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SD proposes panel for foreign ag land transaction approval

The South Dakota state legislature is expected to take up foreign ag land ownership in the new session. Lobbyist Matthew Bogue with South Dakota Farm Bureau says Governor Kristi Noem has a draft bill that would create a state board to evaluate foreign ag land purchase requests.

“The governor would create a five member board, examine a foreign ownership of ag land transaction and see if it would potentially benefit or hurt the state. Then, he or she would have the sole authority whether or not it would go through.”

Bogue says the bill would require an agricultural landowner to sit on the board. South Dakota Farmers Union lobbyist Mitch Richter says the organization has not taken a stance on the bill.

“There are current rules and statutes on the books that we support. It is limited to 160 acres,” says Richter. “We support what’s on the books for sure and the bill that’s proposed is going through grassroots revisions. We don’t know the final bill’s language yet.”

South Dakota Farm Bureau has also not taken an official stance. Richter says agricultural groups will meet in the next week to determine how to approach the proposal. The South Dakota State Legislative session began this week in Pierre.