Javascript is required to use this website.

Featured

Big decisions and hard work at the Stockyards

Jun 28, 2026
Jun 28, 2026

Jim Woster

Associate Editor

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Jim Woster

I have written before about the main reason I wound up at the Sioux Falls Stockyards for almost half century. Very simply, it was the only job offer I had.

kAm"F:E6 7C2?<=J[ 2 A6CD@? AC@323=J 5:5?’E 56DA6C2E6=J ?665 2? 2?:>2= 9FD32?5CJ 568C66 E@ A:E49 >2?FC6 2?5 492D6 42EE=6] w@H6G6C[ E9@D6 7@FC J62CD 2E $@FE9 s2<@E2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ 3642>6 :?4C62D:?8=J >62?:?87F= @G6C E96 J62CD[ 2?5 ?@H @FC =2?5 8C2?E F?:G6CD:EJ :D 72>:=J]k^Am

kAmx? 72:C?6DD E@ >J 568C66[ H96? u2C>6CD &?:@? r@>>:DD:@? r@>A2?J G:D:E65 H:E9 >6 23@FE ;@:?:?8 E96:C 7:C> :? E96 42EE=6 2==6J 2 76H >@?E9D 27E6C 2CC:G:?8 2E E96 J2C5D[ @?6 @7 E96 C62D@?D x H2D 4@?D:56C65 H2D >J E6?FC6 2E $@FE9 s2<@E2 $E2E6]k^Am

kAmx? E96 DA:C:E @7 @A6? 9@?6DEJ[ x 5:5 92G6 @?6 ;@3 :?E6CG:6H 367@C6 8C25F2E:@? H96? E96 562? @7 E96 28 D49@@= 42==65[ <?@H:?8 @7 >J A=:89E[ 2?5 D2:5[ “y:>[ H6 >2J 92G6 D@>6E9:?8i 2DD:DE2?E 4@F?EJ 286?E :? (:??6C[ $@FE9 s2<@E2] v:G6 E96> 2 42==]”k^Am

kAmx 5:5] (6 D6E FA 2 E:>6 E@ :?E6CG:6H[ 2?5 x C6>6>36C E9:?<:?8 2D x 5C@G6 E@ E96 9@>6 4@F?ECJ[ “w64<[ E9:D D9@F=5 36 2 A:646 @7 42<6] r2EE=6 4@F?ECJ[ %C:AA 2?5 {J>2? 4@F?E:6D 2C6 D:>:=2C[ 2?5 36D:56D[ x’> @?6 964< @7 2 8FJ]”k^Am

kAm*@F 42? :>28:?6 >J DFCAC:D6 H96? x H2=<65 :?E@ E96 tIE6?D:@? @77:46 @?=J E@ 7:?5 2 J@F?8 >2? H:E9 2 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 $@FE9 s2<@E2 42A] p7E6C 8=2C:?8 2 3:E[ x D2:5[ “(9J 2C6 J@F 96C6n” w6 C6A=:65[ “x’> 8@:?8 E@ 36 E96 2DD:DE2?E 4@F?EJ 286?E]” |J 4FCE 4@>>6?E H2D[ “(6’== D66 23@FE E92E]”k^Am

kAmp7E6C :?E6CG:6H:?8 6249 @7 FD[ E96 4@F?EJ 286?E 92?565 FD 2 BF:K] (6 7:==65 :E @FE[ EFC?65 :E :?] w6 =@@<65 3@E9 @G6C[ 2?5 D2:5 E@ E96 &$s DEF56?E[ “*@FC 9:C65]”k^Am

kAmx 6IA=@565 2?5 3682? 2 5:2EC:36 @7 >J 42EE=6 6IA6C:6?46[ 9@H x 8C6H FA ;FDE 2 3:E ?@CE9[ 6E4][ E@ H9:49 E96 >2? :? 492C86 :?E6CCFAE65[ E@=5 >6 E@ D:E 5@H? 2?5 H6?E @? E@ 6IA=2:?]k^Am

kAm“*@F 3@E9 5:5 H6== :? E96 :?E6CG:6H[ J@F 3@E9 >:DD65 BF6DE:@? ?F>36C `_ @? E96 BF:K[ 2?5 3@E9 D66> =:<6 5646?E J@F?8 >6?[” 96 D2:5] “w@H6G6C[ H96? E96 42?5:52E6 7C@> &$s 2CC:G65 2E BF6DE:@? ?F>36C `_[ 96 HC@E6 5@H?[ ‘x’> D@CCJ[ x 5@?’E <?@H E96 2?DH6C E@ E9:D BF6DE:@?]’ *@F HC@E6 5@H?[ ‘?6:E96C 5@ x]’”k^Am

People are also reading…

Will new cash crop tighten cinch of Corn Belt?
Kuntz family farm celebrates 100 years
Tractor Wars documentary covers big shifts in ag
Building better cows
First relay crop provides learning experience
Not the kind of ride or die I had in mind
Agronomists advise farmers on seasonal threats
Cracks in soil impact evaporation
Father-daughter duo turns milkweed into multi-faceted enterprise
Four generations, one furrow
Native warm-season grasses provide forage
Calendar: In the World of Ag
Grain marketing plans navigate unknowns
Little reaction in durum market to USDA reports
Jefferson County Fair: A slice of Americana

kAm}@H J@F <?@H 9@H y:> (@DE6C H@F?5 FA 2E E96 $:@FI u2==D $E@4<J2C5D]k^Am

kAm~G6C E96 J62CD x 92G6 366? 2D<65[ H2D E96C6 2 3:E @7 5:D4FDD:@? AC:@C E@ E96 564:D:@? E@ >@G6 7C@> AC:G2E6 EC62EJ E@ E96 2F4E:@? >6E9@5 2E E96 $:@FI u2==D $E@4<J2C5[ 2 E@A ?@E49 “E6C>:?2= >2C<6En” u@=<D[ “5:D4FDD:@?” 5@6D?’E 4@>6 4=@D6 E@ E96 24EF2= AC@46DD[ H9:49 H6?E @? 7@C 2 4@FA=6 @7 J62CD] %96C6 H6C6 962E65 2C8F>6?ED[ 2?5 x >62? 962E65[ H:E9 3@E9 D:56D @7 E96 :DDF6 >2<:?8 E9@F89E7F= 2?5 G6CJ >62?:?87F= 2C8F>6?ED]k^Am

kAmxE >FDE 36 C6>6>36C65 E92E 7@C >2?J J62CD E96 AC:G2E6 EC62EJ >6E9@5 D6CG65 FD 2?5 @FC 4FDE@>6CD H6==[ 2D :E 5:5 @E96C 46?EC2= AF3=:4 >2C<6ED DF49 2D $:@FI r:EJ[ ~>292[ z2?D2D r:EJ[ $E] !2F= 2?5 r9:428@] !=FD[ 492?86[ C682C5=6DD @7 E96 D:EF2E:@?[ :D 2=H2JD 2 5:77:4F=E 492==6?86]k^Am

kAmx?:E:2==J[ E96 >@G6 E@ 2F4E:@? :?G@=G65 @?=J E96 76656CD[ 368:??:?8 H:E9 2 76656C A:8 2F4E:@?[ 7@==@H65 3J 76656C 42EE=6] %96 2F4E:@? >6E9@5 @7 >2C<6E:?8 H2D 36:?8 FD65 :? @FC D966A 5:G:D:@?[ 2?5 2D x C642==[ H@C<:?8 H6==]k^Am

kAm%96 D2>6 42? 36 D2:5 23@FE @FC H66<=J 76656C A:8 2F4E:@?[ H9:49 8C6H E@ =2C86 ?F>36CD @7 A:8D[ 2 32C? 7F== @7 3FJ6CD 2?5 G6CJ 4@>A6E:E:G6 AC:46D] x E9:?< @7 E96 E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 A:8D[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ H9:49 42>6 7C@> E96 ~?:52 2?5 p82C 4@F?ECJ] p 8FJ C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C D@ >2?J H2D E96 @?6 2?5 @?=J q6? zC:?86?[ H9@ 6A:E@>:K65 E96 >62?:?8 @7 “C:?8 >2?[” ?@E @?=J 7@C A:8D[ 3FE 42EE=6[ D966A 2?5 6DA64:2==J 9@CD6D]k^Am

kAm(6 925 D@ >2?J 3FJ6CD[ 7C@> 24C@DD E96 C68:@?[ H9@ D6=5@> >:DD65 E96 76656C A:8 2F4E:@?[ 2?5 E96J 42>6 E@ 3FJ] $:I E9@FD2?5 9:89 BF2=:EJ A:8D H@F=5 5@ E92E] %96J 2=D@ =:<65 E96 724E E92E E96 D2=6 ?@C>2==J =2DE65 23@FE EH@ 9@FCD[ 7C@> DE2CE E@ 7:?:D9]k^Am

kAmu6656C A:8 52J H2D =@?8[ 5FDEJ 2?5 92C5 H@C<[ H9:49 7:E :? A6C764E=J 7@C E96 8FJD H9@ >256 FA E96 9@8 5:G:D:@?] {@?8[ 5FDEJ 2?5 92C5 H6C6 >2;@C 4@>A@?6?ED @7 E96:C 6?E:C6 H66<]k^Am

kAmx <?6H 2 3:E 23@FE E96 9@8 5:G:D:@? 3642FD6 @? 76656C A:8 D2=6 52J] pD D@@? 2D H6 H6C6 D@CE65 2?5 92J65 FA :? E96 42EE=6 2==6J[ s2G:5 2?5 x A2CE65 4@>A2?J 2?5 x 962565 7@C E96 76656C A:8D] %92E’D C:89E[ E96 “@=5 42EE=6 8FJ” DA6?E @?6 52J 6249 H66< H:E9 s2CJ= “(F=7:6” (F=7[ ~=D6?\uC2?<>2?’D 9625 9@8 D2=6D>2?] x =62C?65 2 =@E – 6DA64:2==J[ E92E x ?6G6C H2?E65 E@ 36 :? E96 9@8 5:G:D:@? 7F== E:>6Pk^Am

kAm(96? x E2=< 23@FE 9@H =F4<J x 92G6 366?[ 2 9F86 A2CE @7 E92E 8@@5 7@CEF?6 @44FCC65 H96? s2G:5 uC2?<>2? :?G:E65 >6 E@ 36 9:D A2CE?6C :? ~=D6?\uC2?<>2? {:G6DE@4<] }@E @?=J :D s2G:5 2 >2CG6=@FD 42EE=6>2?[ 96 :D 2 DA64:2= A6CD@?] s646?E[ 92C5\H@C<:?8[ 9@?6DE 2D E96 52J :D =@?8[ 2?5 =:G6D 3J E96 2I:@>[ “E96 4FDE@>6C 2=H2JD 4@>6D 7:CDE] p=H2JD]”k^Am

kAm(96? J@F DA6?5 `b 9@FC 52JD[ D:56 3J D:56 7@C D@>6 ab J62CD[ J@F C62==J 86E E@ <?@H E96 7@=<D 2C@F?5 J@F] x’== D2J :E 282:?[ E96C6 :D @?=J @?6 s2G:5 uC2?<>2?[ 2?5 x H:== 36 7@C6G6C 8C2E67F= 7@C E96 :?G:E2E:@? E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 9:D 4@>>:DD:@? 7:C>]k^Am

kAm%96 ?2E:@?’D ad_E9 3:CE952J H:== 36 :? 2 76H 52JD] q6 D276[ 6?;@J E96 72>:=J[ 2?5 92G6 2 H@?56C7F= u@FCE9 @7 yF=JPk^Am

Jim is associate editor of Tri-State Neighbor and also works with the SDSU Alumni Foundation.

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Jim Woster

Associate Editor

Related to this story

Most Popular

Our freedoms are worth celebrating

I have never given much thought to the age of this country, and to be honest, I still don’t. Keeping track of my age keeps me busy enough. How…

Marketplace

Recently Listed

Auctions

Featured

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

6 hrs ago

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits:

Big decisions and hard work at the Stockyards

Jim Woster

Jim Woster

Marketplace

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Marketplace

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these exclusive benefits:

Jim Woster

Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Followed notifications

Please log in to use this feature

People are also reading…

Catch the latest in Opinion

Jim Woster

Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Followed notifications

Please log in to use this feature

Related to this story

Most Popular

Our freedoms are worth celebrating

Marketplace

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits: