South Dakota State University Announces Fall 2018 Graduates
The following students graduated after the fall 2018 session at South Dakota State University. The students listed below completed all requirements for a degree and/or certificate program and those requirements have been verified by the appropriate college.
The names of honor graduates marked with WH designate graduation with honor; CL, Cum Laude; MCL, Magna Cum Laude; and SCL, Summa Cum Laude.
Overall, students from 28 states and 18 nations graduated following the fall 2018 semester.
Wyatt Scott Peschges Avoca Minnesota Bachelor of Science, SAFES
Jacob William Post Chandler Minnesota Bachelor of Science, SAFE
Samantha Rose Gervais Currie MinnesotaBachelor of Science, SNS
Justin David LeClaire CurrieMinnesota Bachelor of Science, SEHS
Sierra Nicole Van Iperen Lake Wilson Minnesota Bachelor of Science, SNURS
Grant Gordon Everson Slayton MinnesotaBachelor of Science, SEHS
Safe Handling of Treated Seed
By Lizabeth Stahl, Extension Educator in Crops and Bruce Potter, Integrated Pest Management Specialist
A significant amount of seed planted this year will have been treated with one or more fungicide, insecticide, nematicide, or biological seed treatments. The following are some key precautions and reminders to follow when working with treated seed to help prevent pesticide exposure to handlers, non-target organisms, and the environment.
Read the seed tag label. This is a basic, but key first step in understanding what steps and precautions to take when working with seed that has been treated with a particular product(s). Be familiar with any restrictions listed on the seed bag label before you use the seed.
Wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling treated seed. Most seed tag labels will state that at minimum, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and chemical-resistant gloves be worn when handling treated seed.
Take care of any spills immediately. Clean up or cover up spills with soil (refer to the seed tag label for specifics) as the seed treatment may be hazardous to birds and other wildlife, or to fish and aquatic invertebrates. Research conducted by the MN DNR, for example, detected residues of neonicotinoids (a commonly-used seed treatment) in the livers of hunter-harvested sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chickens. Spills should also be cleaned up to minimize exposure to people, particularly children.
Avoid generating insecticide-laden dust when handling treated seed and working with planting equipment. To reduce risk to pollinators, avoid filling or cleaning out planters near flowering vegetation, including woody shrubs and trees. Use appropriate dust-reducing lubricity compounds in the planter instead of talc/graphite, clean and properly maintain planting equipment, watch wind speed and direction, and use technologies to reduce dust drift.
Be aware of any replant, rotational, grazing, and feeding restrictions. Depending on the product used, there may be limitations on what crop can be planted in a replant situation, or if a cover crop planted in the area could be grazed or used for feed or forage. Refer to the seed tag label for further details.
Only use a particular seed treatment where you can justify its use. Consider your risk from insect, nematode, and disease pests. In each field, a history of previous problems, weather, cropping system, and genetics influence the probability of an economic yield loss from pests. The potential for yield loss and comparative efficacy of alternative pest management options should be considered when predicting the potential for an economic return when using seed treatments. Utilizing integrated pest management (IPM) can help your bottom line.
Properly dispose of leftover treated seed. The best and most preferred method is to plant out leftover seed although there may be restrictions on the planting rate and/or depth. Burial may be allowed, but avoid burial next to water sources. Seeding for wildlife habitat is also a possibility when allowed on the seed bag label. Do not compost treated seed, and never burn treated seed in a stove that is used in the home, farm shop, etc.
DO NOT allow treated seed to enter the food or feed chain. Treated seed is not to be used for food, feed or oil processing, and care must be taken to not contaminate grain going into the food or feed market. There is ZERO tolerance for treated seed in the export market, meaning that a single seed could result in the rejection of an entire load.
For more information on the safe handling of treated seed, check out the U of MN fact sheet on this topic at: http://z.umn.edu/shtseed. The American Seed Trade Association has also developed resources for farmers related to the safe handling of treated seed, available at: https://seed-treatment-guide.com/resources/for-farmers/.
7 Tips For Choosing A Lawn Company This Spring
April showers are about to bring May flowers, and Better Business Bureau® of Minnesota and North Dakota is here to guide consumers who are looking to spruce up their yards by contracting lawn services.
Because lawn care services are seasonal, remembering how to choose a reputable, fairly priced company can be tricky, and scammers masquerading as door-to-door service solicitors don’t make things any easier. When you set out to beautify your lawn, BBB wants you to keep these pointers in mind:
• Request a lawn inspection and cost estimate. Companies that quote a price without actually seeing your lawn can’t be totally sure what your lawn needs.
• Get more than one quote. You should always shop around for the best value, and make sure all bids consider the same set of criteria.
• Ask for references and photos of previous work. If the company has done landscaping work nearby, consider visiting the location to see their work for yourself. Don’t be afraid to contact and question references – they might tell you something a Google search didn’t!
• Get specific about pricing. Make sure you’ve clarified in writing whether you’re paying for a one-time project or ongoing maintenance and the amount and frequency of payments. Hash out other details, for instance: What happens if it rains the day someone is supposed to mow your lawn? Who bags the clippings? Is there an extra charge for that
• Check for company insurance. Does the company provide liability and workman’s compensation insurance to protect you if there’s an accident on the job?
• Clarify timing and safety precautions. Will the work be done while you’re at home or away? If the company is applying pesticides to your lawn, do you need to do anything to protect your family or pets?
• Get everything in writing. To protect yourself as a consumer, make sure every part of your agreement is written down and contains all promises made and topics discussed. Look for guarantees and refund policies, and get copies of anything you sign, including receipts – and don’t lose them later.
BBB wants consumers to Start With Trust® so you are equipped with tools to choose quality companies and have positive experiences in the marketplace. If that isn’t the case, visit bbb.org to file a complaint against a specific company or to report a scam by using our Scam Tracker.
Minnesota Starwatch For May 2019
By Deane Morrison
In May we start to lose our old friend Mars, which is dropping out of the evening sky after being a fixture there since last summer. The red planet has great staying power, thanks to being the speediest of the outer planets. But Earth is speedier yet, and now we’re starting to round the sun, leaving Mars on the other side of it.
Mars gets a last hurrah, though, on the 7th. If you look as soon as the sky gets dark, you’ll see a young crescent moon low in the west, just to the lower left of Mars. These two rocky bodies, plus two stars, form a nearly straight line that night. Below and east of the moon is Betelgeuse, in Orion, and high above and west of Mars is bright, multicolored Capella, in Auriga, the charioteer.
Taking center stage in the south now is Virgo, a large but dim constellation with only one bright star: Spica. If you’re unsure which star it is, a waxing moon will be above it on the 15th. Slightly below and west of the star is Corvus, the crow, a small constellation resembling a rather bent-out-of-shape square. High to the upper left of Spica, brilliant Arcturus shines from its kite-shaped constellation, Bootes the herdsman.
Jupiter, a morning planet since December, starts rising before midnight this month. It travels the sky between Antares, the red heart of Scorpius, to the west, and the Teapot of Sagittarius to the southeast. Just east of the Teapot, Saturn brings up the rear. Above Saturn hangs the delicate, curved Teaspoon of stars.
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is predicted to peak in the predawn hours of the 5th and/or 6th. This shower may deliver as many as 40 meteors per hour if skies are quite dark. Look to the southeast, toward the constellation Aquarius, to see remnants of Comet Halley burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.
May’s full moon arrives on the 18th at 4:11 p.m.; look for it to rise just before sunset.
USDA Outlines Eligibility for 2019 Supplemental Coverage Option Regarding Elections for Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced that producers who purchased or plan to purchase the 2019 Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) policy should report Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) election intentions to their crop insurance agent by March 15, 2019, or the acreage reporting date, whichever is later.
Producers have the option to elect either ARC or PLC through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to receive benefits. The 2018 Farm Bill allows producers to make an election in 2019, which covers the 2019 and 2020 crop years.
The Federal Crop Insurance Act prohibits producers from having SCO on farms where they elect ARC. Because of the timing of the Farm Bill, FSA’s ARC/PLC election period will not occur until after the SCO sales closing dates and acreage reporting dates.
Producers who purchased SCO policies with sales closing dates of Feb. 28, 2019, or earlier may cancel their SCO policy by March 15, 2019. This allows producers, particularly those who intend to elect ARC for all their acres, to no longer incur crop insurance costs for coverage for which they will not be eligible.
Producers with SCO coverage now have the option to file an ARC/PLC acreage intention report with their crop insurance agent by the later of the acreage reporting date or March 15, 2019. This report will adjust the acreage report by specifying the intended ARC or PLC election by FSA Farm Number. The number of eligible acres on farms with an intention of PLC will be the number of acres insured for SCO regardless of any actual elections made with FSA. If a producer does not file an ARC/PLC acreage intention report, SCO will cover all acres as though the producer elected PLC.
The existing penalties for misreporting eligible acreage on the SCO endorsement will not apply in 2019.
Additional details about SCO can be found at www.rma.usda.gov.
Good News
By: John Stenen
I read of a young minister who preached in a large wealthy church in a college town. His greatest fear was being criticized by many of the highly educated ‘elite’ in his congregation. Speaking to his father one day, who was an old and wise minister, he shared his fear. “I’m hesitant to be dogmatic about preaching on creation because many of them are such believers in evolution. I rarely speak on tithing because I have been told by some that that is not sound financial advice. I don’t dare speak on what the Scriptures teach concerning homosexuality, and fornication, and adultery, because I offend so many. Sometimes I feel like they want to tar and feather me. Many of these people question the virgin birth of Christ. Some even deny the miracles that Jesus did. When it comes to our salvation, some believe there are many ways to heaven. I just don’t know what to do.” The young ministers father put his arm around his son’s shoulder, looked him right in the eyes and said, “Son, just preach the gospel, they apparently know very little of that. Keep planting the seed of God’s Word into their hearts and let the Holy Spirit work it out in their lives.”
Even the apostles faced the same opposition by the religious leaders who had rejected Jesus. These ‘religious leaders’ just could not grasp the truth of the gospel when they heard it. They were so bound in man-made commandments and traditions which make the Word of God to no effect. (Mt. 15:3-6). In Acts 4:13, after the healing of the lame man in Acts 3: the religious leaders noted that Peter and John were “unlearned and ignorant men, but took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus”. I believe that in order to be successful in the ministry of the gospel, as far as God is concerned, is to be “filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18). And secondly, you must spend lots of time with Jesus - every day of every week. Every minister has to decide whether he is going to please God or please man.
Little Minnesota in World War II
During World War II, a total of 165 men from Minnesota’s smallest towns gave their lives for our country. Several were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star. All received the award no one wanted: the Purple Heart. Most of their stories have never been told publicly.
Little Minnesota in World War II, by Jill A. Johnson and Deane L. Johnson, honors these brave men from the smallest rural towns. From John Emery (who died December 7, 1941, on board the USS Arizona) to Herman Thelander (who was lost in the Bermuda Triangle, a mystery unsolved to this day), this unique book allows you to experience the war through personal accounts of the men and their families. With photos from the war, scans of actual letters, journal excerpts, and family memories, this one-of-a-kind book brings history to life and will make you feel prouder than ever to be a Minnesotan.
Little Minnesota in World War II tells the story of the men who died in the war in a heroic effort to defeat Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito.
Jill A. Johnson grew up in the Minnesota towns of Strandquist (population 69) and Karlstad (population 760). When researching the state’s smallest towns, the Johnsons were astounded at the number of men who died in World War II. They both grew up listening to stories of uncles and family friends who served in World War II, a war in strange lands unknown to many in rural Minnesota.
Jill, a retired physical therapist, lives with Deane, a retired physician, photographer, writer, and musician, and their beagle Kallie, the namesake of Beagle Books, the bookstore they founded in Park Rapids in 2001.
For a high-resolution cover image, a review copy, or to schedule an interview with the author, contact Liliane Opsomer at 205-443-7981 or liliane@adventurewithkeen.com.
