5 questions with ... Stacy Hadrick, agriculture advocate and rancher, Faulkton, S.D.

Q: What is your role in agriculture today?

My passion is helping people in agriculture build their businesses and develop personally. Currently I coordinate the beefSD program through South Dakota State University, a two-year program for beginning beef producers. We are currently on our third class, and it's so exciting to see the growth of the program and the people who have participated.

My husband, Troy, and I farm and ranch with his family in northeastern South Dakota. I help out as much as I can, mostly with the livestock. I also volunteer on the South Dakota Beef Industry Council and South Dakota Farm Bureau boards.

Q: How do you farm and ranch differently than a generation before you?

Technology. The things we're doing with our cattle is really exciting! We artificially inseminate every cow in our herd. We also genomic test our replacement heifers and bulls to help us make strong management decisions for our customers. We retain ownership of all steers and feeder heifers and sell choice and prime carcasses. Through the knowledge we've gained about our cattle and how they grade, we've started to sell bulls to people who raise beef cattle that are worth more money.

Q: As a mom, what is most important to you to instill in your three kids with their rural and agricultural lifestyle and upbringing?

How lucky we are to live in a rural community is so important to instill in our children. Our life is really simple and a wonderful way of life to raise a family. Living over an hour from fast food and Walmart takes a lot of extras out of our life. Sure there are things I wish we could experience, so we travel with the kids as much as possible. I want them to appreciate what they have because we have so much.

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