Grady Heitmann

Grady Heitmann is a former Natural Resources Conservation Service district conservationist and operates a farming and ranching operation in Faulk County, South Dakota with his son, Derek.

A close-up shot of a farmer with soil

Opinion

January 28, 2026

I'm an American farmer — empty USDA offices means fewer family farms

Conservation programs like Environmental Quality Incentives Program face delivery challenges as USDA loses thousands of employees, forcing farmers to wait longer.