The Governor’s Office of Economic Development yesterday officially posted its intent to pressure counties into abandoning their zoning regs and approve all the factory feedlots that come a-calling.
In typical Noem-Newspeak fashion, GOED boss Steve Westra says the state’s financial pressure on counties to approve CAFOs totally respects local control:
In an effort to encourage more livestock development, the sale and use tax rebate programs (South Dakota Jobs Grant and Reinvestment Payment Program) are now available for that purpose. Last year, South Dakota counties turned down millions of dollars in capital investment related to livestock development. With the increased focus on agriculture at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) with the Ag Development division relocating into the agency, the GOED saw an opportunity to address this very important issue.
The GOED recognized that there was an opportunity to utilize two existing programs within the agency that have existed for several years and have been used in other industries, rather than create a new program. “For counties that see livestock development as a fit, this provides them an additional tool,” said Steve Westra, commissioner, Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “The decision to pursue these projects is still completely under local control,” he added [Governor’s Office of Economic Development, press release, 2019.05.14].
“South Dakota counties turned down millions of dollars in capital investment related to livestock development.” Well, good grief, if we’re going to tell the story that way, how about we critique the Noem Administration on the same grounds? Governor Noem turned down millions of dollars in capital investment by vetoing the industrial hemp bill. Governor Noem turns down millions of dollars in capital investment by making us look like a regressive, unwelcoming, theocratic, nepotistic, backwoods banana republic. How about we shell out some GOED money to counties that pass some local ordinances protecting civil rights and democratic participation against the radicalism of the Legislature?
Or better yet, how about some tax rebates for the people who make those CAFOs possible, the workers who put their health at risk to slop the hogs, milk the cows, and shovel all that manure?
Say, Westra mentioned to Reinvestment Payment Program as part of the CAFO bribe pot. SDCL 1-16G-56 defines the projects to which GOED can give RPP money. “A project includes,” the statute says, “laboratory and testing facilities, manufacturing facilities, advanced telecommunications capability, data centers, power generation facilities, power transmission facilities, agricultural processing facilities, wind energy facilities, and facilities defined by GOED as targeted industries.” Ag processing facilities are ethanol and soybean processing plants and livestock slaughter houses, not factory feedlots. I’m assuming Westra gets the authority to include confined animal feeding operations in the RPP pot by citing CAFOs as part of the targeted “Value-Added Agriculture” industry.
The easiest thing in the world to buy is a local or small state politician.
Don’t forget the $millions in Medicaid money that the SDGOP has forgone too.
Communistic farmers now live by the bribes. It’s the only way to keep the barn door from flying off it’s hinges. Now $32 and a whole lot of zero’s THIRTY TWO BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT for farmers. Amazing!!
“The Trump administration could make as much as $20 billion available to farmers in a second round of assistance designed to help offset losses from China’s latest retaliatory tariffs, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said late Wednesday.
The second installment of trade aid is being modeled after the one last year. USDA pledged up to $12 billion in assistance for 2018 production, mostly in the form of direct payments to farmers stung by retaliatory duties, as well as commodity purchases.” https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/15/trump-administration-farmer-aid-1446165
That 32 Billion should just about cover the second and third homes the fellers have in Mexico and the sunbelt. Wowwwser, that is some serious bribing and just in time for the election.
Giving up hundreds of millions in Medicaid expansion stimulus—good point, Debbo! But I suppose if we follow Westra’s logic, we just have bribe Noem to sign Medicaid expansion into law. I wonder what her price would be….
Probably a well place $20 in a garter