Broadcaster Press 7 February 28, 2017 www.broadcasteronline.com Feb. 27-March 3 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week A Week In The Life By Sen. John Thune Aside from being a dad, grandpa, and husband, serving the people of South Dakota as one of their U.S. senators has PIERRE, S.D.- Invasive species cause over $100 billion in afforded me with some of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I’m constantly humbled by the opportunity and economic losses annually in the United States. These costs trust South Dakotans have placed in me, which is why I’ve are due to decreased agricultural production or quality, decreased access to markets or environmental degradation never taken this job for granted – not for a single second. My top priority when I show up to work each day, such as costs for control and restoration. At least 40 percent whether that’s in cities and towns throughout the state or of threatened or endangered species are at risk due to the in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., is listening to and fighteffects of non-native invasive species. The National Invasive Species Council has declared Feb. ing for what matters to South Dakotans. Hopping between South Dakota and Washington, I’ve been asked about my 27-March 3 as National Invasive Species Awareness Week. typical work week. While every week is a little different, The Council urges individuals to take steps to prevent the some things never change. movement of invasive species. It’s no secret that I try to spend as much time as posThe Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health is sible wherever there’s a 605 area code. On most weekends, advising people to: • Control invasive and noxious weeds on personal prop- you can likely find me with family and friends. In the winter, I’m out shoveling snow, and in the summer, I’m out mowing erty. • Clean agricultural equipment before moving to another the lawn. In the fall, I’m chasing pheasants in the prairie, and it doesn’t matter what month it is, you can always field. Soil can carry weed seeds and crop diseases. Reducing the spread is an important pest management tool in any catch me at local sports or community events throughout the state. farming or ranching operation. Once the Senate is set to reconvene, I head back to • Control the invasive plants on personal property. Inspect fence rows, ditches, and other non-crop areas. Con- Washington with the feedback I’ve received from friends, trolling a smaller area now is better than controlling a larger neighbors, and fellow South Dakotans, and my work in the area in the future. • Use native plants in food plots. Native plants provide the best food and cover for wildlife. • Use non-invasive plants in gardens. “Export markets could be lost if certain invasive speBy Rep. Kristi Noem cies become established in an area,” says Dale Anderson, South Dakota Department of Agriculture plant quarantine My dad was one of those people who just got things specialist. “Private and public land owners spend mildone. He worked hard and he worked fast. It’s a skill set lions of dollars annually on unnecessary control activities. many farmers share, but that day, I wish he would have Invasive pests are usually very expensive to control once slowed down a bit. He had gone into a grain bin and things established, and often your taxpayer dollars are utilized to control them. Thus we all have a vested interest to do what went wrong. By the time I got there, neighbors were digging through piles of corn from the bin that was torn apart trywe can to reduce the spread of invasive pests.” The South Dakota Department of Agriculture has several ing to find him. When they did, CPR started immediately. Despite the doctors working to save him for hours, we lost programs that deal with invasive pests. Please visit http:// him that day and in that instant, my whole world changed. sdda.sd.gov/ag-services/weed-and-pest-control/ for more In 2014, more than three dozen farmers were trapped information. in grain bins, resulting in at least 17 deaths. In most cases, Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activ- it took only seconds for the producer to become engulfed – and getting out without assistance at this point is nearly ity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South impossible. Still, there are things that can be done to help Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, prevent accidents like this and improve the chance of a sucprotect and preserve this industry for today and tomorcessful recovery if something does go wrong. row. Visit SDDA online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Every year, the last week of February is reserved as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SD Ag Chat podcasts can be found in the Ag News section at http://sdda.sd.gov/news. Grain Bin Safety Week. It’s a good opportunity to take a look at some of your operation’s practices to see if there’s You may subscribe, free of charge, through Google Play something more you could do to improve the safety of your Music, iTunes or from https://sdagchat.podbean.com/. farm. A few years back, the South Dakota Corn Growers Asso- Senate picks up right where it left off. The next best thing to spending time with South Dakotans back home is when our paths cross in Washington. Whether people are in town for vacations or conferences, or even if they’re just passing through, I always appreciate when they stop by my office to say hello. In between meeting with South Dakotans, my weeks are filled with the day-to-day action on the Senate floor and in the various committees on which I serve. January and February have largely been consumed by voting to confirm members of the president’s Cabinet. While this process is taking far longer than it should – due to unnecessary, politically driven hurdles created in the Senate – we’re making progress. The quicker we can get the president’s team in place, the quicker we can turn our attention to other important issues like repealing and replacing Obamacare, reforming our tax code, and confirming the next justice to the Supreme Court. Once the Senate wraps up its legislative work for the week, I usually head back to South Dakota to recharge and get a fresh round of feedback – sometimes while I’m sitting in the bleachers during a Saturday night basketball game. From there, the cycle starts all over again. Every week is different, yes, but the one thing they all have in common is that they revolve around what’s most important to South Dakota, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Weekly Column: Grain Bin Safety Sunset Manor Avera is now accepting applications for the following positions to join our excellent team of caring professionals: Potential for Full Time Great Pay! Plus Overtime. Sign on bonuses and an end of season bonus program Clinical Care Coordinator Find the Right People Advertise your job openings in the Broadcaster. RN/LPN to supervise our Traumatic Brain Injury and Challenging Behavior units. Full-time position Read and Recycle Great benefits and earning potential. 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They recommend that when cleaning out your grain bins, use a buddy system. Additionally, especially after a wet harvest, don’t forget to wear a mask. This is going to help make sure you don’t breathe in harmful molds. Be aware that the grain in the bin might not be as it appears. Crusting can deceive you and lead to dangerous falls, even entrapment. As an added measure of precaution, I encourage you to touch base with your local first responders. They can seek out training on rescue techniques and specialized equipment. Finally, I’d add, take the time to educate your kids about safe practices on the farm. Raising our kids on the ranch has been one of the best parenting decisions we’ve made. I’m proud of the work ethic they’ve earned – the commonsense problem solving skills they’ve developed – the understanding they’ve gotten about how our food is grown. But I’m also very much aware of how dangerous it can be. Farming is risky enough. 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