South Dakota Farmers & Ranchers in DC Asking Congress to End Chaos

A small group of South Dakota family farmers and ranchers are in Washington, D.C. this week asking Congressional leaders to end the Trade War, pass a Farm Bill and adhere to the Constitution. The advocacy effort is organized by South Dakota Farmers Union in collaboration with National Farmers Union.

“Plain and simple, my messages are, follow the Constitution and end the chaos,” said Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. “The Trade War is destroying markets farmers worked decades to build. We still don’t have a Farm Bill. And many South Dakota farmers and ranchers are waiting for reimbursement funds promised to them by the federal government that are now frozen. Things do not need to be this way. All policymakers took an oath to follow the Constitution. They swore to uphold it. We need them to stand up for the citizens they serve.”

Citizens like Freeman farmer Mike Miller. Before he left for D.C., Miller was able to get most of his 2025 crop planted. He said the weather was cooperative and getting the crop in was uneventful. The challenge he faces Planting Season 2025 is selecting the right risk protection product for the crop he just planted.

“What programs I choose for crop insurance are decisions we make on a year-to-year basis based on the markets, but right now the markets are so unstable and when I do sign up for a program, because we do not have a Farm Bill, I do not know if the federal programs I do sign up for will be funded.”

As a soybean producer, Miller is also concerned about the Trade War’s impact on export markets to China. “China is a big world market and if they won’t buy our soybeans, then we need the rest of the world to come and buy from us. And export markets don’t just appear.”

In addition to the Trade War, Miller is concerned about chronic labor shortages made worse by the current chaos. “We need a workforce in this country. They say the Trade War and tariffs will bring industry back to the U.S. OK, but what about the workforce? You need a workforce for a factory making widgets or a 7,000-head dairy.”

Miller said he took time away from his farm to meet with Congressional leaders not just to air his concerns, but the concerns of all South Dakota farmers. “All farmers are concerned right now. And for good reason.”

South Dakota producers joining Miller and Sombke in D.C. for this Farmers Union Fly-In are Parade rancher Oren Lesmeister, Ipswich farmer Lance Perrion, Wessington Springs rancher Scott Kolousek, Reliance rancher David Reis and Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director of South Dakota Farmers Union.

“This may be a small group of producers that we are bringing with us, but they are experienced in advocating for their industry,” Hofhenke said.

All the producers have prior experience traveling with Farmers Union to D.C. to advocate for agriculture and meet with Congressional leaders. The conversations South Dakota family farmers and ranchers had with Congressional Leaders and Department of Justice staff during previous Fly-Ins resulted in positive change for South Dakota producers, explained Lesmeister.

“We had momentum going with the Packers and Stockyards Act – the DOJ was investigating anti-trust issues among the packers,” said Lesmeister, a fourth-generation cattle producer. In addition to serving as a board member for South Dakota Farmers Union Lesmeister also serves on the board of the South Dakota Beef Industry Council and the national Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “I am here this week to help the new lawmakers and DOJ staff understand why this is needed so they will continue the good work.”