SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) - 2024 has been a bit of an odd year when it comes to weather, which has an impact on South Dakota's largest industry– agriculture. The South Dakota Agri-Business Association's Agronomy Conference this week is a chance for farmers, agronomists, crop advisors and more to look at what the past year was like in their industry. "What the latest trends and research is – we just heard from a weather speaker," Liv Stavick, Executive Director of the South Dakota Agri-Business Association, said. "So anything within the realm of crop management we cover at this conference." It also allows agriculture professionals to network and maybe even discuss the challenges from the year – which 2024 had its fair share of. "We like to say, in our industry, we can do everything right as far as agronomically but we're at the mercy of Mother Nature and this year was another year of curveballs that she threw at us," Kafka said. Cody Kafka with CHS Farmers Alliance in Mitchell says things started off hit and miss in terms of precipitation in May, but then, of course, came June. "We had almost a year's worth of rain in June in a lot of parts of the state," Kafka said. "That had a pretty big impact on the crop. Then in July, August and September, the rain pretty much shut off." PHOTOS: 2025 DTSF Burger Battle announced Kafka says what wasn't drowned out from June yielded well for most of the state, however, field averages were subpar because of the acres that did drown out.He says the biggest thing impacting the industry right now, though, is low commodity prices. "Corn yields made up for a lot for the commodity price of that one. Beans -- poor yield paired with poor prices have led to a lot of near zero margins for farmers when it comes to soybeans," Kafka said. Now, as we enter into winter, Kafka says they hope to get more moisture into the ground for the next growing season. "The cattle guys don't like to hear it but we need some good snow -- meaningful snow and for it to stick around, not just fall and melt," Kafka said. Kafka says another big thing for farmers going forward is the lack of a farm bill and uncertainties surrounding subsidies. The old farm bill passed in 2018 and was set to expire in 2023 but Congress extended it one year. However, that extension will also soon expire.