Ag United News
Beef month recognizes 17,000 South Dakota producers
Sioux Falls, SD — The month of May is Beef Month in South Dakota, and Agriculture United for South Dakota is pleased to honor the more than 17,000 South Dakota families that tend to more than 3.75 million head of cattle every day.
South Dakota is ranked sixth in the nation in the total number of head of cattle, but lags in the number of calves that are finished here. Less than a quarter of the calves born in South Dakota are finished in the state.
“As a beef producer, it is an honor to have the month of May designated as Beef Month,” said Ag United board member and Corson area rancher Jarrod Johnson. “The activities surrounding this month give beef producers the opportunity to have our product highlighted to consumers,” added Johnson.
In South Dakota alone, beef production had a $1.8 billion impact on the economy in 2005, nearly 82% of total cash receipts for livestock production, far exceeding any other area of livestock production in the state. In addition to having a direct impact on the states economy, beef production also is the largest customer of distillers grains produced at one of the state’s 11 ethanol plants.
