Upcoming events:

AFBF Annual Meeting, New Orleans – January 13-16, 2008

SDFB YF&R Winter Conference, Deadwood – January 18-19, 2008

Women in Blue Jeans Conference, Mitchell – January 24-26

Black Hills Stock Show, Rapid City – January 25-February 3

SDFB Legislative Day, Pierre – January 28

Carbon Credit meetings at the Black Hills Stock Show – February 2

Food Checkout Day – February 9

AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference, Baltimore, MD – February 16-18

 The 2008 SD Legislature started Tuesday with the Governor’s State of the State address.  The Governor spent the first part of his speech focusing on the state budget and the need for fiscal constraints.  He also talked about renewable energy, the proposed Keystone Pipeline, and the need to fix the property tax assessment system.  If any of you would like to hear an archive of the speech, or read the text, it is available on the State of South Dakota webpage at: 

http://www.sd.gov/

 Productivity-based tax assessments – HB 1005 is the interim committee bill to repeal the 150% law and the nonagricultural acreage classification, change ag land assessments to a productivity basis, and create an oversight committee to work with the Department of Revenue in implementing the change.  Legislative leadership met with interested ag groups and will be suggesting some amendments to the bill which would:

 Delay implementation for one year to give SDSU ample time to determine the most accurate numbers to use for the earning capacity of cropland and rangeland, as well as give the Department of Revenue time to make sure the capitalization rate in the bill will not shift taxes away from or on to agricultural property

 Give the oversight committee more involvement in working with the Department of Revenue to implement the change

 Include a statement of legislative goals, such as the desire to not create a shift in tax burden among different classifications of property.

Legislative leadership also talked about the need to fund SDSU’s work in determining accurate numbers, as well as funding to help with training county Directors of Equalization in the new assessment system.

The bill was referred to House State Affairs committee, as was HB1006, which is a companion bill to insulate taxing entities against huge windfalls or significant shortfalls.         

 HB 1041, to provide a preference for the procurement of biobased products, has been referred to House State Affairs and is scheduled for hearing on Monday, January 14.

             A slate of Brand Board bills has been introduced:

            HB 1054 would authorize the State Brand Board to impose civil penalties.  This bill was killed this morning in House Judiciary committee.

            HB 1055 reduced the penalty for leaving the brand inspection area without a brand inspection, from a Class 1 to a Class 2 misdemeanor.  This bill was approved by the House Judiciary Committee.

            HB 1056 revises provisions related to holds on livestock sales and the transporting of livestock out of the ownership inspection area.  (Referred to House Ag Committee)

            HB 1057 revises provisions regarding eligibility for open market status for the purposes of brand inspection (Referred to House Ag Committee)

            HB 1058 increases the maximum amount allowable for the livestock ownership inspection fee (Referred to House Ag Committee)

             On the Senate side, SB44 revises provisions regarding licensing and regulation of grain dealers and buyers.  Among other things, this bill would require that anyone purchasing $200,000 or more of grain directly from producers, in a year’s time, would have to be licensed and bonded.  Livestock groups are concerned about this provision, and will be meeting with the Public Utilities Commission on Monday to discuss their concerns.  (Referred to Senate Ag Committee)