Experts are seeing a rise in antisocial and violent behavior among South Dakota’s young people, especially since the onset of the pandemic. The effects of child trauma coupled with recent changes in state juvenile justice policy have left some families to fall through the cracks. For others, juvenile diversion programs offer a second chance to stay out of the juvenile justice system altogether.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Wild horses will stay in North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park amid fears from advocates that park officials would remove the beloved animals from the rugged Badlands landscape, a key lawmaker said Thursday.

Republican U.S. Sen. John Hoeven said he has secured a commitment from the National Park Service to maintain the park’s roughly 200 horses. His office said the Park Service will abandon its proposed removal of the horses under an environmental review process begun in 2022.

“This will allow for a healthy herd of wild horses to be maintained at the park, managed in a way to support genetic diversity among the herd and preserve the park’s natural resources,” Hoeven’s office said in a statement.

Park visitors, much to their delight, often encounter the horses while driving or hiking in the rolling, colorful Badlands where a young, future President Theodore Roosevelt hunted and ranched in the 1880s.

The horses roam the park’s South Unit near the Western tourist town of Medora. In 2022, park officials began the process of crafting a “livestock plan” for the horses as well as about nine longhorn cattle in the park’s North Unit near Watford City. Park officials have said that process aligned with policies to remove non-native species when they pose a potential risk to resources.

“The horse herd in the South Unit, particularly at higher herd sizes, has the potential to damage fences used for wildlife management, trample or overgraze vegetation used by native wildlife species, contribute to erosion and soil-related impacts … and compete for food and water resources,” according to a Park Service environmental assessment from September 2023.

Proposals included removing the horses quickly or gradually or taking no action. Park Superintendent Angie Richman has said the horses, even if they ultimately stay, would still have to be reduced to 35-60 animals under a 1978 environmental assessment. It wasn’t immediately clear how Hoeven’s announcement affects the future number of horses or the longhorns.

Thousands of people made public comments during the Park Service review, the vast majority of them in support of keeping the horses. North Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature made its support official in a resolution last year. Gov. Doug Burgum offered state help to maintain the horses.

Hoeven’s announcement comes after Congress passed and President Joe Biden recently signed an appropriations bill with a provision from Hoeven strongly recommending the Park Service maintain the horses. The legislation signaled that funding to remove the horses might be denied.

The horses descend from those of Native American tribes and area ranches and from domestic stallions introduced to the park in the late 20th century, according to Castle McLaughlin, who researched the horses as a graduate student while working for the Park Service in North Dakota in the 1980s.

FFA members are preparing for agriculture careers, learning the role agriculture plays in feeding and clothing the world, and looking for opportunities to grow the industry. FFA’s Career Development Events are built around ag industry careers, expose members to many of the opportunities and needs in the agriculture sector, and enable them to develop and refine their abilities to critically evaluate, effectively communicate and ultimately, succeed in future careers.

One of the hallmarks of agricultural education and the FFA is the opportunity to showcase skills learned in classrooms and spotlighted through 15 Career Development Events at the State FFA Convention (April 18-20, 2024). It is a source of pride and students look forward to the state-level events each year to determine who will represent South Dakota at the national level in the fall. This year 2,100 South Dakota FFA members competed.

Range Plant ID: Sponsored by the SDSU Range Science Club. 1st Place Team: Kadoka – Advisors Kaycee Jones and Kade Bonenberger. Team members: Shaylee Porch, Breezy Amiotte, Kole Hermann and Makaylan Bonenberger.

Top Individuals:

1. Adrik Schoon, Jones County
2. Kole Hermann, Kadoka
3. Makaylan Bonenberger, Kadoka

Courtesy photo.

Livestock Evaluation: Awards are sponsored by SD Pork Producers Council. The travel scholarship is sponsored by Dakotaland Feeds, Travis Hoffman, Kimball Livestock Exchange LLC and Beef Logic. 1st Place Team: Highmore – Advisor Todd Waring. Team members: Payton Beare, Kenidey Effling, April Fallis and Jady LeDoux.

2nd: Parker

3rd: Willow Lake

Courtesy photo.

Top Individuals:

1. Chance Blume, Chamberlain
2. Payton Beare, Highmore
3. Charlie Cody, Tri-Valley

Courtesy photo.

Nursery Landscape: Awards are sponsored by Midwest STIHL. The travel scholarship is sponsored by SODAK Gardens, Northern Plains Landscaping, J Ellen Design and Market and the Wendy Mortenson Agency. 1st Place Team: Gettysburg – Advisor Sarah McClure. Team members: Tanner Eide, Bobbi Eide, Trace Genzler and Jerand Chase.

2nd: Montrose

3rd: Parkston

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Top Individuals:

1. Tanner Eide, Gettysburg
2. Addison Gordon, Montrose
3. Makarie Wieversick, Montrose

Courtesy photo.

Agricultural Business Management: Awards sponsored by Rufus and Patty DeZeeuw and the team travel scholarships are sponsored by Rufus & Patty DeZeeuw, FarmHouse Fraternity-SDSU, Leisinger Farm, Kyle & Jody Peterson, and United Animal Health. 1st place team: Brookings; Advisors Josh Johnson & Michelle Dykstra. Team members: Kennedy Nemitz, Clayton Nelson, Gabriel Stern and Leil Murray.

2nd: Willow Lake

3rd: Highmore

Top Individuals:

1. Harlee Nielson, Hitchcock Tulare
2. Clayton Nelson, Brookings
3. Kaylyn Hofer, Willow Lake

Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems: Awards and drills for each of the top 10 individuals sponsored by the CHS Foundation and the team travel scholarships are sponsored by CHS Foundation, Grossenburg Implement, and the Kettelhut Family The top place team also received a new welder from the Lincoln Electric Company. 1st place team: Howard; Advisor Charlene Weber. Team members: Mason Jacobson, Thomas Connor, Zachary Connor and Gabe Miller.

2nd: Miller

3rd: Bookings

Top Individuals:

1. Andrew Even, Parker
2. Samson Storrhaug, Brookings
3. Zachary Connor, Howard

Agronomy: Awards are sponsored by Simplot and the team travel scholarships are sponsored by Croplan by WinField United; De & Mike Johnson in Memory of Walt Johnson; Hoegemeyer Hybrids; Simplot; Steven Zemlicka in Honor of Stan and Carol Gage. 1st place team: Harrisburg – Advisors Tara Fastert and Josh Christensen. Team members: Christopher Moore, Owen Murphy, Isabella Smithback and Kendrick Droppers.

2nd: McCook Central

3rd: Hot Springs

Top Individuals:

1. Isabella Smithback, Harrisburg
2. Kendrick Droppers, Harrisburg
3. Owen Murphy, Harrisburg

Dairy Cattle Evaluation: Awards sponsored by SD Division of the Midwest Dairy Association and the team travel scholarships are sponsored by the Richard Lauck Family, Ash Grove Dairy, Sharp’s Inc. and Victory Farms. 1st Place Team: Bridgewater Emery – Advisor Alex Toupal. Team members: Landon Berg, Quinton Berg, Alaina Golder and Cash Martinez.

2nd: Beresford

3rd: McCook Central

Top Individuals:

1. Quinton Berg, Bridgewater Emery
2. Landon Berg, Bridgewater Emery
3. Allie Westra, Beresford

Floriculture: Awards and travel scholarships are sponsored by Dr. David Graper, Wendy Mortenson Agency, and Gettysburg FFA. 1st Place Team: Wessington Springs, Advisor Brady Duxbury. Team members: Anna Arhart, Carissa Scheel, Alyssa Grohs and Mercedes Jones.

2nd: Scotland

3rd: Belle Fourche

Top Individuals:

1. Anna Arhart, Wessington Springs
2. Desiree Yosten, Menno
3. Emily Walz, Parkston

Food Science and Technology: Awards sponsored by Valley Queen Cheese and the team travel scholarships are sponsored by Dan and Sheri Kahnke, Agropur Inc-Cheese and Whey Products. 1st Place Team: Milbank – Advisor Sara Colombe. Team members: Raul Berrones, Summer DeBoer, Samuel Shelstad and Grace Weston.

2nd: Harrisburg

3rd: Parker

Top Individuals:

1. Raule Berrones, Millbank
2. Grace Weston, Millbank
3. Parker Lessman, Parker

Horse Evaluation: Awards are sponsored by K Bar J Leather of Newell. The travel scholarships are sponsored by K Bar J Leather, Rodney Yost Horsemanship, and Wendy Mortenson Agency. 1st Place Team: Rapid City Stevens – Advisor Genetie Hendrix. Team members: Kaiva Coleman, Ethan Hendrix, Elliot Hendrix and Patty Trask.

2nd: Milbank

3rd: Bon Homme

Top Individuals:

1. Elliot Hendrix, Rapid City Stevens
2. Erin Osmotherly, Hot Springs
3. Kaiva Coleman, Rapid City Stevens

Meats Evaluation: Awards are sponsored by Smithfield Foods and travel scholarships sponsored by Smithfield Foods, Tri Valley Alumni and The Meathouse. 1st Place Team: Elkton – Advisor Anthony Zubke. Team members: Tait Boersma, Brienna Boersma, Blake Devries and Brooklyn Boersma.

2nd: Brookings

3rd: Tri-Valley

Top Individuals:

1. Brooklyn Boersma, Elkton
2. Brienna Boersma, Elkton
3. Kendall McArveavey, Tri-Valley

Milk Quality & Products: Awards are sponsored by Agropur Inc – Cheese and Whey Products. The travel scholarship is sponsored by The Justin Maass Family, Agropur Inc, and Heidi and Mark Zwinger. First Place Team: Millbank – Advisor Sara Colombe. Team members: Veronica Fonder, Morgean French, Joseph French and Jacob Erickson.

2nd: Willow Lake

3rd: McCook Central

Top Individuals:

1. Owen Alley, McCook Central
2. Veronica Fodner, Millbank
3. Cooper Pommer, Willow Lake

Natural Resources: Awards are sponsored by SD Grassland Coalition. The travel scholarship is sponsored by Jeff VandnerWilt, John Lentz and the SD Grassland Coalition. 1st Place Team: Brookings – Advisors Josh Johnson and Michelle Dykstra. Team members: Shane Harming, Blake Herrig, Andrew Dammen and Joseph Fitzpatrick.

2nd: Clark

3rd: Kadoka

Top Individuals:

1. Lilija Coleman, Rapid City Stevens
2. Dawson Dorr, Montrose
3. Joseph Fitzpatrick, Brookings

Poultry: Awards are sponsored by South Dakota Poultry Industries Association. The travel scholarship is sponsored by South Dakota Poultry Industries Association, Salem Veterinary Service and Dakota Layers LLP. 1st Place Team: Redfield – Advisor Brad Cihak. Team members: Evan Jaton, Benson Beckler, Kevin Weller and Elden Blume.

2nd: Lennox Sundstrom

3rd: Sunshine Bible Academy

Top Individuals:

1. Karin Sweeter, Lennox Sundstrom
2. Elden Blume, Redfield
3. Daraby Boersma, Sunshine Bible Academy

Vet Science: Awards are sponsored by Susan A. Stoterau DVM and Alice Harty DVM. Travel scholarships are sponsored by SD Veterinary Medical Association, Salem Veterinary Service, Susan A. Stoterau DVM and Alice Harty DVM. 1st Place Team: Brookings – Advisors Josh Johnson and Michelle Dykstra. Team members: Josie Nold, Desiraie Johnson, Jordyn Tibbs and Cassie Fenske.

2nd: Mitchell

3rd: Harrisburg

Top Individuals:

1. Josie Nold, Brookings
2. Raigan Flatten, Clark
3. Hope Baysinger, Mitchell