PIERRE — The South Dakota Department of Transportation would like to remind farmers and ranchers to remove any hay that has been processed in the ditches along state highways. State regulations require hay be removed from the rights-of-way within 30 days of being processed, and no later than Oct. 1 each year.

“We’re beginning our preparations for winter operations,” said Craig Smith, SDDOT director of operations. “We’re asking for cooperation from anyone who had processed hay to remove it.”

Removing hay from the highway right-of-way is an important safety consideration for motorists. Hay can be a safety hazard for vehicles forced to leave the road and, in some cases, can restrict a driver’s sight distance. When left in the road ditches late in the year, hay can also cause snowdrifts across the highway.

For questions, contact the appropriate area engineer. Contact information for each area office is available at https://dot.sd.gov/inside-sddot/region-area-offices/region-area-offices or call the office of Operations Support at 605-773-3571.