The South Dakota Corn Growers Association has added a new position of Sustainability Director. Corn Grower’s Executive Director Lisa Richardson says biologist and conservation Jim Ristau will serve in that job and will be working of the NRCS offices in Chamberlain and Huron. She says Ristau will help producers improve their conservation efforts.

She says while Ristau is employed by South Dakota Corn, an NRCS grant helped them start this program.

Richardson says they’re hoping to improve their environmental footprint and having Ristau on board should help them achieve that goal. She says an earlier study shows that the cropping and conservation practices corn farmers have been using are having a positive effect on the environment.

Prior to joining Corn Growers, Ristau spent more than 10 years as a farm bill biologist with Pheasants Forever and seven years as a habitat specialist with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department.