitchcock-Tu dent Taylin Albrecht, DeSmet; Sentinel Andrea Collins, Sturgis. Agribusiness Fr riendliness riendlines Friendliness Index ranks states onal F e Students Use National FFA Week to Share Impor tance of Agriculture INDIANAPOLIS (Monday Feb. 23 (M d y, F b 23, 2015/National FFA F Organization) More than a half-million students in all 50 states will share the importance of agriculture in our daily lives, spread their passion for agriculture and host communitywide events to help others in need this week. Its National FFA F We and a host eek of activities are planned to raise awareness about the National FFA OrF ganization and the role it plays in the development of the agriculture industr ys future leaders and the importance of agricultural education. The week-long tradition started in 1948. Each y r, year National FFA We F eek runs Saturday to Saturday, encomy passing President George Wa ashingtons Feb. 22 birthday in recognition of Wa ashingtons legacy as an agriculturist and farmer. r FFA was founded F by a group of young farmers in 1928. Its mission is to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. Since the founding members the organization has taught generations that agriculture is more than planting and har vesting it involves science, business and much more. Today, FFA cony F tinues to help the next generation rise up to meet new agricultural challenges by helping members develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways. Members prepare for careers as biologists, chemists, veterinarians, engineers and entrepreneurs. National FFA F eek We is sponsored by Tractor Supply Co., National FFA F eek We activities can be followed on Twitter at #FFAweek. F w South Dakota State FFA According to responses on Facer book and Twitter, F local FFA chapters plan to host parties in appreciation of their agriculture F teachers and FFA advisors. Members will host local farmers’ markets, visit elementar y and middle schools to F talk about FFA and agricultural education, complete community-ser vice projects, participate in spirit days at their schools to promote agricultural education and much more. A round-up of some planned National F eek FFA We activities include: Through Suny day, participating Tractor Supply Co. stores encourage customers to donate $1 at checkout FA. to support FFA Donations will fund $1,000 scholarships F for FFA members while 10 percent will support state F FFA association programs. Last year, Tractor Supr ply raised more than $447,671 in 48 states to provide 334 college scholarF ships for FFA members. St. Amant FFA in F Louisiana will be working to collect enough food to feed 1,000 people through a help a farmer feed a family event, which will tie into their local livestock show. The National FFA F Officers will travel around the countr y F to visit local FFA chapters. States that will be visited include: Arizona, y Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Oregon. The New RichF mond FFA chapter in Wisconsin F is hosting an FFA eek We Kickoff Snowtubing Event in their area with all interested chapters invited to participate. It’s an annual tradition and members from up to 12 Students South Dakota is the number #1 Agribusiness-friendly state according to a new index created by a couple of Colorado State University professors. Their Agribusiness Friendliness Index takes into consideration 38 variables including local and state government policies, geography, climate and the y overall state business climate. It considers ag inputs; crop, fruit and vegetable production; meat and livestock products; and, agricultural processing. New Hampshire was rated second after South Dakota, both given overall grades of A. The report says both earned high marks for less government regulation, higher efficiency and greater ser vices offsetting relatively weak performance in the business climate area. The bottom five states for Agribusiness Friendliness are: California, Hawaii, waii New Yo Alabam and Mississipork, ork Alabama pi scoring low in government ser vices important to agriculture, high levels of government regulation and less vibrant business climates. Missouri Va i Valley alley Shopper Shopper pp Classifi d Classifieds l f fieds IN PRINT & ONLINE To To place your ad, call: 605-665-5884 605-665-5884 continued on page 13 Carson Fa amily Dentistry C. Nolan Carson III, DDS, MA Kelsey Pudwill, RDH 707 Chestnut St. Springfield, SD 57062 605-369-2226 State Farm, Bloomington, IL Supporting Our FFA g A U T O PA R T S Larsen Carpet “We’ve Got You Covered” 212 Walnut St., Yankton, SD (605) 665-2067 We Support Our FFA! “Full Ser vice Farm Equipment” East Hwy. 50, Yankton, SD Ya 1-800-827-9700 Ta b o r Lumber C o m p a ny yndall 5 miles West of Ty West Tyndall on yn Hwy. 50 Corner of Hwys. 50 and 37 Hwy. www.schuurmansfarmsupply.com www.schuurmansfarmsupply.com Tabor, SD Lumber Co-Op 463-2565 Petro Dept. 463-2251 Lester ville Dept. 364-7522