Bob Mercer reports the state Board of Economic Development has approved another big CAFO bribe to help former Ag Secretary Walt Bones expand his Turner County Dairy into Minnehaha County:
The state Board of Economic Development agreed Thursday that Turner County Dairy should get up to $756,000 as a reinvestment payment for state sales and use taxes on its new dairy in Minnehaha County.
The project, which expects to employ 25 people, is assigning its incentive rights to Minnehaha County, according to Cassie Stoeser, finance director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development [Bob Mercer, “S.D. Projects Pledge State Incentives to Counties,” KELO-TV, updated 2019.10.25].
Turner County Dairy partners include Bones operations Bones Hereford Ranch and Hexad Farms.
I suppose we can take some comfort that the state’s CAFO bribe money is going to county government instead of directly into the pockets of CAFO cronies like Bones. But the fact that the state can use its financial leverage to shove even the largest county in the state to adopt rules that favor Big Ag over environmental concerns points to the need for serious taxation reform that gives counties more power to raise their own revenues and operate with less pressure from the state.
Is anyone in NoMa’am’s government keeping track of the payoff for these “investments”? I mean, $756,000 is a lot of mooooo-la for 25 jobs. Is this bribe supposed to result in $756,000 in tax revenues for the county? Over how many years?
Why not just do a state aid directly to local governments like Minnesota does, rather than providing corporate welfare from a financially strapped state? That way the county gets the sum immediately and puts it to use for infrastructure, schools, fire stations, etc.
Debbo–the $756k is a one time, lump sum kickback that goes directly to the county.
I’m no longer involved with the So Dak cattlemans association but am familiar with Walt Bones. Didn’t think he was a dairyman so I wonder if these giant CAFO diaries work the same way that CAFO hog operations now work. You CAN put up the money for the facility and come up with a place to put the manure and the rest of the thing is run by big business from somewhere else.
Maybe if Sioux Falls was ringed by hog confinements something would be done about this. As is, the press won’t criticize this and the majority doesn’t know or care. They need it to be in their olfactory!!!!
Thanks Cathy. I missed that.
Clyde–that is how it sometimes works. I know a guy who raises hogs who wants to put in a big dairy just for the manure and a monthly check. Someone else would run it. So far, he hasn’t been able to piece together enough dry land that would meet setbacks.
The County Commission and the planning Commission had no knowledge of the “grant” before the decision to allow the CAFO expansion. The first I heard of it was a couple of hours ahead of the State press release. Additionally, at the hearing there was no opposition. It went through on the consent agenda.
I would say it was more like a TIP than a bribe.
If this dairy operates consistently with the Turner County one – most of the income from the 25 jobs will be finding its way to Central America – vs. the local economy.