FEATURED SPEAKER: Dr. Dwayne Beck, Manager of Dakota Lakes Research Farm

Dr. Dwayne Beck manages the research facility called Dakota Lakes Research Farm. The Dakota Lakes Research Farm is owned by a not-for-profit corporation created by family farmers and local businesses in the 1980’s.  Full-time operations at the present site began in the fall of 1989.  The entire facility has always been managed using true conservation agriculture techniques (continuous low-disturbance no-till and diverse rotations) since its inception.

The unique cooperative arrangement between South Dakota State University and the agricultural producer members of the corporation has resulted in substantial success.  The primary impact was the development of programs that have allowed producers to profitably adopt conservation agriculture techniques in a large portion of central South Dakota and throughout the grassland ecosystems of North America.  Identification of the extremely important role played by crop rotation in minimizing weed, disease, and insect problems while increasing potential profitability was the key contribution to this success.  Principles developed at the Dakota Lakes Research Center have been successfully applied to many ecosystems around the world. The intellectual and fiscal contributions of the producer/owners of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm Corporation are the key to the successes achieved at this point. What has happened so far is only the beginning, conservation agriculture research and development continues and is expanding into new areas.

Dr. Beck was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2007 and was presented with the American Agricultural Editors Association Distinguished Service Award in 2008. He has spoken at numerous national and international meetings and is renowned not just for his research work, but also for his teaching skills and his unique approach to managing ecosystems used for producing food. Dr. Beck was a featured speaker in 2014 at the 6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture.

(Bio information on Dr. Beck from 6th WCCA site.)

For Dakota Lakes Research Farm publications, please visit: http://www.dakotalakes.com/Publications.htm

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PARTICIPATE? Producer Panel Discussion

Farmers learn best from other farmers who have experimented with different “best practices” in ag production techniques. Terry Ness (Treasurer), Jeff Young (Vice President), and Kelley O’Neill (Director) will share some of their experiences with crop rotation and alternative crops. We would like to hear from more of our members. If you would like to be on the panel and present some of your best (or not so successful) practices, please let Susan Holler or Mina Doerner know during dinner at Maverick’s on Friday night, at the latest. You can always email the Co-op Board and manager at dakotalambgrowers@gmail.com before Friday, too, so we can officially add your name and topic to the agenda for Saturday.

Presentations will be informal, and are intended to be an active learning opportunity, so you don’t have to have handouts, unless you would like to.

If you plan on attending Friday’s supper and Saturday’s lunch, please R.S.V.P. by       Monday, December 5 at 10 am CST to dakotalambgrowers@gmail.com or call Mina at    605-651-9530 (please leave a message if no answer).

The Co-op will be drawing names for DOOR PRIZES during this year’s meeting! All attending DLGC Members* are eligible (with the exception of current Board of Directors) to win one of eight $100 bills or one of two American Sheep Industry Volume 8 of the Sheep Production Handbooks (featuring updated material in every chapter as well as a new chapter on lamb quality. A fully searchable USB drive is included with each book).

*Only one winning draw per family/entity. Must be present to win!

Program

Friday, December 9

• 7:00 pm-Dinner at Maverick’s in the “Party Room”

[720 Lamont St S, Aberdeen, SD 57401]

• 9:00 pm: Co-op Board of Directors Open Meeting at Quality Inn in the “Breakfast Room”

[2923 6th Ave., S.E., Aberdeen, SD 57401]

Saturday, December 10

LOCATION: Dakota Events Center          [720 Lamont St S, Aberdeen, SD 57401]

• 8:30-8:55 am: Registration in the James River/Ringneck Rooms
• 9:00-10:15 am: Speaker Dr. Dwayne Beck, Manager, Dakota Lakes Research Farm
• 10:45 am-12:00 Noon: Producer Panel Discussion: Putting Conservation Agriculture Concepts into Practice
• 12-1:20 pm: Lunch in the Missouri River Room
• 1:20-1:30 pm: Registration for Co-op business meeting
• 1:30 pm: Co-op Annual Business Meeting
  •             By-Laws Amendments Vote
  •             Election of Officers

~ 4:00 pm: Annual Meeting adjourned

Suggested Hotels:

Quality Inn [2923 6th Ave., S.E., Aberdeen, SD 57401]

Call 605-226-0097 for reservations. (Special rate expired 11/9.)

Hampton Inn [3216 7th Ave SE, Aberdeen, SD 57401]

This hotel is attached to Maverick’s and the Dakota Events Center. Call 605-262-2600 for reservations (Special rate expired 11/9.)