Keeping the family on the farm

YouTube shows South Dakota daily farm life to tens of thousands

Cole Sonne is the fourth generation on his family’s Mount Vernon, South Dakota farm. Cole’s days are spent alongside his father raising corn, soybeans and Black Angus cattle, but there’s more. “We also have a YouTube channel called Sonne Farms,” said Sonne, “which I believe is the biggest YouTube channel in South Dakota.” It’s big to the tune of tens of thousands of viewers per episode, seen all over the United States as well as in other countries. We caught up with Sonne just before he spoke at the 2025 AgOutlook Conference and Trade Show in Sioux Falls this past December. At the conference he talked about the importance of the next generation getting a solid foothold on the farm, which you’ll hear about on this edition of The Soybean Pod. But you’ll also hear about the Sonne Farms YouTube channel, hugely popular among farmers and others.

Hento Among National Outstanding Young Farmer Winners

Tanner Hento’s name is becoming more familiar, especially among soybean farmers in South Dakota. But now that familiarity is growing on a wider scope. The 36-year-old Avon, South Dakota producer was one of four winners of the National Outstanding Young Farmer award for 2026. Hento accepted the award during a ceremony in Hershey, Pennsylvania, 11 days after being elected president of the South Dakota Soybean Association. I happened to be master of ceremonies of the NOYF awards program on a cold February 7th in Hershey. I interviewed Tanner right after the evening’s festivities concluded. That conversation is this edition of The Soybean Pod.

Houdek Serves Feed Ingredient Demand While Growing Soy Demand

A fermentation process in Volga, South Dakota, is amping up the nutritional specs on soybean meal. Years ago, Dr. William Gibbons and Dr. Mike Brown, both professors at South Dakota State University, developed a method of bio-transformation resulting in a high-protein feed for aquaculture. Expansion into feeds for swine, poultry and pets led to a name change. Dustin Gibbons, the son of the company’s co-founder, is general manager of what is now Houdek. In this edition of The Soybean Pod, the younger Gibbons explains how this feed improves aquaculture, livestock and pet diets while building demand for soybean meal.

The Next Chapter: Kevin Scott Joins SD Soybean Leadership

The guard is changing in more ways than one. Kevin Scott is the new assistant executive director for the South Dakota Soybean Association and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. Scott, a farmer from Valley Springs, South Dakota, was brought aboard in anticipation of the retirement later this year of current executive director Jerry Schmitz. Kevin Scott’s leadership experience runs deep. In this edition of The Soybean Pod, he talks about preparing for the position during the last quarter-century without even knowing it. He also brings up life-change opportunities presented by having accepted this position.

Keeping the family on the farm

It is increasingly difficult to successfully pass a farm to the next generation. South Dakota State University Extension is addressing what it takes to navigate this succession with a series of Sustaining the Legacy conferences on what it takes to plan for passing the farm down. From estate planning to retirement to long-term care, on this edition of The Soybean Pod, we talk to Heather Gessner, South Dakota State University Extension’s interim Agriculture and Natural Resources program director and SDSU’s Livestock Business Management Field Specialist. Gessner discusses farmers’ need to plan for when they’re no longer in charge of that next crop. Planning on that passage can seem daunting, and it often requires help from professionals.