​​​​​​​In recent weeks, farm bill progress was limited as other developments in Congress took priority. Lawmakers elected a new Speaker of the House, and now face a Nov. 17 deadline to reach an agreement on spending or shut down the government.

There’s a strong belief in honoring the sun in the Lakota culture. “If you don’t have the sun shining, you can’t have plants and flowers and photosynthesis,” said John Red Cloud, a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. “It’s responsible for all of life.”

If you are a farmer or rancher, there has never been a better time to apply for popular conservation programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Iowa and South Dakota, the deadline to submit initial paperwork for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is Nov. 3. The deadline in Nebraska is Nov. 17.