PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- It’s National Agriculture Week (March 16-22, 2025). The theme for 2025 is Together We Grow.

South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts said working together tends to get more accomplished.

Governor Larry Rhoden said he sees international trade and value added ag projects as two areas that could be expanded to enhance the South Dakota’s various agricultural sectors.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said farmers and ranchers dedicate their lives to feeding, fueling and clothing people in the United States and beyond.

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the average size of farm/ranch in South Dakota was 1,495 acres, up 4%– or 52 acres– from 2017. The amount of land in farms/ranches was 42.3 million acres, down 2% from 2017’s number.

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.

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. The Ag Census also showed 82% of South Dakota farms/ranches had internet access, compared to 79% of them across the entire  U.S.