Corn, soybeans, cattle and wheat remain the backbone of South Dakota's working landscape. South Dakota has spent decades building a reputation as a state that is easy to do business in.

Agriculture and related industries drive a large share of the state's output.

What sets it apart

Corn and soybeans dominate the cropland east of the Missouri River. It is the kind of specific that turns a passing curiosity into a lasting fascination.

Cattle ranching spreads across the drier grasslands to the west.

Why it matters

What ties it all together is a distinctly South Dakota balance between the wild and the worked-over. Whether the bet pays off or not, it is helping write South Dakota's next chapter.