South Dakota Corn Utilization Council commits $1.2 million for SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility

The South Dakota Corn Utilization Council is pleased to announce that it has committed $1.2 million toward an expansion of the Swine Education and Research Facility at South Dakota State University. The grant will fund the addition of two new wean-to-finish nutrition rooms to the existing complex and double the facility’s research capabilities. 

South Dakota Corn Utilization Council President Jim Ketelhut said, “Pork producers are a valued partner of corn farmers, and underpinning that demand for corn is the need to always improve research capabilities. This gift enables SDSU’s swine program to take a tremendous step forward and we are pleased to help support fellow producers in this manner.” 

According to SDSU President Barry Dunn, “We would not be able to complete this project without the generous gift from the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council and its support of the pork producers in the region. The Swine Education and Research Facility has become a vital part of the swine industry in South Dakota and has helped establish SDSU as a leader in swine teaching and research. This expansion will allow SDSU to continue to attract the brightest students from around the country who will become the next generation of industry leaders and innovators.” 

“South Dakota Pork Producers are extremely grateful for the generous donation being put forward today by the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council. The SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility is a testament of what happens when the entire ag industry supports each other so innovation and education can take place,” said Adam Krause, president of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council. 

“Our students and faculty have benefited tremendously from this facility since it opened in 2016, and its expansion is only going to continue to have a positive impact on the swine industry in our region. The vision and support from the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council makes those dreams a reality, and we cannot thank them enough for their involvement,” said Joe Cassady, South Dakota Corn Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at SDSU. 

Distinguished Professor and SDSU Extension Swine Specialist Bob Thaler added, “SDSU has established itself as a leader in the swine industry with a growing reputation for impactful research around nutrition and management. Livestock production was the initial 'value-added' for corn, grains and soybeans, and it continues to utilize a very significant amount of these products every day. The addition of these research rooms will help us further increase demand for corn and other locally produced feedstuffs.  Also, from a sustainability standpoint, nothing is more environmentally friendly than the symbiotic relationship between crops and livestock production.” 

About the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council 

The South Dakota Corn Utilization Council is responsible for the collection and administration of a one-cent-per-bushel corn check-off program. Money raised through that program funds research and development of new uses and markets for corn and corn byproducts that benefit South Dakota corn growers. 

About the South Dakota Pork Producers Council 

The South Dakota Pork Producers Council is a unified and engaged advocate that promotes, with integrity, the image and growth of the South Dakota pork industry through education, research, marketing and responsible policy. It is a respected leader advocating for sustainable, responsible growth of the South Dakota pork industry that benefits producers, consumers and communities. 

About the SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility 

The SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility includes a Sow Teaching and Intensive Research Complex, On-Site Wean-to-Finish Research Barn and an Off-Site Wean-to-Finish Production Barn. The SDSU swine herd consists of 150 sows managed in five groups with 30 sows/group. The production system is designed for batch farrowing every four weeks and weaning at 21 days of age. The offsite wean-to-finish barn finishes out and does research on two groups of 1,200 weaned pigs annually.