Broadcaster Press 3 July 11, 2017 www.broadcasteronline.com Gov. Daugaard Names Inaugural Members To Government Accountability Board PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard has announced his appointments to the new Government Accountability Board. The board was created this legislative session by House Bill 1076, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Karen Soli of Sioux Falls and Sen. Brock Greenfield of Clark. The legislation, which took effect July 1, requires that the board be made up of four retired justices or judges. The board is empowered to receive ethics complaints about statewide elected officials or executive branch employees, initiate investigations into complaints and refer alleged criminal activity to the Division of Criminal Investigation. “House Bill 1076 wisely required that the Government Accountability Board be made up of retired judges, who are by their nature non-political and are known for their judgment and discretion,” said Gov. Daugaard. “These four appointees all have excellent reputations, and I thank them all for their service. The public can be confident that state government will continue to be operated ethically and will deal with wrongdoing if it arises.” The Governor’s appointees to the board are: Turn Yo ur Clutter i nto Cash! Weekly Column: Farm Policy is about Food By Rep. Kristi Noem Trying to explain the agriculture industry in D.C. is always interesting, but it’s important more people – especially those who can vote on farm policy – understand where their food comes from. They should know the kind of capital farmers bury in the ground each spring in the form of seed and fertilizer with the hope of getting the crop and prices needed to keep their operation going. Lawmakers ought to understand the risk that comes with running a ranch – and the devastating blow a drought can deal to a family who’s been in the business for generations. It’s been a tough year. Good portions of our commodities – corn, soybeans, wheat and oats – have been rated as poor or very poor already. The drought has devastated pastures, creating a feed shortage that’s forced some ranchers to begin selling off yearlings and cow-calf pairs. The safety nets provided through the Farm Bill are built for years like this. During the 2014 Farm Bill debates, for instance, I fought hard to preserve the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and make it permanent. The program has now been triggered for several South Dakota counties that have been categorized in extreme drought and I’ve urged By Sen. John Thune the USDA to act quickly to provide these ranchers relief. Additionally, after a personal request to Agriculture The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays, and • Justice Lori S. Wilbur, who retired from the South Secretary Sonny Perdue, I was grateful to see the USDA I know I’m not alone. Not only do we get to spend quality Dakota Supreme Court earlier this year after serving on open South Dakota CRP acres for grazing in some areas. The the court since 2011. Prior to that service, she was a Sixth time with family and friends, but we get to celebrate everyagency has also allowed CRP contract holders to donate the thing that’s great about America. For most folks, the holiday hay harvested for mid-contract management purposes to Circuit judge from 1999 to 2011. Wilbur also served as a magistrate judge and as an assistant attorney general, was usually means backyard barbeques, parades, fireworks, and livestock producers in drought-stricken areas. I’m hopeful a break from the usual nine-to-five grind. Unless you’re a chair of the South Dakota Judges Association, and served these changes will give ranchers a few more options. farmer or rancher, that is. Every day is a workday. Livestock on the Judicial Qualifications Commission and the State While fighting for immediate relief in the face of drought, need tending, and the fields won’t work themselves. Bar Ethics Committee. I’m also focused on producing long-term gains for South Even during the best of times, farming and ranching is a • Judge Gene Paul Kean, who served as a Second Dakota’s ranchers. tough business. And during the worst of times, things can Circuit judge from 1981 to 2006 and is a past chair of the Around 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside South Dakota Judges Association. Prior to that service, he get really, really tough. Extreme weather often plays a role, U.S. borders, so gaining access to outside markets is critical. which is exactly what’s happening in South Dakota today also served as Minnehaha County state’s attorney. Most recently, the Trump administration announced the • Judge David R. Gienapp, who served as a Third Circuit with the drought that’s damaging crops and pastures in end of a 13-year ban on U.S. beef imports to China. Today, more than 90 percent of the state. The hard-working folks judge from 2002 to 2013. Gienapp also served as an asthe Chinese beef import market totals around $2.5 billion sistant attorney general, an assistant U.S. Attorney and as who make agriculture the state’s top industry are always up and I’m hopeful American-grown beef will gain a significant for a challenge, but they need a little help from time to time share of that market. chair of the Judicial Qualifications Commission. so they can sustain their operations. Now is one of those • Judge Patricia C. Riepel, who served as a Second Additionally, in my role as a member of the House Ways times. Circuit judge from 2007 to 2016 and is a past chair of the and Means Committee, I’ve put pressure on the U.S. Trade I’ve been working with U.S. Department of Agriculture South Dakota Judges Association. Prior to that service, Representative to strengthen agriculture provisions during she also served as a magistrate judge and as a Minnehaha (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to identify ways that we can the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegoget some much-needed assistance to livestock producers County public defender. tiation. Since the agreement first took effect in the midfaster and break down unnecessary bureaucratic barriers 1990s, South Dakota’s exports to Canada and Mexico have that make farming and ranching more difficult, particularly House Bill 1076 required that no more than two board increased 969 percent; I’d like to see that growth continue. now during the drought. members be of the same political party. Justice Wilbur It’s getting increasingly difficult to find lawmakers who A great example is USDA’s recent dueling announcements understand what life is like for those involved with agriand Judge Gienapp are registered Republicans; Judge Kean about Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage. On and Judge Riepel are registered Democrats. The appointculture. In fact, this Congress, just 26 of the 535 members ments are effective immediately and are subject to Senate one hand, USDA was telling producers to destroy useable of Congress claim farming or ranching as an occupation. hay on some CRP-enrolled acres. On the other hand, it was confirmation during the next legislative session. What’s more, a survey conducted for the Innovation Center telling producers to use hay on other CRP-enrolled acres to for U.S. Dairy recently received nationwide attention after graze livestock. These completely contradictory announce- finding that nearly one in 10 adults believe chocolate milk ments made no sense and led to disbelief from producers comes from brown cows. You can’t make this stuff up! that USDA would actually require destruction of useable hay It sounds silly, but if people can’t understand how during a drought. chocolate milk is produced, imagine how difficult it will be Shortly after the announcement about hay destruction, I to explain the need for a Livestock Forage Program or an shared a bit of South Dakota commonsense with Secretary ag-friendly NAFTA. We need to take the time to educate folks Perdue: You should never destroy hay when it could be about where their food comes from. Farm policy is food used to feed cattle and help livestock owners who are strug- policy. And if Americans are going to continue to have the gling, especially during a severe drought. I strongly encour- world’s safest and most reliable food supply, we need to aged the secretary to reverse this order so the hay could make sure the farmers and ranchers growing that food have be used to help folks who need it. I also encouraged him to the safety nets and strong markets needed to survive from authorize emergency haying and grazing on CRP-enrolled one generation to the next. land in all counties that have a border within 150 miles of a county that’s been approved for emergency haying or grazing of CRP. The secretary quickly approved both of my requests, which proves that a little commonsense goes a long way. The result of the secretary’s decision means no one will be forced to destroy useable hay that’s removed from CRP-enrolled land. It also means every single county in South Dakota will be immediately opened to grazing on CRPenrolled land subject to mid-contract management and will RAPID CITY, S.D. - A deployment ceremony will be be opened to emergency haying on August 1. All of South held for the South Dakota Army National Guard's 216th Dakota and North Dakota, two-thirds of Montana, half of Engineer Detachment (Firefighting Team) at the Mount Wyoming and Nebraska, and portions of Iowa and MinneRushmore National Memorial amphitheater, July 17, at 10 sota are now available for emergency grazing on certain CRP a.m. (MDT). land. That’s a big win for South Dakota farmers and ranchThe public is encouraged to attend the event as the ers and the livestock on which their livelihoods depend. unit departs for a nine-month deployment to Romania. I will continue to work The Rapid City-based 216th is a three-member headwith USDA – and hold the quarters team with a mission to provide command and agency’s feet to the fire control of assigned or attached firefighting teams to prowhen necessary – to ensure vide fire protection of aviation assets, facilities and instal- it’s doing all it can to assist lations in the European Command area of operation. South Dakota’s producers • Horse Arenas Planned speakers for the ceremony include Gov. Dennis during these difficult times. Daugaard, Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender, and Maj. Gen. In the meantime, I encourage • Private & Commerical Tim Reisch, SDNG adjutant general. those with CRP acres they Drives The unit will report to Fort Bliss, Texas, to complete want to use for haying or • Unpaved Roads several weeks of theater-specific training prior to deploygrazing to contact their local ment overseas. • Grain Elevator Access Farm Service Agency office Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, as soon as possible to begin • Free Estimates this will be the second mobilization for the 216th, which the approval process for this deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom assistance. from December 2003-June 2005. 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