Hearing word from multiple sources out of Mitchell over the weekend that Bill Kluck of Mud Butte is possibly considering a run for the legislature.  Kluck is a former State president of South Dakota Stockgrowers.

In looking, Kluck is registered as a Republican in District 29, meaning no matter what seat he chose (Senate or House), he’d likely trigger a primary election. If he runs for the Senate, he would be challenging Gary Cammack for the seat, and if he chooses the House, he’d be challenging Larry Rhoden & Tom Brunner.

Kluck is already registered to run as a precinct committeeman for his area out west.

Why is word of this coming out of Mitchell? From what I’m hearing, there was some gathering that took place in Mitchell where Kluck’s candidacy was brought up and discussed at length.

Only a week to go until petitions are due. Stay tuned!

Noem Announces Agricultural Growth Initiative

WATERTOWN, S.D. – To kickoff National Ag Week, Kristi Noem, a lifelong farmer and rancher, today launched her Agricultural Growth Initiative. The proposal aims to strengthen and diversify South Dakota’s top industry.

“Our farm and ranch has been in the family for more than a century,” said Noem. “We’ve survived bad droughts, bad floods, and bad policies. While you can’t change the weather, you can change policy. As governor, I will leverage my experience as a lifelong producer to advance agriculture. From protecting property rights to expanding markets, my administration would be built to develop the state’s agricultural economy and give more young people the opportunity to thrive as farmers and ranchers in South Dakota for a century more.”

Raised on the values of hard work and self-reliance, Noem grew up on a farm and ranch in rural Hamlin County. Just a few years after graduating high school, her dad died in a grain bin accident. She put her pursuit of a college degree on hold, returned to the family farm and ranch full-time, and helped stabilize the operation.

In 1997, Noem received the South Dakota Outstanding Young Farmer award. Noem also served on the South Dakota State Farm Agency State Committee and the Commission for Agriculture in the 21st Century.

As South Dakota’s lone representative in the U.S. House, Noem helped successfully negotiate a strong Farm Bill that included livestock disaster assistance and critical safety nets for producers. When federal agencies considered proposals to regulate dust or limit the work some kids did on farms, she fought back – and won. During tax reform negotiations, she was one of the only farmers at the table, yet secured interest deductibility, immediate expensing, and lower rates for farmers and ranchers as part of the historic tax cut.

Click to view Noem’s Agricultural Growth Initiative.

AGRICULTURAL GROWTH INITIATIVE

Create a Blueprint for Agricultural Economic Development. With an annual economic impact of $25.6 billion, agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry. In recent years, however, deflated prices and lower-than-average yields have delivered a serious blow to the state’s economy. To build and diversify the sector, I will direct the Department of Agriculture and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to construct a Blueprint that broadens opportunities for existing farms and ranches and helps identify and recruit our next ag-related growth industries.

Equip South Dakotans with the skills needed to succeed in agriculture. The average South Dakota farmer is 57 years old, meaning many will be at or near retirement in the next decade. To meet our long-term needs, it’s time we ready the next generation to fulfill global food demands. As governor, I will work to expand education and increase investments in production-boosting research, such as biotechnology and precision ag. More specifically, I am committed to:

• Encouraging strong support of 4-H and FFA programs;

• Dramatically increasing shared-learning opportunities among universities, technical programs, and high schools for ag education and skills training;

• Continuing investments into SDSU’s first-in-the-nation precision agriculture degree program;

• Completing SDSU’s precision ag building, which the state legislature recently approved;

• Promoting cross-training between students at SDSU and technical schools, like Lake Area Tech;

• Ensuring South Dakota continues to host a vibrant State Fair; and

• Enhancing the Governor’s Ag Summit to increase access and educational offerings.

Review permitting structure to ensure it promotes economic development and respects local control. When new businesses are recruited to South Dakota, they must go through a series of permitting approvals at the state, county, and local levels. To increase certainty for those looking to invest and expand in South Dakota, my administration would undergo a thorough review of the current permitting system, working hand-in-hand with counties to improve the process.

Add value to South Dakota-grown commodities and livestock. There is no work ethic like a South Dakota work ethic. With agriculture as the foundation, we can leverage that homegrown ambition and add value to every bushel produced. If elected, I will direct the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to prioritize value-added agriculture, thoroughly vetting new processing, agricultural biotechnology, and manufacturing opportunities and offering upward mobility to more South Dakotans than ever before.

Bolster Livestock Disease Preparedness. With increasing trade, both foreign and domestic, risk of foot-and-mouth, avian influenza, and many other diseases has greatly increased in recent years. But South Dakota – backed by SDSU’s world-class animal disease research program, including the new laboratory that is currently under construction – is uniquely positioned to improve livestock disease management practices. Working with the university, the Animal Industry Board, the State Veterinarian, and our growing biotech industry, we can mitigate economic and environmental impacts while improving overall herd and flock health.

Enhance infrastructure to support farmers and grow the economy. With falling prices and a rising basis, many producers are feeling the pinch. As governor, I will work to improve the state’s infrastructure to lower the basis for grain products, putting more money in the hands of hardworking farmers and growing our economy.

Transition the state vehicle fleet to higher ethanol blends. For years, I’ve strongly defended policies like the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which sets annual goals for the amount of ethanol and biodiesel that must be incorporated into America’s fuel supply. Additionally, I led efforts to extend the $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit. With volatility growing in oil-rich areas of the world, we must maximize the use of homegrown fuels. As governor, I will lead by example and work to transition the state fleet to higher ethanol blends, such as E-30.

Expand working lands conservation. As a lifelong producer and avid hunter, I deeply understand the careful balance between production and conservation. In the U.S. House, I fought to expand the sodsaver program, incentivizing the protection of native grasslands while ensuring the choice was ultimately left to producers. As governor, I will expand voluntary conservation programs by improving landowner relationships. Working together, we can boost soil health and increase productivity on every acre, using precision agriculture to help farmers determine which areas may be best for cultivation while conserving the rest.

Former Democrat House and Senate Member Paul Dennert has filed to run as a State Representative in District 1 this morning, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

If elected, the 80 year-old Dennert would possibly serve at the same time as grandson Drew Dennert who represents District 3, and is running for re-election.

Terry Lee LaFleur, the former auto parts deliveryman with a law degree, is making the claim on Facebook today that he has the signatures needed to be placed on the ballot for the Republican Gubernatorial Nomination for Governor:

If LaFleur is able to be placed on the ballot as he boasts, it will likely up the ante for the fringe candidate who thinks we should have free Universal government health care paid for exclusively by donations, and advocates for a 15% income tax in South Dakota.

(Good luck with those hard left views in the GOP Primary.)

From Sioux Falls and Social Media, the Candidates were out in force at the St. Patrick’s Day parade festivities in Sioux Falls:

Candidate for Attorney General and State Senator Lance Russell addressed a group of around 20 Brookings County Republicans yesterday as they met for their monthly meeting:

Lance explained that his primary goal as Attorney General would be public safety and getting it back on track for the state. He cited how Sioux Falls was recently featured in a USA Today story as the #2 City in the nation where Crime is soaring, with an 80.4% jump in violent crime. Russell noted while in the state, Rapid City was once thought to have a higher incidence of violent crime, Sioux Falls has now easily captured that title.

As Attorney General, Russell noted that he will seek the tools to attack violent and drug crimes, and part of that is to be strong on crime, noting that Senate Bill 70 will need to be reformed. (SB 70 was the 2013 measure that established alternative court programs for nonviolent offenders).

Russell also was on the eastern side of the state for an event he held in Sioux Falls Saturday afternoon to draw attention to his candidacy, as noted on Facebook:

With the field of candidates in a state of flux at the moment, watch for the race for Attorney General to grow more intense in the coming weeks!

21^st Century Ideas for 21^st Century Infrastructure
By Sen. John Thune

As chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, I’ve hosted my fair share of memorable hearings over the last three-plus years, several of which have included folks from right here in South Dakota. While they’re all notable for one reason or another, my recent hearing, which featured five of the president’s cabinet secretaries, will likely be one of the more memorable events – for the topic we covered, the people who attended, and the history that was set.

In the mid-20th century, President Eisenhower and Congress saw the need to move people and goods quickly across the country. Their vision of an interconnected nation paid off, helping fuel decades of economic growth. The infrastructure that was built more than one-half century ago continues to fuel the economy today. With aging infrastructure, though, we’re facing challenges when it comes to maintaining and improving these critical assets.

It’s with that in mind that I invited several members of the president’s team to come up to Capitol Hill to examine the current state of infrastructure in America and discuss potential policy options that we can pursue in Congress to help strengthen and modernize it.

It was the first time in nearly two decades that five cabinet secretaries testified at once during a Senate hearing. Secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Transportation, Labor, Energy, and Agriculture all addressed their department’s role in developing strong and robust infrastructure across the nation, which continues to evolve in today’s more technologically advanced society.

While the underlying principle of keeping our nation more interconnected remains the same, the way we do it is always changing. It’s no longer just roads, bridges, and railroads that primarily define our nation’s infrastructure. For example, in rural states like ours, lack of access to reliable high-speed internet can make all the difference in the world for a family or small business.

In response to these growing needs, the president released an ambitious proposal to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and help bring it further into the 21st century. He hopes to achieve these goals – goals that I share – by limiting the overly burdensome permitting process and reforming workforce training, both of which would help speed up project delivery and lower costs. The president’s proposal also dedicates funding to rural community needs since toll roads and other revenue-dependent strategies for building new infrastructure in urban areas wouldn’t work in states like South Dakota.

The Senate Finance Committee, of which I’m also a member, will be responsible for examining ways to pay for these proposals, but it will be up to other committees, like the one I chair, to first develop them, and I hope this is an area where bipartisanship is achievable.

For example, both sides want to invest in and modernize our infrastructure. Both sides want that investment to address an array of infrastructure needs – not only roads and bridges, but also needs like broadband and waterways. Both sides want to break down barriers for innovative technologies. And both sides want to make our existing programs work better for South Dakotans and the rest of the American people. Together we can make it happen.

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Dodd-Frank Reform Bill Provides Regulatory Relief to Community Banks and Credit Unions, Includes Consumer Protections
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

The Senate recently voted to pass the first major overhaul of our financial system since the Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law in 2010. S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, is a bipartisan effort that begins to roll back the unnecessary and burdensome regulations placed on small banks and credit unions following the financial crisis. This has hindered the ability of those institutions to serve their customers, particularly in rural areas. Our legislation will help make sure families and businesses have access to credit when they need it, which is critical as we continue to grow a healthy American economy.

As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, I was happy to be an original cosponsor of our bipartisan effort. In fact, S. 2155 includes seven provisions I took the lead on, such as the Home Mortgage Disclosure Adjustment Act, which will provide small banks and credit unions with data reporting relief. It also includes a provision to help small, local federal savings associations, known as FSAs or thrifts, expand their ability to offer loans to more families and businesses without going through a costly charter conversion process.

Our legislation also takes steps to help veterans, as it includes my Protecting Veterans Credit Act, so that vets who are waiting on delayed payments from the VA Choice Program cannot be penalized by creditors. We were also able to secure a provision to protect seniors by removing legal liability for individuals who report the financial abuse of vulnerable senior citizens. These are just a few of the items included in the bill to protect consumers and relieve small financial institutions from time-consuming and costly layers of bureaucracy that they currently face under Dodd-Frank.

Some regulatory recalibration was necessary in response to the financial crisis, but Dodd-Frank’s crippling new rules and regulations have limited the ability of our financial system to best serve the American people. Without question, no one wants to repeat the events that contributed to the economic recession that began in 2008. We are only now beginning to lift out of that nearly decade-long economic slump thanks to the tax relief law and President Trump’s focus on regulatory reform. There is still work to be done to get back to a healthy American economy and that’s why our legislation is so important. Every step we can take to provide relief to our lenders is a win for families and businesses who rely on those lenders to provide the tools that they need to grow our economy and create jobs.

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act will strengthen our financial system and allow small banks and credit unions to focus on serving their communities – their friends, neighbors, store owners and job providers. I’m pleased the Senate was able to come together in a truly bipartisan fashion to provide much-needed relief. We remain optimistic we will be able to work with the House of Representatives to get this legislation to the president’s desk in a timely manner.

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Not Everyone Farms, But Everyone Eats
By Rep. Kristi Noem

In 1963, almost half of Congress represented rural areas. Today, less than 10 percent does. But while not everyone farms anymore, we all still eat. It’s a fact I have to remind federal lawmakers of often – and not only when we’re debating food policy. Agriculture is critical to our national security too. The minute we don’t grow our food, we become reliant on another country to feed us. That’s when we are truly in peril. That’s when they control us and our decision making.

The third week of March is set aside as National Agriculture Week, and as a lifelong farmer and rancher, I am incredibly proud to represent a state that celebrates our agricultural roots. That’s something I’ve always fought to defend.

For instance, under the Obama administration, the Labor Department offered a proposal that could have banned kids from being hired to do certain farm work on their family’s or relative’s farms. I put pressure on the Department, and they rescinded the rule. When OSHA tried to regulate small family farms, I got the agency to reverse course. And when the EPA was looking to expand dust regulations, I authored legislation to stop them, and the rumored rules never advanced.

During this time, we also fought an uphill battle to finish a five-year Farm Bill in 2014. In the end, we produced legislation that equipped farmers and ranchers with a strong safety net and a meaningful livestock disaster program. I became the first South Dakotan in more than 20 years to serve on the House’s Farm Bill negotiating team, and I was proud to sign my name to the final deal.

With the Farm Bill done, all attention turned toward tax cuts. Once again, I earned a spot on the negotiating team, filling one of just five House seats and serving as the only member with a background in production agriculture.

After years of work, President Trump signed our legislation, which included a number of wins for agriculture. More specifically, the package offers a 20 percent small business tax deduction, which will help many farms and ranches. It also expands interest deductibility, which is critical for a highly-leveraged industry like agriculture; allows for immediate expensing, helping farmers upgrade their operations; doubles Death Tax exemption levels; preserves options for like-kind exchanges; and expands Section 179, allowing farmers to better manage depreciation. On top of that, producers – like all Americans – will benefit from lower tax rates, the doubling of the Child Tax Credit, and retirement and education benefits. The Standard Deduction was also doubled, meaning the first $24,000 a couple makes is tax free.

In the months ahead, we’ll be working to pass the next Farm Bill. I’ve already introduced legislative language to improve commodity programs and reform the wetland determinations process. I’ve also introduced the Fair CRP Payments Act, which would ensure CRP rental payments accurately reflect the current cost of renting farm ground. And my DRY Act would permanently allow the hay harvested on certain CRP acres to be donated to farmers suffering from drought or fire.

Passing the next Farm Bill will likely be another uphill battle, given the declining number of rural representatives. Nonetheless, South Dakota farmers and ranchers continue to produce the food consumed in each of their states. I am incredibly proud to represent so many people who put in early mornings, take on tremendous financial risk, and live at the will of weather and market fluctuations – all to do what they love and keep our world fed. Happy National Agriculture Week!