THE AGRICULTURAL CORE, Chapter 11

The southeastern corner of South Dakota, including the most populated area of the state near Sioux Falls, is part of Chapter 11's Agricultural Core region. The remainder of the state falls in the Great Plains and Prairie region. Farms and ranches cover nine-tenths of the state.

Agriculture is South Dakota's leading industry, contributing 19 billion dollars yearly to the state's economy. In 2000, there were 31,500 farms in South Dakota, with an average farm size of 1,392 acres. South Dakota's climate is well-suited to agriculture, receiving 14-25 inches of rain and 25-100 inches of snow across the state yearly.

South Dakota ranks in the top ten states nationally in production of corn, soybeans, wheat, millet, flaxseed, sorghum, sunflowers, oats, alfalfa, hay and honey. The rangeland of western South Dakota is home to millions of beef cattle, sheep, and bison. The majority of crops are grown in eastern South Dakota's fertile soils.

Crops grown in South Dakota are:
Wheat - South Dakota produces three different types of wheat: hard red winter; hard red spring; and durum. More than three and a half million acres of wheat are planted each year. Hard red winter wheat is planted in the fall and harvested in the middle of summer. Hard red spring and durum wheats are planted in the spring and harvested in late summer or early fall.

Because they are high in protein, South Dakota's hard wheats make some of the best bread-baking flour. Wheat protein combines with liquid to form gluten, which provides the structure for baked goods. South Dakota is one of only six states that grow durum wheat, which is used to make pasta.

Wheat farms in South Dakota

Corn - Most of the corn is grown east of the MIssouri River, mainly in the southeastern part of the state. It is the most frequently irrigated crop, with four million acres of corn planted in an average year, yielding over 400 million bushes each year. Across the state, there is a growing number of ethanol plants, which process the corn into ethanol fuel and distillers grain.

Corn fields, southeastern South Dakota

Soybeans - In Volga, South Dakota, soybeans grown in the state are processed into meal and oil. Nearly four million acres are planted to soybeans each year, producing 100 million bushels annually. South Dakota State University is a leader in the development of varieties suited to South Dakota growing conditions.

Soybeans, South Dakota

Sunflowers - Two types of sunflowers are grown in South Dakota, oilseed, which is used for birdseed and vegetable oil, and confectionary, which becomes snack food.

Sunflower farms, South Dakota

Grains - South Dakota is also a leading producer of many small grains such as oats, barley, rye, flaxseed, sorghum, and alfalfa.

Barley fields, South Dakota

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