News Releases
Categories:The Rural Lobbyist: E-30 Resolution Passes House Transportation Committee
This week proved to be a very busy one in Pierre as all bill drafts needed to be submitted by the end of the week. Currently there are 319 House bills and 215 Senate bills, these numbers are considerably more than last year. The new legislators are now in their second year, understand the process […]
Read MoreS.D. Farmers Union Urges Leadership to Vote with Senators Thune & Rounds to Make Section 199A of Tax Code Permanent
Since most farms don’t have a significant wage base, they were able to use wages passed through from their cooperative. In 2018, under current law (199A) farmers are allowed a 20 percent deduction based on net farm income and net taxable income less net capital gains and cooperative distributions. Once that deduction is calculated, the […]
Read MoreFarmers Union Opposed to Repeal of Tax Provision for Co-ops
Efforts by U.S. senators to reform a tax provision passed into law December 2017 may not be in the best interest of farmers or the viability of cooperatives, said Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. The provision in question involves Section 199 of the tax code which applies to agricultural products marketed through […]
Read MoreSouth Dakota Farmers Union Celebrates the Christensen Ranch Family
By Lura Roti, for South Dakota Farmers Union Recalling his youth, Wessington seedstock producer, John Christensen says school wasn’t really his thing. His lack of interest didn’t go unnoticed. “My teacher caught me staring out the window one day, I was probably daydreaming about cattle. She moved my desk to face the wall. To this […]
Read MoreThe Rural Lobbyist: Non-Meandered Water and New Bill Introductions
Highlights from this week in Pierre included action on non-meandered water and the introduction of many new bills.Governor Duagaard’s Senate bill 24 which extends the sunset date of the summer special session legislation, passed committee and is now waiting for action on the floor of the Senate. The House passed an identical bill out of […]
Read MoreThe Rural Lobbyist: S.D. Farmers Union Hard at Work During First Weeks of Session
The first two weeks of session have been busy ones, filled with committee meetings and discussion on bills that will shape the 93rd legislative session. S.D. Farmers Union was hard at work in the capitol advocating for and identifying key bills that will be of priority in the months to come.Non-meandered water issues carried over […]
Read MoreSouth Dakota Farmers Union Calls USDA Report on Agriculture and Prosperity a Missed Opportunity
Calling it a “swing and a miss,” the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) criticized a recent report by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in an editorial published this week in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader for failing to highlight the critical role of agricultural derived ethanol. According to SDFU President Doug […]
Read MoreTorchbearers Youth Leaders Recognized with 2017 S.D. Farmers Union Torchbearer Award During State Convention
A group of devoted Farmer’s Union campers were recognized for their commitment to community involvement and leadership development with the Torchbearer Award during an awards luncheon hosted at the 2017 S.D. Farmers Union State Convention held in Huron, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2017. For campers, receiving the Torchbearer Award symbolizes the highest level of […]
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