SD Governor gets push back on joining ag and enviornment agencies
SDFBSDFB President Doug Sombke
PIERRE, SD – Interim Agriculture Secretary Hunter Roberts and several team members outlined the proposed merger of the Ag Department and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee last week. State Senator Josh Klumb of Mount Vernon is the committee vice-chairman.
“Unless the merger is challenged, it will go through. They were simply advising us of how it would operate,” shared Klumb.
The South Dakota Farmer’s Union opposes the merger and in response to the plan by the Governor, is crafting legislation that would make the Secretary of Agriculture an elected office rather than a gubernatorial appointee.