A Letter from SDCUC President: Jim Ketelhut (Fall 2024)

As you are reading this, harvest is completed for most of us. 2024 has been memorable, to say the least. Mother Nature has presented us with a wide variety of weather conditions. In the limited areas of the state I have traveled, you can observe the entire spectrum of crop conditions.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that a few miles can make a significant difference in crop conditions. Just because you didn’t receive your timely August rain doesn’t mean the person you’re speaking with isn’t having a bumper crop. We do the best we can with the situation we are given. The only certainty is change; next year will be different.

This challenge mirrors the way we manage checkoff dollars—balancing what is important now with what might be important down the road. We strive to allocate those dollars in ways that will have the greatest impact on future demand and the profitability of producers in our state. Our investments in research, promotion, education, and the maintenance and expansion of export markets for corn, ethanol and livestock are all aimed at these goals.

When we work together across the agricultural sector, we can make a meaningful impact on our industry and enhance the economic viability of our producers for years to come.