South Dakota

2022 Census of Agriculture shows size of farms in South Dakota, North Dakota increased from 2017 census

Published

2 years ago

February 17, 2024

FEBRUARY 17, 2024:

South Dakota’s number of farms and ranches remained unchanged during 2023, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The number of farms and ranches in the state, at 28,300, was unchanged from 2022. Numbers of farms and ranches in South Dakota with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales was unchanged from a year earlier while operations with more than $100,000 in agricultural sales was also
unchanged.

Land in farms and ranches in South Dakota totaled 42.3 million acres, unchanged from 2022.

The average size of operation, at 1,495 acres, was unchanged from a year earlier.

North Dakota’s number of farms and ranches decreased during 2023, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The number of farms and ranches in the state, at 24,800, was down 300 farms from 2022. Numbers of farms and ranches in North Dakota with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales decreased 400 farms from a year earlier while operations with more than $100,000 in agricultural sales increased 100 farms.

Land in farms and ranches in North Dakota totaled 38.5 million acres, unchanged acres from 2022. The average size of operation, at 1,552 acres, was up 18 acres from a year earlier.

Access the National publication for this release at: https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/5712m6524.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024:

The USDA released the 2022 Census of Agriculture this week (Feb. 13, 2024).

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says some of the results were concerning, especially the number of farms and total amount of farmland across America.

vilsack1 :30 OC…”million acres.”

“In 2017, when we did the survey, there were 2,042,220 farms. Today the survey reports we have 1,900,487 farms. So doing a little quick math, that’s 142,000 fewer farms in five years. The survey tells us that in 2017, we had a little over 900 million acres of land in farming. Five years later, we have 880 million acres, so we’ve lost 20 million acres.”

He put the number of acres into perspective.

vilsack2 :45 OC…”and Colorado.”

“That’s every New England state with the exception of Connecticut in five years. I want to give you a sense of how many farms that is. I’ve been focusing on this issue for the last four or five months because I ran across a report done by Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland In 1981. He was expressing concern about the direction of agriculture because we had changed the method of support, a direction of support, for American agriculture. Well, if you look at the number of farms that were in existence when he issued that warning and compare it to today, we’ve lost 535,000 Farms. Now that’s every farm today in the following states: in North Dakota and South Dakota, in Minnesota and Wisconsin, in Illinois and Iowa, in Nebraska and Oklahoma, and Missouri and Colorado.”

Vilsack says the 2022 Census of Ag is a wake-up call.

vilsack3 :29 OC…”data presents.”

“This survey is essentially asking the critical question of whether as a country are we okay with losing that many farms? Are we okay with losing that much farmland or is there a better way? That’s the importance of this survey. It allows us to take a snapshot in time, allows us to compare what has occurred over the five-year period, and begin to ask ourselves questions about the policy formation and the direction that we need to take in order to correct or deal with some of the challenges that the data presents.”

FEBRUARY 13, 2024:

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released its 2022 Census of Agriculture today (Feb. 13, 2024) and it shows a decline in the number of farms and in the number of acres of farmland in South Dakota, but the size of farms increased.

The data shows there were 28,299 farms in 2022, which is a decrease of 6% from the 2017 Census of Ag. The amount of land in farms reported was 42.3 million acres, down 2% from 2017’s number.

The average size of farm in South Dakota was 1,495 acres, up 4%– or 52 acres– from 2017. Land in farms accounted for 87.2% of the total land area in South Dakota compared to 38.9% in the U.S.

The total value of agricultural products sold in South Dakota in 2022 was $12.9-billion, up 33% from 2017. Of the total value of production, 41% originated from livestock and 59% from crops. Average net income per farm was $159,459, a 95% increase from 2017.

During 2022, the average age of producers was 57.2 years compared to 56.2 years in 2017. The number of young producers, defined as age 34 or less, was 5,382, or 11% of all producers. The number of female producers was 15,910, or 31% of all producers. For the 2022 ag census, data was collected from a maximum of four producers per farming operation.

The Census of Agriculture also showed 82% of South Dakota farms had internet access compared to 79% for all U.S. farms.

Additional resources including Ag Census Web Maps are scheduled to be released in September 2024, while Zip Code Tabulations are scheduled to be released in November 2024. Ranking and Profile tabulations will be available throughout 2024.

In addition to State and County data publications, additional online resources are available such as Quick Stats 2.0 and Ag Census Highlights. All Census data products can be found at www.nass.usda.gov/agcensus/.

FEBRUARY 13, 2024:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) today (Feb. 13, 2024) announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, spanning more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them down to the county level. The information collected directly from producers shows a continued decline in the total number of U.S. farms. However, the data also show a rise in the number of new and beginning (operating 10 or fewer years on any farm) as well as young (under the age of 35) producers.

The full Census of Agriculture report as well as publication dates for additional ag census data products can be found at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. Ag census data can also be found in NASS’s searchable online database, Quick Stats.

“We are pleased to provide updated Census of Agriculture data to all those who serve U.S. agriculture, especially the producers who gave their time to complete the questionnaire. Census of Agriculture data tell a story. This comprehensive snapshot every five years helps data users to see trends and shifts in the industry over time and helps producers do business,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “Overall, though there are always changes across U.S. agriculture, the data remain largely consistent with the previous ag census. Data users will also notice some new data on the topics of hemp, precision agriculture, and internet access.”

Ag census data provide valuable insights into demographics, economics, land use and activities on U.S. farms and ranches such as:

There were 1.9 million farms and ranches (down 7% from 2017) with an average size of 463 acres (up 5%) on 880 million acres of farmland (down 2%). That is 39% of all U.S. land.
Family-owned and operated farms accounted for 95% of all U.S. farms and operated 84% of land in farms.
U.S. farms and ranches produced $543 billion in agricultural products, up from $389 billion in 2017. With farm production expenses of $424 billion, U.S. farms had net cash income of $152 billion. Average farm income rose to $79,790. A total of 43% of farms had positive net cash farm income in 2022.
Farms with internet access continued to rise from 75% in 2017 to 79% in 2022.
A total of 153,101 farms and ranches used renewable energy producing systems compared to 133,176 farms in 2017, a 15% increase. The majority of farms (76%) with renewable energy systems reported using solar panels.
In 2022, 116,617 farms sold directly to consumers, with sales of $3.3 billion. Value of sales increased 16% from 2017.
The 105,384 farms with sales of $1 million or more were 6% of U.S. farms and 31% of farmland; they sold more than three-fourths of all agricultural products. The 1.4 million farms with sales of $50,000 or less accounted for 74% of farms, 25% of farmland, and 2% of sales.
Nearly three-fourths of farmland was used by farms specializing in two commodity categories: oilseed and grain production (32%) and beef cattle production (40%).
The average age of all producers was 58.1, up 0.6 years from 2017. This is a smaller increase than average age increases between prior censuses.
There were just over 1 million farmers with 10 or fewer years of experience, an increase in the number of beginning farmers from 2017 of 11%. Beginning farmers are younger than all farmers, with an average age of 47.1.
The number of producers under age 35 was 296,480, comprising 9% of all producers. The 221,233 farms with young producers making decisions tend to be larger than average in both acres and sales.
In 2022, 1.2 million female producers accounted for 36% of all producers. Fifty-eight percent of all farms had at least one female decision maker.

First conducted in 1840 in conjunction with the decennial Census and conducted since 1997 by USDA NASS – the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture – the Census of Agriculture remains the most comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 7, 2026

Published

2 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 7 drawing

17-18-30-50-68, Powerball: 24, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from March 7 drawing

06-08-17-18-45, Star Ball: 05, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from March 7 drawing

01-02-06-22-26

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 7 drawing

10-32-45-53-54, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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South Dakota

South Dakota’s first astronaut makes pit stop in Madison

Published

15 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

South Dakota’s first astronaut makes pit stop in Madison

MADISON, S.D. — When a space shuttle blasts off, 6.5 million pounds of thrust propel it to the heavens, where it reaches 17,500 miles per hour in just over eight and a half minutes, traveling roughly 5 miles every beat of the heart.

This was one of the many fascinating and somewhat terrifying facts presented by NASA astronaut Charles Gemar during his Feb. 24 presentation for the Lake County National History Club, a dedicated group of high schoolers working with the Lake County Museum. The event was part of the club’s Time Traveler’s Symposium, with its president Grace Blessinger saying Gemar was an ideal guest as he’s the first astronaut to hail from South Dakota.

Raised in Scotland, South Dakota, Gemar has flown on three different space shuttle missions, logging over 580 hours in space during an 11-year career with NASA from 1985-1996. Gemar said that even at 70 years old with decades to reflect, he’s still working to fully appreciate just how special of an opportunity he received.

“I always knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an astronaut. I just never shared that because who’s going to believe that? You’re from South Dakota,” Gemar said.

Gemar explained that his journey began with his enlistment in the U.S. Army in 1973, which led to him attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and eventually earning the titles of Army officer and pilot. In 1985, he was selected as one of 13 NASA astronaut candidates, though he noted that being named a candidate is simply the first step in a long and intense training period.

Charles Gemar poses for an official NASA portrait in October 1985.

Contributed / NASA, S85-41894

This entailed two years of general astronaut training, including mountain and water survival exercises, learning thousands of spacecraft systems and switches along with spending 45 hours per quarter flying the supersonic T-38 jet and more. Gemar noted this demanding routine did its best to simulate the harsh, unforgiving nature of space, yet nothing can truly prepare you for the real thing.

Gemar’s first flight came in November 1990, where he served on the five-man crew of STS-38, which conducted a classified operation for the U.S. Department of Defense. The shuttle made 80 orbits around the Earth in 117 hours, safely landing back at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center five days after launch.

He noted the day before launch is one of the hardest, as the astronauts are forced to quarantine to limit the possibility of in-flight illness, though they are permitted a final meal with limited family prior to takeoff. This day is often emotionally tense, he added, with the astronauts attempting to mentally prepare for space flight, while the families reckon with the inherent risk of seeing their loved ones shot into space.

“When I flew my first flight, one in 15 astronauts had lost their life in the performance of their duties. Those are pretty tough odds,” Gemar remarked.

Despite the danger, Gemar and the rest of his team strapped themselves in for the trip of a lifetime, pushing away any apprehension that might affect them from achieving their mission.

“Flying in space requires a level of confidence that almost borders on narcissism,” Gemar explained. “You have to believe you can strap 600 million pounds of thrust to your back, go to space, come home safely and get the girl at the end.”

The first time he saw his home planet from the vantage point of space was deeply humbling, Gemar said, adding how the one emotion he wasn’t prepared for was “this overwhelming feeling of insignificance.”

Gemar s38-s-040~orig.jpg — STS-38 crewmembers pose in front of Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle 104 at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility in November 1990. Left to right are Commander Richard O. Covey, Mission Specialist Robert C. Springer, Charles D. Gemar, Frank L. Culbertson and Carl J. Meade.

“All of humanity is back there. There’s just the five of you in space,” Gemar stated.

While it may be isolated, life in space is anything but slow, as there were countless maintenance tasks, health precautions and scientific experiments to keep the astronauts occupied. He added that the work and view may be daunting, but it’s also breathtaking. Gemar described the beauty of seeing auroras from space, the awe of recognizing landmarks like the Black Hills, Mississippi River Delta and even the clouds of smoke from active volcanoes.

Gemar flew in two more space shuttle missions in 1991 and 1994, the second of which was the second longest space mission to date. This was STS-62, where on this mission alone, 60 experiments or investigations were conducted across a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines, including materials science, human physiology, biotechnology, protein crystal growth, robotics, structural dynamics, atmospheric ozone monitoring and more.

Gemar and his crew spent 13 days, 23 hours and 16 minutes in space throughout the mission, orbiting the Earth 224 times and traveling a collective distance of 5.8 million miles.

Following his presentation, Gemar answered some general questions about space travel before offering some advice to students on the importance of following your goals and working with others to make them a reality.

“Nobody does this on their own. If there’s something you want to do, let somebody know,” Gemar said, adding that people often talk themselves out of opportunities and are too prepared to take no for an answer.

Gemar’s message on the importance of community is shared in the mission of the Lake County History Club, which attempts to inspire students to rally together in their love of history.

Charles Gemar 9802877~orig.jpg — Onboard Space Shuttle Columbia, Mission commander John H. Casper (right) and Mission specialist Charles Gemar prepare to take pictures of their home planet in March 1994.

“We just grew this group of great kids who were really interested in history,” club president Grace Blessinger, who founded the group three years ago, remarked.

Blessinger and vice president JayLynn Mackert said the club’s guest speakers have been incredible thus far, as prior to Gemar, the group hosted Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser last year in another well-attended event. The duo thanked their sponsors and the Lake County Museum for their continued success, with Mackert noting that it gives community members a chance for experiences they may never have otherwise.

“I think it provides a lot of sort of firsthand understand of things that you don’t get from textbooks because, you know, you can read about wars all you want, but hearing from a Holocaust survivor is really different,” Blessinger noted.

“We definitely wouldn’t be able to do it without the community,” Mackert added. “No one’s forced to be here, so when we walk into a room full of 150 people, we know that everyone around us wants to be there.”

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 6, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 6, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 6 drawing

08-19-26-38-42, Mega Ball: 24

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 6 drawing

04-10-29-48-50, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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