Agriculture is one of the largest and most important industries in South Dakota, contributing $25.6 billion toward the economy and employing 115,000 people, according to Ag Week. Recognizing the importance of agriculture in South Dakota, Governor Daugaard has held an annual agriculture summit each year of his administration.

During the 2017 Governor’s Agricultural Summit, a variety of topics were discussed including animal health, innovation, and the agricultural economy. South Dakota State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven discussed the importance of reducing dependence on antibiotics in livestock while Jim Roth from Iowa State University discussed the potential $200 billion negative impact foot and mouth disease could have on agriculture in the United States, if the disease were to become widespread.

Economist Matt Roberts provided summit attendees with an overview of the agricultural economy, noting that while the price of grain has fallen recently, the market may be leveling out. Additionally, predicaments with crops in the past year have allowed some farmers to price their corn at $4 per bushel and soybeans at over $10 per bushel.

For more agricultural data resources, visit the South Dakota Dashboard’s Further Data Resources.