Major Contributors

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Major Contributors

Dakota Lakes would not be possible if it weren’t for the contributions of individual members, commodity groups, and industry partners.  These contributions are invaluable for enhancing our facilities and our research capabilities. We want to thank everyone for their involvement!

Become a Member or Contributor
Platinum $20,000 or More

Platinum Contributors ($20,000 or More)

C and B Operations LLC

Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

Dupont Pioneer[D1]

Exapta Solutions, Inc.

Farm Credit Services of America

Hefty Seed Company

South Dakota Corn Utilization Council

South Dakota Crop Improvement

South Dakota Wheat Commission

Gold $5,000 to $19,999

Gold Contributors ($5,000 to $19,999)

Agtegra

Ronald Alverson

American Creek Conservation District

Mike Arnoldy

BankWest

Burleigh County Soil Conservation District

Cenex Foundation

Cone Ag Service, Inc.

John Daly

Dawn Equipment Company, Inc.

East River Electric Power Cooperative

Edinger Brothers Partnership

First Bank System of South Dakota

Hamill Conservation District

Hughes County Conservation District

Kinkler Family Foundation

L & O Acres

Mid-Dakota Water Development

Monsanto

David Morgan

Northern Plains Cooperatives

Norvartis

South Dakota Oilseeds Council

South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council

Three B Farms

Leo Vojta

Walworth County Conservation District

Michael and Larae Casper

Silver $2,500 to $4,999

Silver Contributors ($2,500 to $4,999)

Ken Brown

Brown Insurance

Clearfield/Keyapaha Conservation District

Cronin Farms

Mike and Jamie Cronin

Monty and Nancy Cronin

Dakota Air Spray, Inc.

Dakota Mill and Grain

Wayne Edinger

James Finley

Dan Forgey

Karlen Family Partnership

David Neuharth

Oahe Grain Corp.

Odde Family Charitable Trust

Brian Robbennold

Steve Robbennolt

Stehly Farms

Bronze $1,000 to $2,499

Bronze Contributors ($1,000 to $2,499)

American Bank and Trust

Ann Arnoldy

BASF

James and Carol Faulstich

W.L. Ferguson

Forest City Irrigators

Barry Grossenburg

Grossenburg Implement

Jason Hasper

Hi Plains Agronomy LLC

Kevin Hofer

Maynard Klingbeil

Legume Logic

Arlen Mahrer

Mid-Dakota Rural Water

Midwest Cooperatives

Nelsons, Inc.

Northrup King Co.

Ochsner Partnership

Edward Robbennolt

Titan Machinery

Waymon Williams

Michael Zook

Ample Wildlife

Just like people, wildlife needs food, shelter, and water not just to survive but to thrive. The farming practices we follow at Dakota Lakes nurture a robust ecosystem that provide for the needs not only of the deer and pheasants that are popular with local hunters and nature enthusiasts but also a diverse range of species that ideally keeps pests at bay naturally without the need for intensive pesticide intervention.

Healthy Food

Much of the nutrient acquisition in plants is mediated by microbes, so soils that are home to a rich diversity of microbial life are better equipped to provide plants with their required nutrition effectively and efficiently. Recent studies have shown foods, including meat, grown under regenerative farming practices contain higher levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than those grown under conventional farming practices. While the science behind these studies is complex and sample sizes are small and highly variable, preliminary results suggest that regenerative practices can enhance the nutritional profile of many of the foods we eat.

Clean Water

Carbon is one of the best water filters known to man, and regenerative farming practices like no-till, cover crops, and livestock integration help to maintain or even increase soil carbon levels. Plants serve as natural “carbon pumps,” bringing carbon in from the atmosphere by way of photosynthesis and feeding it to soil microbes in the form of exudates. In addition, plants take up and hold onto nutrients that are mineralized in the soil, so keeping living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible goes a long way to preventing nutrient runoff into local waterways.

Living Soils

By following diverse cropping rotations, keeping a living root in the ground as much as possible, integrating livestock, maintaining good soil armor, and keeping soil disturbance to a minimum, we are nurturing the soil microbiome and providing favorable conditions for the bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, insects, earthworms, and other living creatures that call the soil their home. Just a teaspoon of healthy soil can contain billions of microbes and our goal is to promote a natural, balanced environment that allows them to thrive.