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5/3/04
" Today is a sad day for family farmers and ranchers. Unfortunately,
the U.S. Supreme Court did not recognize the fact Amendment E has
nationwide ramifications,” said Charlie Johnson, a DRA member
and family farmer from Madison. read
press release
3/18/04
Members of Dakota Rural Action (DRA) applaud the bi-partisan legislation
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to end price manipulation
that damages family farmers and ranchers. read
press release
2/2/04
" I think the bill's proponents need to show us where zoning
is not working. SB 163 is an attempt to fix something that is not
broken. This is a slap in the face to people like me who are struggling
to write equitable zoning ordinances. This is being pushed by a
few malcontents who can't get what they want,” says Guy Larson,
a DRA member from Yankton. read
press release
9/26/03
A rancher from Dakota Rural Action (DRA) along with farmers and
ranchers from five other states met with more than 40 Congressional
offices to move forward on the Captive Supply Reform Act, the ban
on packer ownership of livestock, and country-of-origin labeling.
read
press release
8/8/03
A member of Dakota Rural Action (DRA) addressed Captive Supply Reform
and Country of Origin Labeling at the 18th Farm Aid Concert September
6 and 7 in Columbus, Ohio. Karen Englehart, a cattle rancher from
Bison, attended the event and participated in discussions about
various agricultural issues. read
press release
8/6/03
Instead of chasing after outside capital and telling producers to
get big or get out, the speakers at the conference DRA is hosting,
have found ways to increase the profit for farmers on the capital
their families have invested for generations. read
press release
6/20/03
Members of the Alliance to Preserve Local Control delivered more
than 25,000 petition signatures to Chris Nelson, South Dakota Secretary
of State, on Friday June 20. "South Dakota was the first state
to place the right of initiative and referendum in its' constitution."
said Bob Weber, a member of Dakota Rural Action and one of 14 groups
in the Alliance to Preserve Local Control. "The people of this
state don't look kindly on the prospect of losing their right to
vote on issues. Legislators ought to know their constituents better
than to think we would allow this to happen". read
press release
5/22/03
"The Senate bill doesn't look as good as we would like it to
but there are a few amendments we support that would institute a
Renewable Energy Standard of 10 percent by 2020," says Dakota
Rural Action member Joan Kazmerzak, from Erwin, South Dakota. read
press release
5/14/03Dakota Rural Action (DRA) commended Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY)
and co-sponsors Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Senator Tim Johnson
(D-SD) today for introducing S. 1044, the Captive Supply Reform
Act to restore market competition in the livestock industry. DRA
and the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association worked with the state¹s
senators in support of this bill. Read
press release
4/30/03
Dakota Rural Action (DRA), along with several other organizations,
participated in a press conference April 28 in Sioux Falls with
Senator Tim Johnson regarding the implementation of country-of-origin
labeling. Read
press release
4/3/03
The U.S. House of Representatives' Resources Committee rejected
a proposal to protect private property rights, conserve and protect
scarce drinking and irrigation water resources, and force the oil
and gas industry to clean up toxic wastes and abandoned industrial
sites. Read
press release
1/17/03
State leaders are discussing ways to encourage wind energy development
in South Dakota ranging from reducing the property taxes on new
development to exploring protections for landowners who sign easement
contracts with the companies. While Dakota Rural Action members
applaud the efforts and ideas put forward on this issue, they still
have several concerns. Read
press release
11/21/02
"Under this law a day care being investigated as an
unsafe environment for children, or a nursing home with a bad track
record, could continue to operate without any knowledge by the public.
Our state employees are restricted by this law from releasing the
information," Gary Aguiar stated. Read
press release
11/21/02
South Dakota's gag law, the only law of its kind in the nation,
prohibits state officials from commenting on any examination, investigation
or audit of any private entity. Violators are subject to a Class
6-felony charge, a sentence of 2 years in prison and/or $2,000 fine.
Read
press release
10/01/02
Dakota Rural Action's Good Government Committee is releasing their
survey results of all legislative regarding SDCL 1-27-28 through
SDCL 1-27-32, commonly referred to as the Gag Law. The committee
this survey as a way in seeking support for the repealing the gag
law in 2003 legislative. Read
press release
6/12/02
Members of Dakota Rural Action (DRA) commend the voters of
South Dakota for their foresight in defeating Amendment A on the
primary ballot June 4. Amendment A was defeated 54 percent to 46
percent statewide. Read
press release
5/08/02
With the primary election less than one month away, members of Dakota
Rural Action (DRA) are urging South Dakota voters to vote no on
Amendment A, which will appear on the June ballot. DRA is a member
of the Stand Firm! Coalition which has formed to defeat Amendment
A. read
press release
12/17/01
Dakota Rural Action (DRA) fought to get such legislation
included in the Farm Bill because it will go a long way to ensure
a fair price for livestock raised by South Dakota farmers and ranchers.
Read
press release
4/29/02
In a massive win for livestock producers and consumers nationwide,
mandatory country-of-origin labeling has been included in the final
version of the Farm Bill.
Read
press release
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4/19/2004
U.S. farm policy is contributing to the growing crisis in worldwide
agriculture, according to Dr. Daryll Ray, an agricultural economist
featured in Dakota Rural Action’s upcoming Town Meeting. Ray
will discuss the crisis and solutions during this town meeting on
Tuesday, May 4, 7 p.m. Central Time, at Ft. Pierre Livestock in
Ft. Pierre. read
press release
4/16/04
Dakota Rural Action, its Deuel County Chapter and Deuel County Farmers
Union are cosponsoring a public meeting on April 26th at the Astoria
Legion hall starting at 7 p.m. read
press release
3/1/04
Members of Dakota Rural Action (DRA) are calling the recently completed
trade agreement between the United States and Australia a huge threat
to the livelihoods of family farmers and ranchers. The negotiations
for the agreement were completed earlier this month, and offer no
gains for U.S. agricultural producers. read
press release
9/16/03
Dakota Rural Action and the South Dakota Resources Coalition this
week filed a petition to ask the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
to review the Amendment E decision. Last month, a three-judge panel
of the Eighth Circuit Court upheld the unconstitutional ruling handed
down by Judge Kornmann in U.S. District Court last year. DRA and
SDRC are asking the full judge panel of the appeals court to review
this decision. read
press release
8/21/03
"...the fact remains that the voters of South Dakota have chosen
family farms over corporate factory farms three times since 1974.
While the 8th Circuit Appellate Court has shown total disregard
for the wishes of South Dakota's citizens, I am encouraged by the
knowledge of the broad support we have for this issue at home,"
said Charlie Johnson. read
press release
7/17/03
Farmers from different parts of the world learned they have a lot
in common when it comes to the effects of free trade. DRA recently
sponsored a visit from Mexican farmers in Brookings, SD. read
press release
7/9/03
Free Trade policies like the North American Free Trade Agreement
and the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas have impacted rural
people in both Mexico and this country. Dakota Rural Action will
host a meeting featuring members of a National Family Farm Coalition
tour. Read
press release
6/11/03
Members of Dakota Rural Action (DRA) say Canada¹s request to
restart exports of cattle, sheep, and byproducts across the United
States border is premature. The U.S. closed its border to Canadian
exports of all live ruminants and ruminant byproducts on May 20,
2003 upon discovery of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also
known as Mad Cow Disease, in Canada. Read
press release
4/23/03
A bill that will prevent citizens from holding public elections
to challenge and overturn zoning decisions, sent to the Legislature
by Governor Mike Rounds passed. The bill passed despite overwhelming
public outcry, has raised tremendous concern statewide and resulted
in a large coalition of groups working together on this issue. Read
press release
3/28/03
The Brookings Chapter of Dakota Rural Action is hosting Terry Vander
Pol from Granite Falls, Minnesota to speak on "Local Foods
Awareness". Ms. VanDer Pol will speak April 15th at 7:00 pm
in the annex building of the old Catholic Church in Brookings. The
public is invited to attend. Read
press release
2/11/03
Dakota Rural Action's Good Government Committee's dedication on
repealing the Gag Law is paying off. The committee was ecstatic
Monday, February 10th when the House State Affairs Committee voted
12 to one in favor of House Bill 1179, a straight repeal of the
Gag Law. The momentum for the repeal carried through Tuesday afternoon
when the House floor voted 60 to nine in favor of the bill. Read
press release
1/13/03
"We're optimistic that the appellate court will return a decision
that upholds the people's choice to limit corporate farming in this
state," said Don Hoogestraat, a DRA member from Lennox. "This
decision is in the hands of the courts, and we just hope that the
leaders in the state will see the wisdom in letting the judicial
system work." Read
press release
12/17/02
During the past administration a law was enacted that restricted
the flow of information to the citizens of South Dakota. This law
is referred to as the Gag Law. There are numerous problems with
this law; it is broad and vague prohibiting state officials from
commenting on an ongoing investigation, examination or audit. Read
press release
11/22/02
Supporting family agriculture, celebrating
its past and future, and protecting it from infringement by corporate
conglomerates have been focal points of Dakota Rural Action (DRA)
members for years. Read
press release
10/18/02
Dakota Rural Action will celebrate 15 years of grassroots
action at their 2002 Annual Meeting. This year¹s annual meeting
will be held at the Izaak Walton League in Pierre on November 2.
Read
press release
5/24/02
Members of the Stand Firm! Coalition have challenged South Dakota's
Secretary of Agriculture Larry Gabriel's position on Amendment A.
Gabriel, a public official appointed by the governor, has taken
a pro-Amendment A position and has traveled the state urging voters
to pass the amendment. Read
press release
5/14/02
On June 4, South Dakota voters once again must tell the state
that we support family farmers and ranchers. "If we are to
have a rural America, we need to support our rural people. Are we
supposed to give up our way of life for a few low-wage jobs?"
read
press release
4/29/02
The public is invited to a kick-off potluck supper and meeting
of the Western Plains Action Group, a newly formed chapter of Dakota
Rural Action (DRA) encompassing Perkins, Harding and Western Corson
Counties. Read
press release
3/15/02
Area Dakota Rural Action members have organized a local chapter.
Western Plains Action Group (WPAG) was launched on March 1 at the
Bentley Building in Bison. Read
press release
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