A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION

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South DakotaUnion Farmer

Volume XCVI, NO. 9 Huron, SD Nov. 2013

“Survivor’s” holly hoffman talks with jr. realstudents

November 18th Fall Conference & Open house

Sen. Johnson visits with local farmersand Ranchers

PAGE 10

ATLAS BLIZZARD WREAKS DEVASTATING HAVOC ON SOUTH DAKOTA’S LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY

As summer turned to fall, 2013’s ranching season was shaping up well for the family farmers of South Dakota. Just a few weeks before herds were to be moved for the winter and calves taken to sale, the sun was shining – with no sign of the devastation that would soon come. Considered one of the state’s worst agricultural disasters, the Atlas Blizzard dumped more than four feet of snow in some parts of the Black Hills. Reports of 20 inches or more were common in the prairie ranching region. The cattle were drenched by torrential rain before being hit by heavy snow and strong winds that pushed them over fences into road-ways and other ranchers’ pastures. State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven said recently that he now estimates that 15,000 to 30,000 cattle died in the blizzard. Early esti-mates indicated livestock losses at 10,000 to 20,000, but he said reports from ranchers, emergency officials and others caused him to raise his estimate. Some ranchers are not yet sure how many cattle they lost because they are still discov-

ering carcasses or finding live cattle that mixed with neighbors’ herds after being pushed by the snow and high winds.

AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER Nothing could have prepared South Dakota Farmers Union member and cattle rancher Scott

Reder and his wife, Angela, for how their operation would be impacted by this unprecedented early storm. “The day after the storm I started counting cattle that were dead of ours and I got sick to my stomach,” Scott said. The Reders’ losses are steep. Out of 750 head of cattle they grazed across 40,000 acres, approximately 230 are dead. They lost 100 of the 450 calves they had planned to market this month. The remaining calves have now been sold. “This has definitely been an emotional rollercoaster. Now that the initial shock is over and the weather has improved, we are trying to figure out what the next step is, financially,” said Reder. “This is a huge burden. Each of us is in a different situation, but relationships with lending institu-tions will be important. We are fortunate that our institution is working with us on a workable solution.” Other ranchers may not be as lucky. “It’s not going to be easy,” said Reder. “It has set everybody back – we all have goals – so when something like this happens, it just jerks that out from under you.” see ATLAS BLIZZARD page 7 see UPDATE page 7

Update of 2013 Farm Bill

SDFU has been encouraged by some recent progress on the 2013 Farm Bill. U.S. House of Representatives leadership recently an-nounced the appointment of a number of House members to the farm bill conference committee, including Rep. Kristi Noem. Noem and the other 28 House members join 12 Senators already appointed to the committee. Previously, House leaders had been reluctant to appoint conferees despite having completed floor action on the farm bill. Now that conferees from both chambers of Congress have been identified, the commit-tee can begin meeting formally and informal-ly to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. Once conferees were appointed, Senate and House Agriculture Committee leaders announced that the first public meeting for the

Doug Sombke SDFU President

Union FarmerSouth DakotaUnion FarmerA PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNIONSouth Dakota Union Farmer, ISSN 0745-8797, publishes ten times per calendar year, with issues printed in January, Febru-ary, March, April, May/June, July, August, Sept/Oct, November, and December. Copies are available for $3.00 per year (included with membership dues), and non-members annual subscription is $7.50. Advertising rate is $6.00/column inch. Periodical post-age paid at Mitchell, S.D. POSTMASTER: Address changes to: SDFU, PO Box 1388, Huron, S.D. 57350-1388

Contact SDFU 888.734.8136 605.352.67611410 Dakota Avenue South, PO Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350

www.sdfu.org sdfu@sdfu.org

SDFU State Office StaffKarla Hofhenke..........ext. 114 Executive Director Huron

Mike Traxinger...........ext. 112 Legislative Director Claremont

Bonnie Geyer..............ext. 125 Education Director Huron

Kelsey Schnetzer............ext. 116 Membership Director Wolsey

Erin Wilcox....................ext. 118 Rural Development Director Huron

Luanne Thompson.........ext. 111 Administrative Assistant Huron

SDFU Board of Directors

Wayne Soren..........Vice Pres.Lake PrestonTerry Sestak...........District ITaborJim Wahle..............District IISalemFranklin Olson.....District IIIPierpont

Doug Sombke.........PresidentGroton

Joel Keierleber.......District IVColomeDallis Basel..............District VUnion CenterLynn Frey...............District VILemmonChad Johnson.......District VIIGroton

Contact NFU National Farmers Union 20 F Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001

Roger Johnson, President ~ Claudia Svarstad, Vice President Doug Peterson, Secretary ~ Don Teske, Treasurer

202.554.1600 www.nfu.org

2 Nov 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org

From the President... As harvest is in full swing and daylight is getting shorter while farm working hours are getting longer. It’s more important than ever to remember to put safety first. Look out for others you are working with as well as yourself should be first on our minds as we bring in the boun-ties the good Lord and our hard work gave us. Yet, all too often I see news stories of farm-ers getting injured or a life is lost from farming accidents this time of year. The fact is acci-dents happen; we have to deal with them the best we can. A month ago a bliz-zard storm named “Atlas” hit a major portion of western South Dakota, causing damage to every-thing in its path much of which you can’t put a price on. Cities, towns and ranches were without power for days, some well over a week. As the weather cleared and stories of the aftermath were spread-ing, most affected had no idea how widespread the effects of Atlas was. One thing they did know was they were hit hard by an early winter storm, the likes of which had never been seen there before. Shocked by the length and strength of the storm they began to assess the damages. Before any reports were released by the media or state officials I began to receive calls about what can be done to help our neighbors to the west. Not one caller wondered if there was anything more that could have been done to prepare for the disaster. No, everyone wanted to help the most effective way they could. Some offered time, others offered money, while others offered bounties from their own good fortune from this year’s harvest. All were compassionate and understanding because they, at one time or another in their lives, have been on the receiving end of need and they felt compiled to help because they could. If you feel the need to contrib-ute you can check our website and go to Rancher Relief Fund to give.

I want to tell you about a young member of ours by the name of Karli Schuanuman, the daughter of Kirk and Kim Schuanuman who like her sisters and father is one heck of a good cattle showman. Karli not only is good with cattle she is has a huge heart as well. Recently she won reserve champion at the NILE Stock show. This particular show offers a premium sale to help support young people who show livestock and before Karli’s premium sold she announced she was giving 10% of her premium to the Rancher Relief Fund. As the sale proceeded more showman Karli’s age did the same. Karli, I want you to know you are a great example of what kids are like, who have parents that are members of the South Dakota Farmers Union. We care about others before ourselves and our policy book follows that philosophy. God Bless and have a bountiful Thanksgiving

Stay Connected to

SDFU

Send Us Your Email Address

sdfu@sdfu.org

NOVEMBER 20136 Jr. REAL-Mobridge9 Dist. IV Annual Mtg, Winner13 Jr. REAL-DeSmet13-14 Beef Industry Council Mtg, Pierre14 SDFU Fall Conference, Huron14 Fall Conference/Open House, Huron14-15 State Board of Directors meeting15-16 SD Local Foods Conf., Rapid City16 District III Meeting19 Beginning F&R Symp., Brookings22-23 NDFU Convention, Minot25 Beresford/Elk Point Annual Meeting

28-29 State Office Closed, Thanksgiving

DECEMBER 20134-5 CHS Annual Mtg., Minneapolis24-26 State Office Closed, Christmas

JANUARY 20141 State Office Closed, New Year’s14 Legislative Begins18 District III Annual Meeting20 State Office Closed, MLK Day20-21 REAL Session II, Pierre

21 SDFU Legislative Day, Pierre21-23 2 Yr. Award Trip, Youth Education

FEBRUARY 201411 Ag Fest, Pierre11-12 State Board of Directors meeting13-16 College Conf. on Coops, Mpls17 State Office Closed, Pres. Day

Visit the Events section at www.sdfu.orgFor more details on upcoming events.

888.734.8136 605.352.6761

Union FarmerEducation News By Bonnie Geyer Education Director

www.sdfu.org Union Farmer Nov 2013 3

It has been a busy and successful year for your education department and we are gearing up for 2014! We all know it will be here before we know it! This fall I have had the opportunity to be part of the brown bag lunches that have been conducted with some of the cooperatives in the state. It is always fun to celebrate Co-op Month, get out in the coun-tryside and thank those hard at work in the fields. Thanks to those that participated and I look forward to doing it again next year! We celebrate South Dakota Farmers Union’s long history of cooperative education all year long with the summer camping program where we focus on cooperative education at county, district and state levels for all ages. Through hands-on activities such as building a “Cooperative City” and interactive cooperative games, young people at county and district camps, ages 6-13 learn how cooperative businesses work and the importance of working together to accomplish goals. A cooperative store is also run at our district camps that teach these young people the concept of doing business at a cooperative and the benefits of mem-ber owned through the dividend process. At our week long State Leadership Camp at Storm Mountain near Rapid City young people ages 13-18 run five interactive cooperative busi-nesses throughout the week. Each cooperative elects a board of directors and then the board hires a manager. All campers are members of all five cooperatives and participate accordingly. At week’s end the campers decide what to do with the dividends that are earned by the patrons of each cooperative. They also market their coopera-tive by developing an advertising campaign along with commercials performed at various times throughout camp. The five cooperatives include a Cooperative Store, Cooperative Newspaper, Cred-it Union, Cooperative Coffee Shop and a Mutual Insurance Company. We are very proud of our cooperative education efforts and look forward to continuing and expanding them into the future. I recently attended the National Farmers Union Education Director’s Conference at Montana Farmers Union’s Arrowpeak near Great Falls, MT. What a beautiful area and a great opportunity for those responsible for education programs from each Farmers Union state to come together to share ideas. A big thank you to Montana Farmers Union for being such gracious hosts! Thanks to all for your interest in Farmers Union, everyone’s involvement in our activities is important to us. We appreciate your contributions and support of this great organization! I hope everyone’s attempt at harvest has been safe and prosperous! Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our West River members today and in the days to come.

2014 SDFU Foundation Scholarship Apps Available Applications are available from your school counselor or online at www.sdfu.org. There is an online application or a printable application for sub-mission. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is Dec. 1, 2013. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Recipients are selected on the basis of organi-zational and community involvement, academic achievement and financial need. For more information contact Bonnie Geyer at 605-352-6761 ext. 125.

2014 Women’s Conference Registration Open Make plans to join us at the 2014 NFU Women’s Conference, a conference for farm and rural women, based on the well-respected Annie’s Project education program. The event, set for Jan. 11-14, 2014, will provide participants with tools and information to confidently manage risks in their farm or ranch operations and develop leadership skills. “Family farm operations are more suc-cessful when each person in the management team better understands strategic planning, business analysis,family dynamics, and trans-ferring operations from one generation to the next,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “This conference builds on our experience in proving adult education classes specifically designed for women in agriculture.” A variety of trained instructors will teach family farm finances, budgeting and cash flow, cooperatives, marketing, farm transfer and estate planning, business planning, leadership assessment and skills, generational issues, and action planning. Attendees will learn skills for women leading in agriculture and have peer-to-peer networking opportunities. The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Clearwater, Fla. The $175 registration fee will cover most meals as listed on pating are urged to register early, as capacity is limited. Full payment must accom-pany registration and be received by Dec.19. More information and registration details are available at www.nfu.org/education. Annie’s Project also helps women find new ways to balance the demands of family, com-munity and professionalism within the agricul-tural community. The conference is sponsored by Farm Credit, CoBank, the FUI Foundation and the National Farmers Union Foundation.

Update: Farm Bill

2013 Farm Bill conference committee will be held Wednesday, Oct. 30. National Farmers Union staff and leaders in Washington have been busy meeting with mem-bers of the conference committee and their staff to advocate for Farmers Union’s policy positions. Top policy priorities include reinforcing the need for retroactive livestock disaster assistance and the elimination of language in the House version of the bill that directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct a “study” on the effectiveness of Coun-try-of-Origin Labeling (COOL). Although it seems innocuous, Congressional staff has confirmed this language is merely a placeholder for opponents to legislatively repeal the COOL law. Both versions of the legislation include a dairy program overhaul, but only the Senate bill includes two Farmers Union-supported provisions to help family dairies: a stabilization mechanism to man-age supply, and supplemental margin insurance premium assistance on the first four million pounds of milk. Farmers Union supports the higher funding level for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program included in the House bill. This program offers grants to help farmers market their products directly to their customers, adding value to their operation and making important connections with consumers. Farmers Union is also urging conferees to sup-port the Senate bill’s energy provisions, which provide $900 million of funding for important renewable energy programs. The Senate bill also allows the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) to be used to fund blender pump installa-tion, a provision that is not included in the House version of the legislation.

Continued from Page 1

see UPDATE page 7

4 Nov 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org

Union FarmerMembership News By Kelsey Schnetzer Membership Director

Water drainage issues in South Dakota are fundamentally the responsibility of the counties. I have never found that the burden of ‘responsibility’ comes easy. Not for me. In high school in Aber-deen I did not learn how to handle responsibility from my high school principal, and did not learn it from the juvenile courts. I understand how unglamorous the concept of ‘responsi-bility’ can be. County commissioners, by law in South Dakota, are given responsi-bility for managing water drainage issues, but many do not pre-fer to accept this re-ality of government. Responsibility is like pregnancy, you are given responsibility or you are not---you are pregnant or you are not. Many county commis-sioners are in denial about their pregnancy (read ‘re-sponsibility’). A good number of commissioners acknowledge being ‘maybe a little bit pregnant, but not really pregnant’. One cannot be a little bit preg-nant. Such however is how some counties statewide treat their legal responsibility on the management of water drainage issues. Certain commissioners declare they are not pregnant. But they are. In order for the management of South Dakota’s future water drainage to be effective and efficient, one must consider the existing state of the law. In 1985, the South Dakota Legislature delegated responsibility for drainage decisions to individual counties, rather than have them handled by regional agencies or at the state level. This legislation pro-vides that counties may take emergency measures to and shall also generally regulate drainage, drainage development, enforcement of county drainage plans, and regulate nonconforming drains or drainage schemes. This set of laws places the responsibility for these issues before county commissioners. The authority granted to county commissioners can be broken into three broad areas. First, county government is given the designated legal author-ity to undertake drainage planning as a method of avoiding the problems that often accompany times of high runoff. Second, the Legislature provided for the resolu-tion of private disputes at the county level as an alternative to court actions. Both of these first two areas were new grants of authority to the coun-ties; prior to 1985 there was no drainage planning mechanism in the statutes, and private disputes were left to the courts for resolution.

The third area of legislative delegation is the authority over the construction, maintenance and improvement of surface water drains not located within municipalities. This was not a grant of “new authority”; county government has had jurisdic-tion over such matters for many years. While the statutes were amended to some extent, the basic county power over construction, maintenance and repair of drainage works was not substantially altered and these issues remain in the jurisdiction of the county. A board of county commissioners may not avoid the impact of this comprehensive 1985 legisla-tion by passing a resolution or ordinance divesting itself of authority over these matters. In fact, the statutes allow for a legal mandamus action directly against a county if a county refuses to perform any nondiscretionary duty. While a county commission is not compelled to undertake drainage projects or maintenance on its own, once a proper petition is received regarding either a drainage project or maintenance and repair issue, the board has a duty to at least proceed as the statutes require. Confusion abounds in the state regarding private drainage disputes- that is the second set of powers discussed above. The county commission or its designated board can be appointed to handle these particular matters. The law does provide that a board may accept and act as a hearing body or re-frain from hearing specified types or categories of private water drainage disputes. A further proviso allows counties to opt out of this particular author-ity. The law also provides that when a board of resolution or county commission does not exercise its authority to handle drainage disputes, the circuit court is the entity with jurisdiction to hear those disputes. A county’s responsibilities as a ‘board of resolu-tion’ concerning such private disputes, however, are clearly separate from its responsibilities with reference to construction, maintenance and repair of drainage projects and works. The legislature gave county commissions authority to limit its jurisdiction only with regard to acting as a board of resolution. NO SUCH OPT-OUT has been granted concerning a county commission’s jurisdiction over the other two areas of water drainage respon-sibility I have mentioned. Now we see where the real ‘responsibilities’ lie on drainage issues in the state.

David L Ganje of Ganje Law Offices is an attorney in Rapid City who practices commercial law and natural resources law. Contact him at 605-385-0330, d.ganje@ganjelaw.com or write to him: David L. Ganje, Ganje Law Offices, 1830 West Fulton, Rapid City, S.D. 57701.

County Government & South Dakota’s Drainage Law and Practices

Guest Column By:David Ganje, Ganje Law Offices

David Ganje

As Days get shorter this fall, I sit and wonder where this year has gone. I can’t believe it is November already. Soon we will be prepping for holidays with our loved ones and thoughts of warmer weather. October proved to be a very busy month, more so than expected. We began the month with a brown bag event in Toronto with many members in attendance from Grant, Deuel, and Brookings counties. We had a wonderful turnout and served over 400 sack lunches in just a mat-ter of a few hours. We next found ourselves in Beresford at Southeast Coop serving 250 and Gregory Farmers Union the next day serving around 150 members. With a rainy Columbus Day, many members and area farmers found themselves enjoying a meal at Ferney Farmers Union Oil. Unfortunately because of the weath-er not cooperating, we cancelled our last brown bag event of the year in Elk Point at Southeast Coop. Our Harvest Lunches with South Dakota Wheat Growers this year went well. We were excited to have the opportunity to go in and provide a sack lunch to many farmers as they left the elevator. I am very excited to have the opportunity to travel to Louisville, KY the last week of Octo-ber. I have been asked to chaperone the Huron High School FFA Chapter to the National FFA Convention. After 20 years of absence, the Horse Judging Team has earned the title of SD Champions. Our four young people compete for two days in areas of Identification, Oral Reasons, Written Exams, and a Team Activity. They all have been working very hard to raise enough money to get this opportunity and have raised just shy of $8,000 to fund their week long journey. As we begin to round out the year here at the state office, I look back at my first three months with this organization. I am so proud to say I am a member of South Dakota Farmers Union and am excited to meet new people every day and build relationships with our members. We are planning some exciting membership drives across the state, possibly even a trip or two?!?! But, I’m always looking for what YOU are interested in, what lights your fire that we could possibly set up for an activity in your county. If you have an idea or are looking for ideas please contact me right away so we can start planning. My numbers is 605-352-6761 ext.116 or email me at kschnetzer@sdfu.org.

www.sdfu.org Union Farmer Nov 2013 5

Union FarmerRural Development News By Erin Wilcox Rural Development Director The leaves are turning colors, pumpkins are in the stores, football season has kicked off, hunting season is upon us, and harvest is in full swing. Fall is here and speeding past us. This has been a very busy fall for the Rural De-velopment programs, as we started the three part REAL program in September. There are 21 accepted participants in the REAL program and they are from across the state. Session 1 met in Mitchell on Sept 27 and 28 at the meeting room in Cabela’s. We had Tammy Krings present “Building Interpersonal Effectiveness” and Public Speaking 101, Present-ing, and Communication. We also were happy to have Gerri Ann Eide, present a number of interesting topics, which included; Story Tell-ing as Speaking, Compare Styles and Decision Making, Working in Group Setting. Session 2 will be held in Pierre at the Holiday Inn Express on January 20 and 21, 2014 and Session 3 will be held in Sioux Falls on March 24 and 25, 2014. In October, we began our fifth year of the Jr. Real Program. This is a great program for those young people, to help develop them into tomor-row’s leaders. Jr. REAL spurs young people to give back and help out in their own communities and build their leadership skills. The program is specifically focused on building young leaders in rural South Dakota. On 10/8, the Jr. REAL pro-gram was presented to Sanborn Central, Wess-ington Springs, and Woonsocket with Woon-socket as the host school. On 10/9 the Jr. REAL program was in Wolsey for Wolsey – Wessington and Hitchcock – Tulare. In November we will go to Mobridge – Pollock on the 6th. The Jr. REAL program will be presented November 13th to Lake Preston and DeSmet in DeSmet. The speaker line up is Holly Hoffman, Mal-com Chapman, John Beranek, and Erin Wilcox. Holly Hoffman is the Keynote speaker providing an inspirational presentation about her experi-ence on the reality series “Survivor”. Malcom Chapman delivers a presentation on Leadership, John Beranek covers Community Service, and Erin Wilcox addresses credit issues. All of the schools have been enthusiastic and excited to be a part of the Jr. REAL program. South Dakota Farmers Union has been privileged to receive the opportunity to work with amazing students in the state of South Dakota. I hope all farmers have a safe and profitable harvest this year. If you are interested or have any question about these or any other programs we have to offer, please contact me at the office at 605-352-6762 Ext. 118 or email me at ewilcox@sdfu.org

SDFU Fall Conference Scheduled for November South Dakota Farmers Union will host a fall conference and open house Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013, in Huron. The conference will be held at the Crossroads Hotel and Huron Event Center from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the open house will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the new SDFU state office building on Dakota Ave. in Huron. The conference theme is New Horizons and will focus on building Farmers Union for the future. “We have a brand new state office building and many new things happening in Farmers Union right now,” said SDFU President Doug Sombke. “We want to be able to celebrate all that Farmers Union has accomplished and plan for the future of the organization.” Confirmed speakers now are motivational speaker and former CBS Survivor competitor Holly Hoffman of Eureka. The legendary Jerry Woster is also scheduled to speak. State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven and S.D. Secretary of Agriculture Lucas Lentsch have also been invited.

see CONFERENCE page 11

South Dakota Farmers Union hosted the first of three Rural Economic and Leadership (REAL) sessions at Cabela’s in Mitchell, September 27th and 28th. The sessions host 21 chosen participants from around the state to experience hands-on learning in areas of personal develop-ment and motivation, board development, leadership training and other life skills. Former North Dakota Farmers Union Education Director Tammy Krings, who owns the consulting firm ‘The Conversations That Matter,’ conducted the first programs Building Inter-personal Effectiveness and Public Speaking 101. “All too often we put off crucial conversations we need to have with our boss, our spouse or a loved one, because we have different personality styles” says Krings, “And it is by developing the courage to have those conversations, that we really become free to pursue our journey of what’s next.” “It’s extremely important that we continue to seek out and develop our rural leaders,” says Erin Wilcox, Rural Development Director for South Dakota Farmer’s Union. “The REAL program not only helps identify the future leadership in our state, but also trains them in the diverse skills needed to lead in the modern day. It really is an excellent opportunity to get connected and jump start your development.” Gerri Ann Eide of Gettysburg, former school teacher and executive director for two state-wide youth organizations lead programs on day two, including Story Telling as Speaking, Comparing Styles and Decision Making and Working in Group Settings. “It’s very important for people to understand the dynamics of working in groups in order to be effective,” says Eide. “In our striv-ing to avoid offending anyone, losing money or wasting time, we shut ourselves off from our full potential and from becoming the best person or organization we can be.” The next REAL session is in Pierre, January 2014. For more information, please contact Erin Wilcox, 605.352.6761, Ext. 118.

Rural Economic and Leadership (REAL) Development Program has Begun

Union Farmer

6 Nov 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org

Farmers Union Continues to Defend COOL NFU is currently helping USDA to defend the Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) law against a legal attack by multinational packers and processors. These same opponents have been fighting COOL since its inception, and NFU won’t give up until American farmers, ranchers and consumers achieve victory. Unfortunately, we have a long road ahead of us. The meatpackers and packer-producer organizations that comprise the plaintiffs in the suit are appealing the court’s decision to deny their request to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from implement-ing COOL rules. On Oct. 23, NFU and our allies in the lawsuit filed a brief in opposition to the plaintiffs’ appeal, and the plaintiffs are expected to reply by Nov. 1. A court date to hear the appeal has not yet been scheduled, but is expected to be shortly before or after the Thanksgiving holiday. COOL opponents have also inserted an amendment into the House version of the 2013 Farm Bill directing USDA to conduct a study on the implementation of COOL. This lan-guage is meant to serve as placeholder language for complete repeal of the COOL law, and Farmers Union and our allies will strongly oppose its insertion into the final conference version of the farm bill. In the meantime, the processors and packer-producer organizations have requested an extension of the COOL rule implementation timeline from the USDA. Packers and retail-ers were given a generous six-month window in which to comply with the new rule. The courts have already ruled that the plaintiffs must comply with the rule by denying their preliminary injunction request, and this is merely another tactic they are using to under-mine COOL in any way they can. We are grateful to those who have supported this endeavor, helping to ensure that we have the best representation on this critical issue. If you are interested in how you can sup-port, please visit www.USCOOLDefenseFund.org. To donate online go to www.sdfu.org or mail to

SD Farmers Union, P.O. Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350

SDFU Feeds Hundreds of Farmers at Multiple ‘Brown Bag’ Events The month of October was busy with our tradi-tion of thanking cooperative members for their participation in patron-owned co-ops, South Dakota Farmers Union and other local county Farmers Union organizations gave free lunches to co-op members this fall.

The Brown Bag lunches are to celebrate Octo-ber as Co-op Month in South Dakota and to thank patron-owners for their continued support of the cooperative philosophy.

South Dakota Farmers Union has provided lunches to hundreds of patron-owners at eight dif-ferent cooperatives across the state in celebration of October as ‘Co-op Month.’ If your cooperative would like to be involved in next year’s Brown Bag events, contact Kelsey Schnetzer at 605-352-6761 ext. 116 or kschnetzer@sdfu.org

South Dakota Farmers Union is committed to the future of cooperatives in our state. We’ve worked for decades to start, support, and enhance coopera-tives for the benefit of their patron/owners. Our education programs teach the importance of the cooperative philosophy and give young people the knowledge they need to become patron/owners of cooperatives.

Union Farmer

www.sdfu.org Union Farmer Nov 2013 7

Early Reporting Proved Difficult Amid Shutdown The timing of the blizzard was a perfect storm, so to speak. The first weekend in October marked the expiration of the extension of the 2008 Farm Bill, as well as the beginning of the government shutdown. The shutdown meant all the local U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture (USDA) offices were closed. The closings left distressed ranchers with nowhere to turn for answers and limited information, as web-sites were also unavailable at the time. The Live-stock Indemnity Program and other benefits were also unavailable during the 16-day shutdown period. While the government is now back up and running, there has been a delay in many of the regular reports USDA generates, and a lag in much of the informa-tion that farmers need. To add insult to injury, a new farm bill has yet to be signed into law. The 2013 Farm Bill conference committee began meeting at the end of October. South Dakota Farmers Union is calling on Congress to pass a bipartisan and deficit-reducing farm bill before the end of the year that includes both nutri-tion and farm programs, maintains existing perma-nent law provisions, provides a strong safety net for farmers and ranchers against uncontrollable market factors and weather disasters, and keeps a strong conservation title. The urgent need for a farm bill is underscored by this blow to the industry.Resources for Assistance “The support locally has been outstanding,” said-Reder. “Everybody is truly and sincerely concerned or those who lost their livelihood. We’ve received letters from perfect strangers in California and Washington State. I have a renewed faith in human-ity; there really are people out there who do care and that are concerned about your well-being.” Anyone impacted by the storm can call 2-1-1 or877-708-4357 for any storm-related concerns.

Atlas Blizzard: Wreaks Devistation on RanchersContinued from Page 1

Ziebach, Shannon, Jackson, Jones, Bennett and Mellette counties will need to call 877-708-4357 to reach the helpline. The helpline can answer questions regard-ing animal removal from agricultural properties, documentation of livestock losses and livestock identification, and can provide contact information for other assistance programs. Producers experiencing emotional distress can also call for support or to find counseling resources. Agencies needing volunteers and indi-viduals interested in volunteering to help should dial 2-1-1 or call 877-708-4357 for assistance. More than $400,000 has been raised by several organizations to aid ranchers. To donate to the Rancher Relief Fund, visit www.giveblackhills.org and search for “Rancher Relief Fund.” Donors can also mail checks to the Black Hills Community Area Foundation/SD Rancher Relief Fund made out to the “Rancher Relief Fund,” address: P.O. Box 231, Rapid City, 57709. South Dakota ranks sixth in the country in livestock production, with nearly 4 million head of cattle. Officials say 6,000 ranching operations suf-fered losses from the storm. If we know anything, it is that the family farmers and ranchers of South Dakota are strong-willed and will come back from this devastating setback to the industry. “As they say, ‘it’s not about how hard you fall, but how quickly you get up,’” said Reder.

Scott and Angela Reder

Continued from Page 3Update: Farm Bill Farmers Union has been fighting hard for a farm safety net that provides adequate protection against long-term low-price periods by support-ing the House bill’s Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. PLC establishes fixed target prices (re-ferred to in the legislation as “reference prices”) that provide coverage when market prices dip below the target level. In contrast, a similar program in the Senate bill establishes reference prices based on a five-year Olympic average of market prices. This means that, as prices con-tinue to fall, target prices drop along with the market, providing inadequate protection. In addi-tion, House target prices are certain to be higher than the Senate levels, even when calculating the Senate target prices based on today’s relatively high market prices. Finally, the provision up for debate in confer-ence discussions that may prove to be one of the most important is the need for reinstatement of existing permanent law fallback provisions. Currently, if the farm bill is allowed to expire, agricultural law from the 1930s and 1940s is automatically reestablished. Clearly, this law includes outdated measures that would ulti-mately be costly for consumers and taxpayers, thereby creating an incentive for Congress to act on a new farm bill before the existing legislation expires. The House version of the 2013 Farm Bill repeals permanent law and replaces it with the commodity programs in the 2013 bill. This removes the incentive for Congress to act on fu-ture farm bills and virtually ensures that outdated policies will be in place for decades to come.

To Donate to the Rancher Relief Fund, visit www.giveblackhills.org or mail to:

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The Rural Lobbyist

8 Nov 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org

Union FarmerLegislative News By Mike Traxinger Legislative Director

Rep. Noem Appointed to Farm Bill Committee South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke issued the following statement regarding Speaker Boehner appointing U.S. Representative Kristi Noem to the House conference committee tasked with negotiating a 2013 farm bill. “More than ever, South Dakotan’s are relying on our sole representative in Congress to finish the job and pass a five-year farm bill,” Sombke said. “After one of the most devastating blizzards in our state’s history, it is more imperative that a comprehensive five-year farm bill pass both the Senate and the House and make its way to the President for his. signature. We are fortunate to have U.S. Representative Noem appointed to the conference committee.” Both versions of the farm bill that passed the Senate and House include the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). LIP is intended to assist produc-ers in times of natural disaster. The Senate passed farm bill would pay eligible producers at a rate of 65 percent of market value, while the House passed farm bill would pay eligible producers at a rate of 75 percent. “Even if the federal government was open it would take months to implement the Livestock Indemnity Program, assuming Congress can reach a compromise on the farm bill,” Sombke said.“Agriculture is in the dark in South Dakota and all over the United States. It’s not just our ranchers, but many of us have felt or will soon feel the brunt of all of this. It is only a matter of time.” The one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill expired on September 30, one day prior to the current government shutdown. The U.S. House failed to vote on the farm bill in 2012 and an extension was agreed upon as part of the “fiscal cliff” deal at the end of 2012. The House defeated the farm bill in 2013, and later split the farm bill into two separate bills, one that only included farm programs and the other containing the nutrition title. The House later rejoined the two separate bills. The Senate and House must reconcile the different ver-sions before passage of a comprehensive five-year farm bill.

This past month the discussion on taxation of agricultural land continued during the final meet-ing of the year for the Agricultural Land As-sessment Implemen-tation and Oversight Advisory Task Force in Pierre on Oct. 29 with a majority of hte committee members present. The focus of the fi-nal meeting was to dis-cuss 11 draft proposals of potential legislation for the 2014 legislative session. Of the 11 bills, the task force introduced one, Rep. Peterson of Revillo introduced two, former legislator Paul Dennert introduced one, Senator Al Novstrup of Aberdeen introduced four, task force member Lyle Perman introduced two on actual use, and the final draft was intro-duced in response to the recent livestock lost in the natural disaster out west. Of the 11 bills only two were recommended to go before the legisla-ture on behalf of the task force. The first draft recommendation came from the task force itself and would change two things in existing law. It would extend the time frame from 2012-2015 to 2019, further allowing counties to continue adjusting to catch up to the productivity valuation. It would also eliminate the classifica-tion of “nonagricultural acreage property” from consideration for purposes of taxation. All prop-erty would then fall into one of the three remain-ing classes: agricultural property; nonagricultural property; and owner-occupied single-family dwellings. Task force member Lyle Perman suggested the second draft that came out of the task force. This draft would add the additional determina-tion of actual use when a director of equalization assesses land. It would require that the categories of cropland and noncropland be reflected by the actual use of the land. Under current law, each category is divided into soil classification stan-dards, based on USDA data, which is then used to determine your taxed productivity. While the task force passed this draft out, it was not met without hesitation and resistance. The general consensus was that it needed to be improved and vetted a bit further. The suggestion to move to actual use has continually been discussed since South Dakota moved to a productivity valuation system. With the legislature expected to take this up during the 2014 legislative session, SDFU is looking for your input as a member. Do you think your agricultural land should be categorized based on the actual use of the land in addition to its soil classification, or should we continue to only use soil classification? I look forward to working with all of the members on these issues. Please let us know if you have ideas, suggestions, and comments. You can reach me at mtraxinger@sdfu.org or at 605-377-4110.

SD Animal Industry Board Meeting

The SD Animal Industry Board met October 8 in Pierre to discuss proposed legislation on animal cruelty penalties. South Dakota is the only state in the United States that does not have a felony penalty avail-able for cases that deal with animal cruelty. At the request of Senator Shantel Krebs, South Dakota State Veterinarian Dr. Dustin Oedekoven has been working with industry stakeholders since late spring on ideas for proposed changes to South Dakota law. During the meeting, Dr. Oedekoven presented the latest draft of proposed changes to the Ani-mal Industry Board for its discussion and possible action. SD Farmers Union, SD Farm Bureau, SD Stockgrowers Association, SD Cattlemen’s Asso-ciation, SD Pork Producers, and SD Association of Cooperatives were present at the meeting. SDFU testified in support of the work that Dr. Oedekoven has been doing on bringing together all of the key stakeholders and the drafted language. Following additional testimony from the other industry groups and discussion amongst the Board, the SD Animal Industry Board unanimously voted in favor of continuing to move this proposal forward with the potential for it to be introduced during the 2014 legislative session. SDFU continues to work with Dr. Oedekoven and the other agricultural groups on this issue.

“South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers need the tools to survive in times of economic challenges without the fear of losing their livelihood,” Sombke said. “The final version of the farm bill must include a retroactive Livestock Indemnity, fixed reference prices, a nutrition title, a strong conservation title with crop insurance tied to conservation compli-ance, mandatory funding for the energy title, and maintain the existing 1938 and 1949 permanent law.”

www.sdfu.org Union Farmer Nov 2013 9

Union Farmer

By NFU President Roger Johnson

2013 Farm Bill Gains Momentum, Again On Oct. 12, the U.S. House of Representativesfinally named its conferees to the 2013 Farm Bill conference committee. We are pleased to see the farm bill process finally moving forward.NFU sent a letter outlining our priorities for the final farm bill to the conferees, and all mem-bers of Congress. The letter outlined key issues such as maintaining farm bill permanent law, as enacted in 1938 and 1949, which provides a regular requirement for Congress to update and review farmand related policy. “Rescinding permanent law would remove the incentive to update and reauthorize the farm bill, leaving conservation, renewable energy, rural development, research, trade and other provisions without authority to con-tinue,” said Johnson. Further high priorities include establishingfixed reference prices for commodity programs, en-acting an inventory management tool as part of the dairy safety net, providing $900 million in mandato-ry funding for renewable energy efforts, opposition to adverse amendments to Country-of-Origin Label-ing (COOL), and including adequate funding levels for the Farmers Market and Local Foods PromotionProgram. The letter also highlighted 18 other important farm bill issues on which NFU has taken a position. NFU will continue to urge the conference committeeto take swift action so that we can ensure certainty for all Americans with a new farm bill signed into law before the end of the year. The letter can be found at www.NFU.org/farmbill.

NFU Continues to Defend COOL We’ve received good news in the Country-of-Origin labeling (COOL) lawsuit, brought by our opponents, the American Meat Institute, NationalCattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Pro-ducers Council and other plaintiffs. The court will allow NFU, along with U.S. Cattlemen’s Associa-tion (USCA), American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), and Consumer Federation of America (CFA), to fully intervene on the side of the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture (USDA). The court has also sided with us and refused to grant our opponents the

preliminary injunction they requested, which would have prevented USDA from implementing COOL rules. However, defending COOL in court comes at a price. Cost estimates for legal services range from $300,000 to $400,000, and NFU will need to payits fair share. Our opponents have already indicated their intention to appeal the court’s preliminary in-junction decision, adding even more time and legal fees to our defense. We’ve partnered with our fellow intervenors to set up a fundraising website, www.uscooldefensefund.org. Please take a moment to visit the site and contribute what you can to help defend this pro-farmer and rancher law from yet another attack. If you prefer, you may send a check made out to NFU to 20 F Street NW, Suite 300,Washington, DC 20001. Please contact NFU Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule at 202-554-1600 or cgoule@nfudc.org with any questions.

Rural Women Celebrated in Zambia National Farmers Union was represented on Oct. 15 in Lusaka, Zambia, at a conference themed “In-vesting in Rural Women to Achieve SustainableFood Systems.” In honor of the United Nations’ International Day of Rural Women, the event was hosted by the World Farmers Organisation (WFO),of which National Farmers Union is a member, in collaboration with Zambia National Farmers Union. “NFU is honored to have participated in the event held in Zambia through our participation in WFO,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “HavingErin Schneider and Sue Carlson on the WFO Wom-en’s Committee is an opportunity for us to ensure that the needs of all our family farmers, regardlessof gender, are addressed on a global level. Women play a vital role in agriculture around the world.” Erin Schneider, farmer and co-owner of Hilltop Community Farm, a diversified CSA operation and orchard in La Valle, Wis., and member of WisconsinFarmers Union, serves on the WFO Women’s Com-mittee on behalf of NFU. She is one of two U.S. delegates in attendance at the meeting in Zambia. “Farming, wherever you are in the world, is a so-cial act,” said Schneider. “From composting to com-munity building, we produce food for a huge market of people, whether in our backyards or stockyards. It’s in institutions like Farmers Union and the World Farmers Organization, and through gatherings, such as the International Day of Rural Women, that we’re reminded how much we rely on one another to make a living stewarding the land and doing so with

dignity. These opportunities for farm women can only be fully realized when we are empowered as decision makers and have access to resources and knowledge. This happens through direct connection, knowledge - sharing and exchange that the gather-ing in Zambia offers.” The role of women in agriculture is fundamental to achieving food security and nutrition goals. Ac-cording to the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) estimates, women are responsible for more than 50 percent of food production worldwide. Thisincludes up to 80 percent of food production in Af-rican countries, 60 percent in Asia and 35 percent in South America. For fruits and vegetables the aver-age numbers are higher, with 70 percent of produc-tion done by women on an average of two acres or less of land. In the United States, the story is similar. Accord-ing to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the number of ranches and farms operated by women doubled in the last 30 years, with 30 percent (one million) women farmers recognized as primary operators. A 2013 USDA report found that many of these women are electing small-scale, sustainablemethods of farming, especially when getting started in farming. Nearly half specialize in grazing live-stock and raising poultry, with others growingdiversified crops. Very few are involved in tradi-tional large commodity farming, and many diversify their farms through on-farm education, events, and process and learn in community.

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10 Nov 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org

Sen. Johnson and USDA Officials Meet with South Dakota Ranchers South Dakota Farmers Union members met with U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services Michael Scuse, SD Department of Agriculture Secretary Lucas Lentsch, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service SD State Conservationist Jeff Zimprich, USDA Farm Service Agency SD State Executive Director Craig Schaunaman, and USDA Rural Development SD State Director Elsie Meeks in Scenic and Rapid City on Tuesday, October 22. “It is imperative that our elected and appointed officials fully realize the impact that this October blizzard has had on our ranchers and rural commu-nities in South Dakota,” said South Dakota Farm-ers Union President Doug Sombke. “We need their leadership in South Dakota and Washington DC to pass a farm bill and provide vital resources to our ranchers.” Sen. Johnson invited USDA Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services Michael Scuse to South Dakota and organized the meetings in both Scenic and Rapid City. The meeting in Rapid City took part with the South Dakota Farmers Union, South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, and the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association. The topics that continually came up were the lack of a farm bill and the government shutdown that further disrupted recovery efforts during this natural disaster. “If a farm bill had passed last year before it originally expired, these ranchers would be applying to the Livestock Indemnity Program right now,” said Sombke. But because of the lack of leadership and action in the House, the farm bill did not pass, there is no Livestock Indemnity Program, the government shut down during this disaster, closing Farm Service Agency offices in these areas, and now our ranchers are suffering, not because of their own doing, but the failure of government.” Both versions of the farm bill that passed the Senate and House include the Livestock Indemnity Program that is intended to assist producers in times of natural disaster. The Senate passed farm bill

would pay eligible producers at a rate of 65 percent of market value, while the House passed farm bill would pay eligible producers at a rate of 75 percent. “The biggest misconception out here is that these producers did not properly attend to their livestock,” said Sombke. “I have raised livestock my entire life and the truth is that we have never seen a storm this early, with this much moisture, over such a short period of time. South Dakota’s ranchers care very deeply for their livestock and livelihood, we know that they did everything they could to protect their livestock.” Farm Service Agency offices in South Dakota are currently collecting information about pro-ducer losses, hoping that Congress will pass a farm bill and the Livestock Indemnity Program will be swiftly implemented following passage. “South Dakota’s ranchers are highly independent and do not receive any government subsidies,” Sombke said. “However, there is a time and place

for government, and when disaster strikes, government has a role to play. South Dakota Farmers Union will continue to support South Dakota ranching families and their livelihoods.”

South Dakota Farmers Union is partnering with South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Farm Bureau and South Dakota Stockgrowers Association with the support of other industry groups and local businesses to host community gatherings for South Dakota’s ranchers. Resources and information will be available from the SD Animal Industry Board, the SD Department of Agriculture, SDSU Extension, other federal and state agencies, bank and loan officers, insurance agents, agricultural industry organizations, and mental health professionals. Communities where they have been held so far are Union Center, Faith, New Underwood, Belle Fourche, Hot Springs and Philip. Additional meetings are yet to be scheduled; we will post on our website, www.sdfu.org when finalized. Please present this coupon with your purchase

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Local producers at Union Center attending one of the many meetings being held West River this last week

SDFU Partnering to Host Community Gatherings for Livestock Producers

STAY CONNECTEDwww.SDFU.org

www.sdfu.org Union Farmer Nov 2013 11

Union Farmer Holly Hoffman knows a thing or two about be-ing a survivor. The Eureka native caught national attention on CBS’s Survivor Nicaragua, as the last woman standing in her tribe. This past week she stood in front of these high school students as part of the SD Farmers Union Junior Rural Economic and Leadership (Jr. REAL) Development Program. “When you face your fears, you gain strength and courage,” Hoffman told the young crowd. “Do not let your past mistakes define your future.” Hoffman is a mother of three, motivational speaker, author and medical student and shared how her rural upbringing shaped her personal ambitions. The Jr. REAL program, now in its fifth year, invests in high school juniors and seniors and pres-ents a comprehensive one-day seminar to students from Woonsocket, Wessington Springs and Sanborn Central. Student participants engage in hands-on ex-ercises while learning techniques to articulate civic responsibility. The conference focuses on leadership development, credit issues and identity theft, life skills, and motivation. Jr. REAL spurs young people to give back and help out in their own communities and build their leadership skills. The program is specifically focused on building young leaders in rural South Dakota. Motivational speaker and trainer John Beranek, of Miller, shared the microphone and reminded the youth about community service. “When you decide to do something good for someone, they are not

Jr. REAL Events Builds Community Leaders in South Dakota High Schools

Motivational speaker and author Holly Hoffman of Eureka passes the torch to juniors and seniors from Woonsocket, Wessington Springs and Sanborn Central Tuesday, October 8, as part of the SD Farmers Union Jr. REAL Development Program.

Because SDFU has moved its annual state con-vention from February to November 2014, this will give members a chance to connect before the state legislative session and before the National Farmers Union convention in March 2014. The fall conference will not be considered an annual state convention. The rules will be suspended since this will be the second time in 2013 national delegates would be elected. Members are encour-aged to attend because they will have an opportunity to run and vote for delegates to represent South Dakota at the national convention in Santa Fe, N.M., in March 2014. If you’re interested in running to be a national delegate, contact Karla Hofhenke at 605-352-6761 ext. 114 or email her at khofhenke@sdfu.org. Those running to be a national delegate will need to get a petition. You can request a peti-tion from Karla, or get one at the beginning of the conference. Petitions must be turned in by noon on Thursday, Nov. 14, during the conference with the election to be held at 2 p.m. The voting will be cast on a one person, one vote basis. All members at-tending will be allowed to vote. An open house will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday afternoon at the new state office building on Dakota Ave. All members and friends are invited to attend this exciting opportunity to tour the new office building.

CONFERENCE: Speakers and delegate nominationsContinued from Page 5

always ready to re-ceive that help. You must be careful not to shame them and always be respect-ful.” Beranek cited his experiences from the Pay It Forward group he founded to anonymously give to those in need. “Helping out others is incredibly reward-ing.” Malcom Chap-man, a professional speaker from Rapid City, led a breakout session on leader-ship. “Kids need to participate and they need to find outlets to participate and hear discussions about leadership and community involvement. That’s what this program gives,” Chapman said. Erin Wilcox, Rural Development Director for South Dakota Farmers Union also lead discussion on credit cards, identity theft, credit scores and other financial information. “When these kids get to college, they’re going to be bombarded with credit

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OFFARMERS UNION MARKETING &

PROCESSING ASSOCIATIONIN THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH DAKOTA

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That a spcial meet-ing of the members of FARMERS UNION MAR-KETING & PROCESSING ASSOCATION in the District of South Dakota will be convened at the

Crossroads Convention Center, Huron, SD at 9:00 am on Thursday, November 14, 2013 for the

following purposes, namely:1. To adopt the minutes of the meeting of the members in the District of South Dakota on February 16, 2013. 2. To Nominate and elect one or more delegates to represent and vote for the members in the district of south Dakota at each special or annual meeting of the members of this association to be held subse-quent to the district meeting of members herein-above called and prior to election of successor-delegates.

card companies trying to lure them in and rack up credit card debt,” Wilcox said. “We’re trying to educate these kids about the dangers they may face and help them make the right decisions. This is a critical age for them to learn how to deal with their finances before they get out there in the real world.”