Farmers & Ranchers Feed 1,000 Fairgoers a 42-Cent Lunch

Even during a year when crop and cattle markets are up, South Dakota’s family farmers and ranchers still earn much less than what consumers pay at the grocery checkout.

To reinforce this fact, South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) is providing lunch September 2 South Dakota State Fair attendees for only 42-cents – the price family farmers and ranchers receive for the ingredients.

“This nearly free lunch brings to light how much the middleman makes,” said Parade rancher Oren Lesmeister. “The price people pay for a steak at the meat counter is far from the price I receive. Thankfully beef prices are up this year, but my family only receives $2.64 for the $9.99 steak sold at the grocery store. And this goes for all commodities we raise here in South Dakota.”

Feeding more than 1,000 fairgoers, the Farmers Share Lunch is a longstanding tradition for the state’s largest agriculture organization and premiere sponsor of the South Dakota State Fair, explained Karla Hofhenke, SDFU Executive Director.

“Agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry and economic driver,” Hofhenke said. “This Farmers Share Lunch is one way to help educate all South Dakotans on the economics of raising crops and livestock. We see it as a way to boost support for the South Dakota families doing the work.”

Tracy Solseng would agree.

“Forty-two cents seems very cheap and is a bit surprising because when we go to the grocery store we pay much more,” said the fairgoer from Huron who attends the fair each year with her parents, Elton and Colleen Solseng who are visiting from North Dakota.

Educating consumers as well as farm and ranch families is a large focus of South Dakota Farmers Union year-round. And during Farmers Union Day at the State Fair the organization also hosts Farm Safety Quiz Bowl championships for high school-age youth. It is an opportunity for teens to sharpen and showcase their farm safety knowledge.

“I have seen many farm and ranch families go through loss or injury due to accidents. It’s devastating. This quiz bowl is one of several ways our organization works to promote safety through education,” said Doug Sombke, SDFU President. “And because fairgoers of all ages watch the competition, the Quiz Bowl educates more than youth.”

Teams competing are Gettysburg, Selby Area, Platte-Geddes and Wolsey-Wessington.

SDFU also hosts a Landowner Rights Forum.

“Landowner rights have been part of our organization’s policy since the beginning because for farmers and ranchers, our land is much more than our livelihood – it is our legacy,” Sombke explained.

SDFU policy is established by its members. “We are not told what our policy is by the national organization. Our policy is developed at the local level based on what is important to our members. This is the definition of ‘grassroots,’” Sombke said.

Landowner rights have received quite a bit of attention in recent months after the private corporation, Summit Carbon Solutions, began threatening to use eminent domain in order to install its pipeline on private land in South Dakota.

“Threatening to use eminent domain instead of working with landowners is not respecting landowner rights,” said Lesmeister, who also serves as District 28-A Legislator.

Lesmeister and Sombke are among the South Dakotans discussing the issue during the public forum. Other forum participants include Aberdeen farmer Craig Schaunaman; Jeff Kippley, Aberdeen farmer and Vice President of National Farmers Union and Brian Jorde, Managing Lawyer, Domina Law Group.

An article covering the forum will be posted to www.sdfu.org during the week of September 4. South Dakota Farmers Union website is also where readers can go to learn more about how South Dakota Farmers Union works to support family farmers and ranchers and view the Farm Safey Quiz Bowl Results.