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GF&P looks to lease 25,000 acres along the Big Sioux watershed
South Dakota is home to just under 1.5 million acres of private land leased for public hunting across the state. That number may soon rise by 25,000 acres. State Game, Fish and Parks hunting access and Farm Bill coordinator Mark Norton gave the status update on private land leased for public hunting in South Dakota […]
Gabbard says Democrats ‘taking freedoms’ has moved her to align with Noem
A former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii earned enthusiastic applause from backers of Republican Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday. Tulsi Gabbard recently announced that she’d left the Democratic Party over its “extreme positions,” though she did not say whether she would join the Republican Party. Gabbard appeared alongside Noem twice Wednesday, visiting Rapid City in the […]
Concerns raised over an energy storage project along the Missouri River
Backers of a multibillion-dollar proposal in rural south-central South Dakota say they have a way to capture and store renewable energy for later use. The clean energy pitch has drawn criticism and concern from nearby landowners, however, who worry that the project could damage the environment and impact recreational opportunities in south-central South Dakota. Project […]
USDA invests $10.5 million into South Dakota meat processing
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $10.5 million in two South Dakota loan associations that aim to expand meat processing capacity in the state. The funds are part of the department’s Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. The South Central South Dakota loan association known as Planning & Development District III will receive […]
Wind energy is now South Dakota’s No. 1 producer of electricity, but not every day
Wind has surpassed hydroelectric power as the largest generator of electricity in South Dakota. Last year, over 52% of the electricity generated in the state came from wind turbines. That’s because of a large number of new, better turbines built in recent years. The state was home to 526 turbines before 2019. Another 511 were […]
Public-land hunters and anglers push for one of their own to fill vacant commission seat
Some public-land hunters and anglers feel underrepresented by the current Game, Fish and Parks Commission, and they hope to see a board member from a grassroots group – like the South Dakota Wildlife Federation or Black Hills Sportsmen Club – appointed to a vacant seat. The GF&P Commission consists of eight members appointed by the […]
Noem will host rallies with Gabbard and Youngkin, but won’t attend Trump event in Sioux City
Gov. Kristi Noem will host campaign rallies Wednesday with former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, but Noem’s campaign said she will not attend a rally featuring former President Donald Trump on Thursday in Sioux City. Trump will appear with Iowa Republican politicians, just across the border from […]
Drought has South Dakota’s harvest ahead of schedule, but yields and soil moisture are down
South Dakota farmers had harvested 64% of their corn and 93% of their soybeans as of Sunday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That puts the 2022 harvest well ahead of the five-year average for those crops. However, Brian Top, a farmer and South Dakota agriculture consultant, said the harvest is only ahead because […]
Wildlife group calls Rounds’ wetlands bill ‘egregious,’ but some farmers say it’s overdue
A U.S. senator from South Dakota has sparked opposing reactions with legislation that could make it easier for farmers to convert wetlands into cropland. Mike Rounds, a Republican, wants to change the “Swampbuster” provision of the 1985 farm bill. Under the existing provision, farmers lose eligibility for federal farm program benefits, like crop insurance subsidies, if […]
Sioux Falls leaders bring high-schoolers to workforce event with hopes of stemming ‘brain drain’
SIOUX FALLS — High-schoolers received special focus at a day-long workforce summit Wednesday at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation hosted the WIN Summit. The event featured guest speakers and community business leaders sharing insights, and opportunities for young people to build relationships with those leaders. Approximately 70% of in-state students […]
Oversight committee clashes over ‘pop-up’ medical marijuana clinics
A medical marijuana card clinic popped up in early October at the Watertown Hampton Inn, where walk-ins were welcome. An advance notice in the local newspaper said “certification takes roughly five minutes,” and the medical cannabis card would be mailed to the patient once approved. That’s how most medical marijuana patients in South Dakota are […]
Differences on health care emerge in gubernatorial debate
SIOUX FALLS — Differences in health-care policy emerged between two candidates for governor of South Dakota who participated in a televised debate Monday night on South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Democratic candidate Jamie Smith said he supports raising the reimbursement rates paid to medical providers that care for Medicaid patients. “When you lose $50 a day […]