RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Stockgrowers (SDSGA) will host a “Freedom Rally” in Rapid City, Oct. 7, 2024, to kick off it’s annual convention at the Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center.
The event beginning at 10 a.m. will focus primarily on animal identification, with speakers to address the USDA electronic animal identification mandate.
The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association and R-CALF USA are co-hosting the rally. State groups are supporting this effort, including the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, South Dakota Farmers Union and the Independent Beef Association of North Dakota.
The event will feature key speakers, including U.S. Senator Mike Rounds and Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman.
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The rally aims to galvanize support for legislative efforts to overturn the USDA’s EID mandate. Proposed legislation includes a Senate bill sponsored by Senators Rounds to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from enforcing EID eartags, as well as resolutions in both the House and Senate disapproving of the mandate.
According to SDSGA executive director Doris Lauing, the event will be livestreamed and recorded. .
The tentative rally schedule is as follows:
- 10 am MST welcome
- 10:10-11:00 Harriet by video followed by Mike Rounds (possibly John
- Thune and Dusty Johnson)
- 11:00 -11:45 Corbitt Wall
- 11:45-12:00 USCA (US Cattlemans Association) Justin Tupper
- 12:00 -12:15 R-CALF USA Bill Bullard
- 12:15-12:45 SD representative Marty Overweg supporting SD state legislation and Chip Neiman supporting WY legislation
- 12:45 Closing remarks
The Rally will kick off the SD Stockgrowers convention which is set for October 7-8, 2024 at the Ramkota Hotel and Convention Center in Rapid City.
