Greetings Friends, Neighbors and SDSGA Members, One again, with our preparedness or not, the seasons have passed quickly bringing us to the Fall season and the annual South Dakota Stockgrowers Convention. The convention planning committee has been diligently planning to make this year’s convention the focal point of our livestock industry. Presentations are planned by industry, State and National leaders to keep SDSGA members informed of the issues and aid in development and implementing policy. Your convention is made possible by many local sponsors and vendors who share our concerns for a robust and profitable livestock industry. Throughout the year many of us have been busily selecting inputs of supplies, equipment or new breeding genetics to amplify the efficiency and production of our herds and flocks with that ever mindful goal of increasing sale day revenues. Our participation in expressing unity for fair markets to recover input costs is often over looked or left to a “take it or leave it” offer by big corporate giants. As producers, our collaborative involvement through our South Dakota Stockgrowers Association sends a unified and resilient voice for fair and profitable markets and I encourage all members and interested producers to join in the camaraderie of this 131 st convention. This past year SDSGA directors and members have united to campaign on behalf of South Dakota’s livestock producers on issues of taxation, regulation and proposed infrastructure rebuilding. Nationally, SDSGA has been privileged to work with our affiliate, RCALF USA, and continues to advocate for the return of Country of Origin Labeling to restore producers’ rights to label their products like other American industries. In addition SDSGA has been advocating for mandatory levels of Packer negotiated cash market purchases with hopes of increasing producer and feeder market transparencies. We remain hopeful that restoring these two actions will once again lead to profitability for our farm and ranch families. One of our major successes this past year has been the total renovation of the SDSGA website bringing improved member access and industry recognition for our organization. Hopefully you will find this site convenient for checking news, weather, events and SDSGA information. Unfortunately there have been some mishaps which have brought issues of mistrust within our organization this past year. These along with differing opinions as to levels of mandated packer cash market procurement have brought dissention among members which if left unaddressed reflects the current state of our industry and our nation. Let me assure you we have taken steps to address these immediate issues and those with future connections to our industry can only be resolved through continued member participation. Our industry is at a very crucial cross roads of sustaining our independent family production model or becoming vertically integrated similar to our pork and poultry cousins. South Dakota Stockgrowers is one of the oldest and largest voices for conveying policy for the upper Great Plains area and your membership participation is vital in formulating our message. This year’s SDSGA convention and annual meeting provides the opportunity for building a unified voice with your neighbors to bring about fair and robust market closure for your toils. Please join your fellow livestock producers and share in leadership of our industry during the South Dakota Stockgrower’s Convention and membership meeting at the Spearfish Holiday Inn Convention Center on Nov. 3-4 th See you in Spearfish, Vaughn Meyer Pres.

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