RAPID CITY, SD – Dakota Rural Action members are raising questions about Governor Kristi Noem’s decision to merge the state Agriculture Department with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. DRA Chair and Winner area rancher John Harter says they question if the merged body will have the proper experts in place to handle all the duties of both agencies.
“I think one of the big questions is will we have an expert in each of these areas, running the merged agencies,” says Harter. “Environmental and natural resources is a very different expertise than what is required in an ag department, although there are some cross-overs.”
He says another concern is that the Environment and Natural Resources Department needs to be a watch dog agency.
“You know, the water board is connected in there along with other permitting agencies. They all need to be on board to serve as the watch dog for and by the people and not be a rubber stamp committee for these corporations,” observes Harter. “Our water is our most precious natural resource that we have. We need that managed at a top-notch level.”
Harter says there also must be more public input into this merger decision.
“We need to know everything they are doing, what their goals are and how they are going act on it – on both the ag and environmental and natural resources. The title of the agency omits the word ‘environment.’ What’s behind that? Are we just going to keep rubber stamping actions for money or greed and not worry about our environment?
Harter points to other policy issues as indicators the state ag department’s focus is on the needs and wants of large corporations. “The state Agriculture Department has failed to support policies such as Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling. This most recent merger appears to be a continuation of an agency that supports large-scale interests over those of community, family and small businesses in the state.
