SD Cattleman's Foundation's 13th Prime Time Gala Raises Funds for Feeding South Dakota
A total of $292,620 was raised and presented as a check to Feeding South Dakota to go towards purchasing beef to help feed South Dakotans
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — At the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation’s 13th annual Prime Time Gala on Saturday, June 20, 2026, the point of the evening was never far from view: beef, music, scholarships and fundraising all tied back to getting high-quality protein to South Dakotans who need it.
Held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and Denny Sanford PREMIER Center complex, the Prime Time Gala again brought together cattle producers, agricultural businesses, community supporters and Feeding South Dakota for an upscale dinner, auction program and country concert. The evening opened with a prayer from Ray Larson before moving into the program, awards and live auction.
“Success boils down to one thing, and that’s to all of you who are with us tonight,” foundation leadership told the crowd, framing the event as a collective effort by ranchers, cattle feeders, donors, volunteers and businesses across the state.
That effort has become one of the most visible charitable partnerships in South Dakota agriculture. Through the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation’s work with Feeding South Dakota, the gala has helped raise more than $3 million over its run, allowing Feeding South Dakota to purchase and distribute nearly 1.7 million pounds of beef to families facing hunger across all 66 South Dakota counties. All together, the night raised $292,620 in funds which was presented as a check to Feeding South Dakota to go towards purchasing beef to help feed South Dakotans.
Lori Dykstra, CEO of Feeding South Dakota, said in a conversation at the gala that the partnership matters because it turns dollars raised in the cattle community into the kind of high-quality beef protein food banks need but cannot always easily secure. For families facing hunger, that means more than calories. It means access to a nutritious, familiar and filling food that can anchor meals across the state.
Interviews
Lori Dykstra, CEO of Feeding South Dakota
Ryan Eichler, President of the South Dakota Cattleman’s Foundation
The silent auction tables offered a more personal look at the community behind the fundraiser. Items included Fourth of July merchandise, Mohr Honey, cow-themed girls’ clothing, throw pillows and hand towels. Donors included Hub City Livestock, Insurance Plus, Amarillo Brokerage Company, Don Abeln of Furst-McNess, BankNorth, Northern Electric Cooperative, Mary Kay consultant Suzanne Nipp, Advantage Appraisals, Lynette Fransen, Dizzy Blondz and others.
The donations gave the event a local texture: agricultural businesses, small businesses and individuals all contributing items that helped build momentum before the live auction took over later in the evening.
On the floor, conversations moved easily from charity to the realities of ranching. Matt Roger, who identified himself as being with Roger’s Farms, described an operation involving farm and ranch work, cattle and a feedlot. Roger said he had attended the gala for about three years and said he and others try not to spend too much time watching the news.
When asked about the political landscape and its effect on day-to-day operations, Roger offered a practical rancher’s answer: “If you can’t do it, you can’t do it.”
Other ranchers at the event said high beef prices have been good for business, but not without complications. Several pointed to shakier consumer sentiment and high gas prices — shaped, in their view, by politics and geopolitics — as concerns that could affect producers and customers alike.
Gov. Larry Rhoden also addressed the crowd after remarks from Ryan Eichler, connecting the evening’s celebration of cattle producers to recent policy debates in Pierre.
“Leadership isn’t about making the easiest decision, it’s about making the best one,” Rhoden said.
Rhoden spoke about South Dakota’s moratorium on cell-cultured protein products, a measure he described as important to the safety and integrity of beef products and to protecting South Dakota’s agriculture economy. He thanked cattle producers for working alongside state leaders and for what they do in their communities, emphasizing the trust and integrity ranchers bring to their work.
The program also recognized service and leadership within the cattle industry. Todd Wilkinson, vice president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation, presented the Jean Wilkinson Memorial Branding Iron Award to the Kingsbury County Cattlemen’s Association. The award was described from the stage as honoring those whose work leaves a lasting mark — a symbolic branding iron used to recognize a profound contribution to the industry and its future.
Education and youth development were another major focus of the evening. Tyler Melroe, who leads the foundation’s education committee, spoke about programs designed to support the next generation of cattle producers while preserving the legacy and future of the industry. The foundation recognized founding participants in its Emerging Breeders Program, an initiative aimed at strengthening the cowherd through youth engagement, genetic investment, mentorship and breeder partnerships.
The foundation also announced scholarship support for South Dakota students pursuing postsecondary education in the state. The scholarship program requires applicants to demonstrate active involvement in the beef industry, including through a resume and essay. This year’s awards included $15,000 divided among students with a sincere interest in South Dakota’s cattle industry and its future.
A two-year scholarship recipient was also recognized from the stage for a commitment tied to technical education and work in the industry after graduation.
Fed Cattle Challenge participants were also honored. The program recognized both group and individual divisions, including Gregory County FFA as the top group entry.
After the awards, auctioneers took the stage and the evening shifted into one of its highest-energy stretches. Live auction items included a 24-foot cattle trailer, a custom Henry rifle, an original painting titled “The Flight of Freedom” by John Green, a Dierks Bentley meet-and-greet package with a signed guitar, and more. A gun raffle was also part of the evening’s fundraising activity.
The gala later moved into the concert portion of the night at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, where Dierks Bentley headlined with special guests Muscadine Bloodline and Elizabeth Jo.
For all the polish of the evening — the dinner, the auction, the awards and the concert — the Prime Time Gala remained rooted in a simple exchange: the cattle industry giving back through the product it knows best.
By the end of the night, the message was clear. The gala was not just a celebration of beef. It was a reminder of how deeply South Dakota’s cattle industry sees itself as tied to families, food security, youth education and rural community life.
