PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — An effort to halt Gov. Kristi Noem from merging government agencies that oversee agriculture and the environment has narrowly failed in the Senate.
Senate Democratic leader Troy Heinert introduced a resolution that would have stopped the merger of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Noem has billed the new Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources as a “one-stop” shop for farmers and ranchers that would save the state about $450,000 by eliminating five positions.
But Heinert argued that oversight should remain separated, both to protect the environment and best serve farmers and ranchers.
