South Dakota lawmakers start their 2017 session today in Pierre. The State Farmers Union is focusing on several bills early in the session. Legislative Director Matt Sibley says they’re supporting the new Buffer Strip Bill introduced by Governor Daugaard and will push for passage.

He says they’re also asking state appropriators to include additional funding for the Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab at SDSU. He says the state should not ask the agricultural industry to kick in extra funding at a time when the farm economy is depressed.

Sibley says they’re also proposing the state run all its state vehicles on premium E30 fuel.

Sibley says they expect more agricultural issues to surface during the 2017 session that they’ll be monitoring and weighing in on.