PIERRE, SD – The full Senate will get a chance to debate the proposed merger of the South Dakota Ag Department with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Senate Ag & Natural Resources Committee (Thursday morning) debated a Senate Resolution of Disapproval to the merger proposed by Governor Kristi Noem.
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Senator Troy Heinert of Mission says it needs to be heard by the full Senate. “This is big. This a complete shift of how ag business and environmental business gets done in South Dakota,” the Senator said. “And it deserves a full Senate debate. This is our only opportunity as legislators to weigh into this process. All the crackerbarrels I attended -in predominantly ag counties – none of them supported this merger.”Â
Senator Joshua Klumb of Mitchell supports the merger. “I believe that ag and enviornment go together hand in hand. As a farmer, I don’t want dirty air or dirty water anymore than anyone else does. I believe that a good steward of the land is what an agricultural producer should be. They won’t have conflict if they’re good. By not changing any laws or any regulations  with this merger, I don’t see those becoming endangered.”
The resolution of disapproval passed out of the committee with a do pass recommendation on a four to three vote.
A number of South Dakota ag, natural resource, and environmental organizations oppose the merger, including the state’s largest member-driven group, the South Dakota Farmer’s Union.
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