Published: Wednesday, January 20, 2021
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem yesterday issued an executive order to merge two departments overseeing the state’s agriculture industry and natural resources.
The Republican governor’s order created the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources that she billed as a “one-stop” shop for farmers and ranchers that would save the state about $450,000 by eliminating five positions. While the influential South Dakota Farm Bureau praised the move, other farmers’ groups focused on conservation opposed the merger, saying it affected the protection of resources including water, oil and soil.
Hunter Roberts, the current secretary of environment and natural resources, will head the new department.