A bill to create an agricultural innovation fund is supported by local legislators and economic leaders. Written By: Keith Norman | ×
Dakota Spirit AgEnergy, a fuel ethanol plant at the Spiritwood Energy Park Association industrial park, is an example of value-added agriculture. HB 1475 is meant to provide additional funding to attract similar operations in the future. John M. Steiner / The Sun
A bill to create an agricultural innovation fund for North Dakota value-added agricultural projects is being heard Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the state House Appropriations Committee.
House Bill 1475, authored by Rep. Bernie Satrom, R-Jamestown, with sponsors including Rep. Mitch Ostlie, Sen. Terry Wanzek and Sen. Cole Conley, all R-Jamestown, sets aside 20% of the proceeds from the Legacy Fund that would normally be deposited to the North Dakota General Fund for agricultural projects in the state.
Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Feb 15, 2021 8:39 AM
Farmers Union Enterprises teamed up with South Dakota Farmers Union to donate 35,000 pounds of pork ribs to Feeding South Dakota.
“COVID-19 continues to impact jobs and many South Dakota families continue to see their grocery budget shrink. We see this as a way to help,” explains Doug Sombke, President of Farmers Union Enterprises.
Sombke is also President of one of the state’s largest farm and ranch organizations, South Dakota Farmers Union.
The donation comes at a time when demand for food has doubled, due to job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, explains Jennifer Stensaas, Communications Coordinator for Feeding South Dakota. “As we approach nearly a year of service since the pandemic began, we continue to feed many individuals and families who have never needed food assistance before,” she says. “We are grateful to organizations like South Dakota Farmers Union for joining forces with us to help meet this increase
When you ranch and have five young children, it takes more than talent and an exceptional horse to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), explains barrel racer Jessica Routier.
“That first year that I made it to the NFR it really hit me, we have five kids. We have a ranch and all these things going on. It took so many people helping to make it possible for me to get here. It was humbling that there are that many people involved, and not really any benefit to them,” says Routier, who qualified for her first NFR in 2018.
Qualifying for the NFR again in 2019 and 2020, Routier ranks seventh in the world. During a recent conversation, the mom, Harding County rancher, rodeo athlete and S.D. Farmers Union member, talks about her family’s support network, her journey to the NFR and more.
2 months ago in Agriculture tomr Photo: WNAX
Senators John Thune of South Dakota and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin are urging the U.S. Treasury Department and Small Business Administration to issue guidance excluding CFAP payments from farmers and ranchers 2020 gross receipts. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke says while producers need help with the pandemic’s impacts, many of these government programs need fixing so they’re effective and transparent.
He says the smaller businesses need COVID relief but more oversight is needed when the government rolls out these assistance programs.
Sombke says the way the state implemented the federal PPP program was not good.
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