As National Ag Week was held March 16 - 22, Hunter Roberts, South Dakota Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, hit the road to celebrate the state’s largest industry.
“Agriculture is our biggest industry in South Dakota, eight times over, larger than the next biggest industry,” Roberts said. “This is a good week just to thank our producers for all they do to keep abundant food, fiber and fuel to all of us in America and the rest of the world.”
Traveling with Gov. Larry Rhoden, Roberts toured central South Dakota to engage in discussions with farmers, ranchers, and ag business leaders. They visited a farm with a beef and lamb operation, where they even had the chance to see newborn lambs. These visits allowed Roberts to hear directly from producers about the challenges they face, including concerns over drought, tariffs , avian influenza , and the ongoing impact of global trade issues.
One unexpected issue that surfaced during their discussions was the housing crisis affecting rural communities like Onida, where they met with community members. Housing shortages are an issue in many rural areas, and Roberts believes it’s a topic that needs further attention, especially in a state that heavily relies on agriculture for its economic stability.
“We’ve been dealing with many of these agricultural challenges for generations, but there are other concerns too, like housing,” Roberts said. “It’s an issue that’s affecting rural America, and it’s something we need to address for our communities to thrive.”
Despite these challenges, Roberts noted the positive energy and optimism among South Dakota’s agriculture community. He highlighted the increased engagement from the federal government under the new administration, specifically pointing to the relationship between Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and other officials, including Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
“We’ve seen a lot of positive engagement with the federal government recently,” Roberts said. “Having that kind of communication and access to decision-makers is crucial when issues arise. It’s nice to know that when we face challenges, we can go straight to the top and find solutions.”
Roberts also discussed his recent trip to Washington, D.C., where he and Rhoden participated in a roundtable with Rollins. The focus of the meeting was addressing the avian influenza crisis, which continues to affect the poultry industry. Discussions centered on improving biosecurity measures and exploring new vaccine options, though challenges around their impact on trade remain a point of concern.
On a more local level, Roberts pointed out the recent passing of several key pieces of legislation in South Dakota that aim to strengthen the state's agricultural future. Senate Bill 1022, addresses labeling for cell-based protein or lab-grown meat. The bill ensures that consumers know exactly what they are purchasing, providing them clarity between traditional and lab-grown products.
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“In South Dakota, we're blessed with the best beef, the best meat in the world, and we just want to make sure that cell-based, lab-grown stuff is different and labeled differently than the natural-grown stuff,” he said. “We are not opposed to people making their own choices at the grocery store, but we definitely want to make sure that they're informed choices when they make them.”
Another important piece of legislation, Senate Bill 14, addresses agricultural terrorism, bolstering the state's defenses against potential threats to the food supply. This bill establishes stronger protections and clearer legal consequences for anyone attempting to disrupt the agricultural industry through malicious means.
“What this does is strengthen South Dakota law and increase the protections for our food supply by creating some additional definitions and some additional protections,” Roberts said. “It makes very clear what the legal ramifications are if you were to do ag terrorism against our food supply.”
Roberts also discussed the Governor’s Ag Summit, which will take place in Deadwood this year on June 17-18. This year’s summit will feature policy discussions on June 17, with tours of western South Dakota’s agricultural industry on June 18. It’s an opportunity to showcase the state’s diverse agriculture and create valuable connections for the future of farming and ranching in South Dakota.
“The Ag Summit is a great way for people in agriculture to come together, share ideas, and discuss the issues that matter most to them,” Roberts said. “We’re excited to be hosting it in Deadwood this year and look forward to seeing a lot of our ag community there.”
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