livestock

What comes to mind when you think of South Dakota? Is it the Black Hills, presidential busts and bison? According to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2017 Census of Agriculture, South Dakota has the largest inventory of bison of any state in the United States, with over 30,000 bison spread across 99 farms and ranches. We will update these numbers and find out if this holds true with the upcoming 2022 Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture data collection begins this fall.

According to rangeland experts, wildfires in the western Great Basin region scorched more than 14,600 square miles in just 10 years—nearly the land mass of Maryland and Delaware combined.

As we celebrate our planet this Earth Day, we highlight ongoing research being conducted at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) exploring how a seaweed species could potentially reduce methane emissions in livestock production.

Today marks 110 years since the sinking of what was thought to be an unsinkable ship. Recognized every year on April 15, Titanic Remembrance Day honors the more than 1,500 people who lost their lives in the early hours of that day.

To be competitive in today’s marketplace, U.S. cattle producers and everyone in the supply chain need reliable data to make informed decisions. USDA provides in-depth market data through the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program, which delivers critical market intelligence on price trends, as well as supply and demand conditions.