In a brief eruption of civic and environmental responsibility, Representative Tim Goodwin (R-30/Rapid City) yesterday filed House Bill 1159, calling for a two-year moratorium on the construction or expansion of industrial dairy concentrated animal feeding operations that would exceed 7,499 dairy cows.
HB 1159 proposed this pause to allow but not mandate three activities:
(1) Allow the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to undertake an interdisciplinary process of data collection, review, consideration, and analysis of the potential economic and environmental impacts of industrial dairy operations in this state, and to make results available to the public; and
(2) Allow county governments time to update comprehensive land use plans and ordinances to match the scale of industrial dairy operations by:
(a) Requiring road agreements between townships and industrial dairy operations as part of conditional use permit approvals; and
(b) Implementing incremental, increasing setbacks proportional to the size of an industrial dairy operation; and
(3) Allow the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to determine whether it has adequate resources to determine the impact of industrial dairy operations on the watersheds of this state [HB 1159, filed 2026.01.28].
I say brief because, following its reading in the House and referral to House Agriculture and Natural Resources, Representative Goodwin withdrew his bill. I suspect Rep. Goodwin got “set straight” by someone with a big hat on the Second Floor.
Earth hating crackers State Sen. Amber Hulse and Reps. Tim Goodwin and Trish Ladner will face the public in Hill City Super 8 on 31 January.
You should have printed this article in Spanish so the workers of those plants could read it. I should too.
Crappy, cheap mozzarella for low level frozen pizzas. That’s what all the ground water pollution from milk barns is producing for your underperforming state. ICK & YUCK!!
South Dakota sends the majority of its milk to cheese plants, while Minnesota—though also a major cheese state—has a more diversified dairy processing mix with a smaller share going specifically to cheese. South Dakota’s dairy growth is tightly linked to supplying huge I‑29 corridor cheese plants, whereas Minnesota balances cheese with fluid milk, butter, and cultured products.
Tony’s, Red Baron, Totino’s, Chuck E Queso, Bessie’s Revenge Screamin’ Sicilian and any frozen pizza next to them in your freezer aisle are where your low quality milk ends up.
Rubbery, low milkfat content, and nearly undigestible. GO SOUTHDAKOTA CHEESE – “YOU SUCK!!”
As much as I love Minnesota, especially now. There’s New Ulm and Velveeta to consider. I used to love that stuff for melted cheese sandwiches but I was wrong.
Now Minnesota has great cheddar and great blue cheese but Velveeta? I don’t think so.
However, both Billy Bragg and Bruce Springsteen have written great songs about Minneapolis. Sooo, I’ll forgive them on Velveeta.
@Mark – Velveeta’s not cheese but it’s useful. I use it the way I use chile powder. A blend of cheeses in a cheese omelette, or cheese breakfast burrito.
I cooked next to a chef from France. He refused to taste it. #grins