RAPID CITY, S.D. — The 2025 South Dakota Governor’s Agricultural Summit kicked off Tuesday in Deadwood.The two-day event included an ag-economic market outlook, policy updates, industry tours, and producer recognition.

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In the face of challenges state producers are facing, Gov. Larry Rhoden touted the opportunities for trade partners, the state Department of International Trade, value added agriculture and ag technology.“I want to spread the optimism and based on the opportunities we have in the field of agriculture, we have come a long way, and there are a lot of things, a lot of windows of opportunity that are coming open as we speak. And we should be excited about that and be looking collectively at how best to capitalize on those opportunities,” Rhoden said.The governor said that trade and the markets were concerns for the ag industry, opportunities included expanding South Dakota’s footprint in international trade.Missions to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada later this year would focus on expanding trade opportunities.“And I talked a great deal about our South Dakota Office of International Trade, which was stood up two years ago and and the opportunities that’s presented in getting around the planet, been to Mexico and Taiwan, Japan, been blown away by the opportunities that that’s presented for South Dakota,” Rhoden said.Agriculture is the number one industry in South Dakota boasting a $32 billion dollar economic impact and providing 130,000 jobs.Maintaining and developing the industry is a priority for the state.

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“The state agencies should communicate, collaborate and coordinate and don’t duplicate,” Bill Even, Commissioner, Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said. “And so our job, with kind of a one stop mindset, is the citizens of South Dakota are looking for help from their government or the ability to build their businesses and grow their businesses. We want to make sure that whether you come to the economic development office or the Department of Agriculture, we’re all working together to make sure that we’re moving swiftly again, safe, strong, free, open for opportunity.”The 2025 South Dakota Governor’s Agricultural Summit was held at the Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood and will continue through Wednesday with industry tours and events.

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Jerry Steinley

Jerry Steinley has lived in the Black Hills most of his life and calls Rapid City home. He received a degree in Journalism with a minor in Political Science from Metropolitan State University in Denver in 1994.