South Dakota Family Farmers & Ranchers Discuss Rural Healthcare, E30 and Policy Development During 2017 S.D. Farmers Union Convention

During the two-day convention, industry leaders will discuss everything from rural healthcare, innovative agri-marketing ideas and the future of ethanol in South Dakota to faith’s role in farming and inventory grain management. 

 The opportunity to glean knowledge was Orient farmer, Becky Martinmaas’ motivation to leave her farm and taxidermy business for a couple days.

 “I am always hoping to learn something new,” says Martinmaas, who attended the convention with her husband, Ray.

 Speakers include: Alana Knudson, Public Health Program Area Director at the University of Chicago NORC; Jeremy Freking, Outreach and Agriculture Development Operations Director for S.D. Department of Agriculture; Jim Ennis;  Kari O’Neill, SDSU Extension Community Vitality Field Specialist; Marc Rausch, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of The Auto Channel; Dale Christensen, Glacial Lakes Inc. board member; Craig Blindert, Salem Farmer & Crop Insurance Agent; Frayne Olson, Crop Economist/Marketing Specialist with NDSU Extension and Saleem Shaik, Associate Professor of Agribusiness and Ag Economics at NDSU.

 The convention will wrap up tomorrow with policy discussion that will begin at 2:30 p.m.