Ag United News

Open House for Minnehaha County Family Business December 16

SIOUX FALLS, SD – Agriculture United for South Dakota is pleased to announce they will be participating in an open house for the VanDerVliet family’s new 460 head mono-slope cattle barn on Saturday, December 16, 2006.

“The VanDerVliet’s new cattle barn highlights the opportunity that South Dakota presents for families feeding livestock,” said Ag United board member and Salem farmer, Kurt Stiefvater. “With the record land prices we have seen in South Dakota the past few years, many farm families are looking at the opportunities livestock feeding provides as a way to expand their family business.”

The open house for the barn will be held on Saturday, December 16, 2006 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the barn located at 46037 248th Street, Colton, or 3.5 miles west of Colton. A free roast beef sandwich dinner will be served at the Taopi Community Hall in Colton between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The dinner is courtesy of the Colton Farmer’s Elevator, US Bank, US Feeds and the VanDerVliet Family.

VanDerVliet family members and representatives from US Feeds will be on hand at the barn during the open house. The public is encouraged visit the barn before or after they enjoy the meal.

“Beef production has a $3.22 billion economic impact in South Dakota,” said Steve Dick, Executive Director of Ag United. “With the feed and cement coming from Colton, the building material from Watertown, the VanDerVliet’s new barn is a prime example of South Dakota’s economy benefiting from livestock production,” added Dick.

Rod and Lois VanDerVliet along with their son and daughter-in-law, Ryan and Sarah operate a diversified farm with corn, soybeans, alfalfa and a cow-calve herd in the Colton area. The cattle feeding operation also includes other family members.

Over 18,000 South Dakota farm and ranch families raise cattle making it the 6th largest cattle state in the nation. Annually, more than 1.6 million calves are born in South Dakota; however, only 400,000 of the calves are finished in the state.