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Noem Picks Donor Vanneman to Head Ag Dept

New chief of ag-industrial welfare, Kim Vanneman.
New chief of ag-industrial welfare, Kim Vanneman.neman

Governor-Elect Kristi Noem has picked FCC Services honcho former Republican legislator Kim Vanneman to be her Secretary of Industrial Agriculture.

Vanneman has donated regularly to Noem’s campaigns. FEC records show Vanneman contributed $2,200 directly to Noem’s four Congressional campaigns. Vanneman also gives regularly to the Farm Credit Council PAC, which plowed another $21,500 into Noem’s incumbent Congressional campaigns (after backing Stephanie Herseth Sandlin with $10,000 in 2010), plus money into Senator John Thune’s Heartland Values PAC.

Vanneman was also an early investor in Noem’s gubernatorial campaign, throwing in $500 right away after Noem announced in November 2016. Vanneman donated another $500 in 2017 and at least $1,200 this year.

23 Comments

  1. grudgenutz

    Does she know from soybeans?

  2. Donald Pay

    Why is it called “Industrial Agriculture?” It’s kind of sad that South Dakotans can’t be proud of just plain agriculture. I realize there is a lot of technology in agricultural endeavors, but there always has been. Maybe some of the problems with marketing South Dakota products comes from that “Industrial” modifier. It implies something a little less wholesome than food grown for humans. Maybe, though, it’s truth in advertising. The stuff squeezed through the industrial ag grinder is poor quality, if not downright bad for you. When you have industrial scale CAFOs that require industrial level waste management practices you have gone from agriculturally grown food to industrial mass production. We wind up with a lot of food products that are the equivalent of Gremlins and exploding Ford Escorts.

    The “industrial” must be a sop to some big contributor, some CAFO builder or ethanol mogul. It’s an insult to real farmers.

  3. Donald Pay

    SP,

    I think that legal definition makes my point. Industrial agriculture is “yuck.”

  4. Steve Pearson

    No, it does not. You might want to look more into Agriculture besides just the food, crops etc. There is some really cool industrial things going on, especially technology all dealing with crop production.

  5. Porter Lansing

    Steve Pearson doesn’t even live in USA. It’s a Russian bot.

  6. jerry

    Porter, that is why his is called Prickly PEARson, his code name for his paytroll check is the pricklypear. Putin has a sense of humor…if you can stay alive.

  7. jerry

    One sure way to see Russian troll bots is that they double space. This is caused by the time lapse and server’s that come from Russia to the US. jason and the I can not’s and the prickly pear, are just waiting for tomorrow when their paytroll checks are available.

  8. mike from iowa

    You might want to look more into Agriculture besides just the food, crops etc. There is some really cool industrial things going on, especially technology all dealing with crop production.

    Must make sense in wingnut troll land. Don’t look at crops. Look at crops.

  9. Dave

    Nation-wide search? Seriously?? Why does Noem think we’ll believe she’s scouring the country for staff when all she’s doing is giving positions to loyal donors? Betting Booker will get a part-time gig as Kennedy’s assistant.

  10. Donald Pay

    I’m aware of much of the technology. My daughter works in this area. What she’s telling me is that meat will be produced without the animal. The muscle tissues will be grown in factories, and exercised to the optimal amount by robotic arms. No need for ranches. No need for CAFOs. No packing plants. Little waste products. She was involved with a start-up company in China that made growing modules you could put in your basement or outside shed to grow your own leaf greens and vegetables. Very interesting stuff, but who wants to eat it?

  11. Porter Lansing

    Donald … I’ll eat it and I’m a good professional. Doesn’t scare or avert me. I’ve been posting about factory meats for quite awhile. The flavor profiles are being tweaked, now. The secret ingredient is called heme.
    Of course, China’s ahead of USA.
    My question remains. If no animal is harmed will vegans embrace factory bacon. We all know it’s what they miss most.

  12. Oh, Donald, to be clear, “Industrial Agriculture” is my characterization of the office’s focus, not the title they put on the door.

  13. Donald Pay

    Cory,
    Nevermind. I didn’t catch the sarcasm, because it is too close to something SD would do.

  14. Dana P

    Very Trumpian and good ole boys/girls playbook.

    Big donor? You will be rewarded!

  15. mike from iowa

    10% gasahol is $2.05 in town today. Unleaded is 20 cents more per gallon at Cargo Express Con Store.

  16. We’ll be filling our tanks with all sorts of corn whiskey for Christmas; plus I’ve been adding soy buts to my trail mix to pick up the Chinese slack. What more help does agriculture need?

  17. mike from iowa

    Remember the olde “Don’t Drive Drunk” commercials that claimed gas and alcohol don’t mix? You may not be olde enuf.

    Had a sweatshirt one time said gas and alcohol don’t mix, but gas straight wasn’t bad. The good olde days.

  18. mike from iowa

    I made a bigly mistake, unleaded gas was 18 cents higher than gasahol instead of 20 cents per gallon.

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