South Dakota lawmakers are debating funding for SDSU’s precision ag facility as they wrap up the 2018 legislative session. A measure moved out of committee to provide part of the $30 million of funding needed for the building that would use $18 million from the state’s ethanol subsidy, and dollars from the lottery fund. Lawmakers still need to come up with the remaining $4 million. State Farm Bureau Lobbyist Mike Held says they’re hoping for full funding.

Held says there’s been little opposition to the project, but the main question is where lawmakers will get the remaining dollars.

He says approval of the funding would put SDSU in a leadership position with the only precision agriculture major and program in the nation.

The measure will now move to a conference committee to see if they can reach agreement.