Agriculture
S.D. sheep farmers hurting as pandemic reduces demand and processing capacity
In March 2020, the sheep-farming industry in South Dakota — the sixth-largest in the country — was humming along nicely. After a few sluggish decades, prices for meat and wool were at or near all-time highs and markets were stable. Fine-dining restaurants and the cruise-line industry continued to fuel strong demand for South Dakota lamb. And the annual massive sales […]
Concerns arise over merger of S.D. agricultural and environmental agencies
Some South Dakota farmers, ranchers and environmental advocates are concerned about Gov. Kristi Noem’s plan to combine the state Department of Agriculture and Department of Environment and Natural Resources into a single agency and are wondering what the new agency could mean for the state’s largest industry and the regulation of agricultural practices and pollution. So far, almost no details […]