Volume XCVI, NO. 4
Huron, SD
April 2013
South Dakota
Union Farmer A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION Tonsager to step down from USDA Under Secretary post May 3
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Sen. Johnson to Retire after term is up
Legislative Scorecard for 2013 Session
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Making Waves in Agriculture South Dakotans attend NFU Convention at Springfield, Mass.
Over two dozens South Dakotans traveled to the Northeast last month to attend the National Farmers Union’s 111th anniversary convention held at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Mass. The large group of South Dakotans was there for four days of speakers, breakout ses- Pictured, from left, front row: SDFU President Doug Sombke of Groton, board member Terry Sestak of Tabor, delegate Tammy Basel of Union Center, delegate Paul Dennert of sions, tours, and policy discus- Columbia, Myles Bialas of Dimock, Bailey Zwahr of Sioux falls, Tawny Barry of Winner, sion. In all, nearly 600 Farmers Taylor Melius of Faulkton, SDFU Education Director Bonnie Geyer of Huron, Mitchell Mohror of Dell Rapids, and Tucker Greene of Plankinton. Back row: SDFU Legislation Union members from across the country attended the event. Director Mike Traxinger, delegate Steve Harwood of Union Center, SDFU Vice President Wayne Soren of Lake Preston, Larry Birgen of Sioux Falls, Corey Snedeker of Woon“The convention is an op- socket, Maria Nightingale of White Lake, delegate Lisa Snedeker of Woonsocket, Nathan portunity for our members to Nugteren of Canistota, and Jared Kloucek of Scotland. gather and exchange ideas, share struggles and network,” said NFU president Safety Modernization Act, continuation of reliable postal service, Foot and Mouth Disease in ArgenRoger Johnson. “This year’s convention theme tina, and appropriate regulation of small financial [was] ‘Making Waves in Agriculture,’ and Farminstitutions. ers Union members and all U.S. farmers and “We had just an incredible convention, and ranchers need to do just I’m so proud of the South Dakota delegates and that. We need to take an all they did this year,” said SDFU President Doug active role in encouragSombke. ing Congress to do its Serving as delegates this year were Sombke, job and pass a five-year SDFU Vice President Wayne Soren of Lake Presfarm bill.” ton, state board member Terry Sestak of Tabor, During the convenSteve Harwood and Tammy Basel, both of Union tion, Farmers Union Center, Lisa Snedeker of Woonsocket and Paul delegates, including Dennert, a Brown County farmer. seven from South Da“South Dakota’s delegation led the way on a kota, passed special orders of business, which number of new policies that were adopted by all of the delegates,” Sombke said. “From adding included emphasizing the passage of a five-year language favoring fair, nonpartisan legislative redistricting in all states, to calling for mandatory farm bill this year. Other funding of the Plum Island research center for special orders dealt with livestock diseases, the South Dakota delegation ongoing challenges to dairy farmers, the impleSee NFU CONVENTION Page 8 mentation of the Food
Bones to Step Down, Lentsch named new Secretary of Ag South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Walt Bones has announced that he will retire April 29, and Gov. Dennis Daugaard has already picked his successor. Lucas Lentsch was announced April 2 as the next South Dakota secretary of agriculture. Lentsch is a native of the Britton area where his family runs a farm. Lentsch serves on the board of directors of South Dakota Agriculture and Rural Leadership Inc., is a former staffer of the South Dakota Department of Walt Bones Agriculture as its director of agriculture development. He also previously served as the executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party. Bones, who owns a farm near Parker, was appointed by Gov. Daugaard to his post in 2011. “In his two years as the secretary of agriculture, Walt Bones has been a pleasure to work with and I’m saddened to see him go,” Sombke said. “He was a farmer first, and came at the job with a farmer’s mentality. He knows first-hand what it’s Lucas Lentsch like to take on the risk of farming and make a living off the land. That was one of his greatest attributes, he looked at See NEW AG SECRETARY Page 4