South Dakota lawmakers return to Pierre on January 8 for their 2019 session. Loren Pankratz, lobbyist for the South Dakota Pork Producers Council and Soybean Association, says he’ll be watching a pair of livestock bills during the session. He says one deals with how livestock operations can apply liquid manure.

He says they’ll also be asking lawmakers to support a program at SDSU to get more veterinarians in rural areas of the state.

Pankratz says the rural veterinary shortage is a national problem and very similar to getting medical doctors into rural areas.

Pankratz says they also want legislators to continue to support livestock development, which has been growing in South Dakota for the cattle, hog and dairy industries.