Leaders from six South Dakota Agriculture groups met recently and talked about solutions needed to address the current crisis plaguing the cattle industry. South Dakota Stock Grower’s Association Executive Director James Halverson says all the groups agreed on three major areas that need addressing. He says one of the major needs is for improved price transparency on cash cattle and contract fed cattle.

He says that transparency problem must be handled at the federal level and by coming together the South Dakota Ag groups hope to have more influence on national policy makers.

Halverson says they all agreed that better food security must be achieved.

Halverson says the third item the groups came together on is making sure consumers and politicians are educated on the challenges facing South Dakota cattle producers and the state’s beef industry as a whole.

Halverson says the six groups intend to hold future meetings to continue discuss issues of concern.
The six groups involved in the meeting included: The South Dakota Stock Grower’s Association, South Dakota Farm Bureau and Farmers Union, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, R-CALF and The South Dakota Livestock Marketing Association

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