VIEWPOINT | The next South Dakota governor must understand the value of agriculture

Guest column by Sal Roseland

The number of times agriculture has been discussed during this gubernatorial campaign could probably be counted on one hand. It hasn’t been a substantial focus of media interviews, it wasn’t meaningfully addressed in televised debates and it’s difficult to find any detailed discussion of it on the frontrunner’s campaign materials. Is nobody else concerned?

Agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry. It contributes billions to our state’s economy and supports countless families, businesses and communities across every corner of our state. Yet when it comes to this election, the silence has been deafening. Is agriculture something we’ve simply grown accustomed to taking for granted? Or is it slowly being forgotten when chasing headlines and political talking points?

I’m going to say it plainly: farmers, ranchers, and everyone who works to support our agricultural industries have two choices in this runoff election.