8 Broadcaster Press Governor's Column: Advancing Habitat By Gov. Kristi Noem I’ve always loved being outside. Whether it was fishing with my dad, bow hunting with my daughters, or shooting birds with Booker, being under the South Dakota sky clears my head. I know many of you feel the same way. It’s part of our South Dakota way of life. Whether or not you take part in the sport, pheasant season is a major economic engine for South Dakota and a significant contributor to tourism, our second largest industry. Each year, 91,000 nonresident hunters flock to our state for hunting season and spend more than $310 million in our restaurants, gear shops, hotels, gift shops, and gas stations. That money makes a real difference for families and small businesses. If we’re committed to this heritage and want to preserve our outdoor culture, we need to proactively protect habitat. In recent years, pheasant numbers have dropped and habitat lands have diminished largely because of fewer CRP acres. Predators are impacting our bird populations as well. Having recently celebrated 100 years of pheasant hunting in South Dakota, we must now be intentional about sustaining our wildlands and grasslands to ensure the second century of pheasant hunting is just as successful as the first. At the beginning of this year, I launched my Second Century Initiative – a strategy to increase resources for habitat management. As part of this plan, I proposed a $1 million state investment to expand habitat and pheasant hunting opportunities. In March, the legislature approved this bill, and I was proud to sign it into law. These dollars, along with additional funds from private donations and federal conservation programs, will help establish some real momentum in habitat advancement. And we’re already moving forward, putting practical ideas into action. On April 1, we launched the nest predator bounty program that will focus on increasing trapping. Although this is a new program, trapping predators during nesting season has been practiced in South Dakota for decades. I’m excited to implement this plan to get our kids outside – away from the x-box and into the live box. This program will be extremely beneficial in enhancing duck and pheasant nest success. What’s more, my newly expanded Hunt for Habitat program taps into how we can help raise money to fund habitat efforts across South Dakota. This program will include an auction tag and raffle licenses. Right now, we’re looking at the possibility of expanding the area where the current bighorn sheep auction license is valid. This would be an incredible revenue source for habitat. These are just the start of our plans to expand habitat, and we know that the best ideas don’t have to come from Pierre. Since mid-February, we’ve been crowdsourcing for habitat solutions. This has sparked a conversation that has led to over 750 emails and an online dialogue that has over 300 group members thinking, talking, and exploring habitat solutions. As South Dakota’s Sportsman in Chief, I’m thrilled to see habitat making headlines and generating discussion around the dinner table. My Second Century Initiative is about families, introducing kids to the adventure of the outdoors, and preserving our culture for the next generation. Let’s advance habitat and work together to strengthen the next 100 years of our outdoor traditions. Deadline Approaching For Specialty Crop Block Grants Pierre, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) reminds South Dakotans that the deadline for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is May 1, 2019. These funds can be used for marketing, promotion, research, food safety, nutrition, distribution and best management practices to advance the specialty crop industry. Specialty crops are generally defined as fruits, nuts, vegetables, honey and some turf and ornamental crops. A full list of specialty crops, as well as application details, are available on the SDDA website at https:// sdda.sd.gov/grants/specialty-crop-block-grant/. Applications must be submitted via email to kimberly. sturm@state.sd.us, in Word format only. Applications are due May 1, 2019. For additional information, please contact Sturm at 605.773.4516 or visit her at SDDA’s office at 523 E. Capitol Ave Pierre, SD 57501. Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect and preserve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit us online at sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Get your ad in the.. 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South Dakota’s southeast region led the state in growth, increasing 3.6 percent over 2017. All four regions saw growth over 2017, with the percentage increases as follows: Central Region (Missouri River Tourism Region): up 1.9 percent Northeastern Region (Glacial Lakes & Prairies Region): up 1.4 percent Southeastern Region (Southeast Tourism Region): up 3.6 percent Western Region (Black Hills & Badlands Tourism Region): up 2 percent “The impact these visitors have on communities across our state is significant. They come to enjoy the beauty of our open prairies, fish our pristine lakes and abundant rivers, hunt our bountiful fields and stand in awe at our memorials and monuments. These visitors support restaurants, marinas, hotels and attractions in communities large and small. The strong numbers prove once again that tourism is an incredibly important part of the South Dakota economy,” said James Hagen, secretary of the Department of Tourism. 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