The South Dakota Departments of Agriculture and Environment and Natural Resources officially begin operating as one combined agency today (April 19 2021).
The agency is now called the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Hunter Roberts is DANR’s first cabinet secretary.
Roberts says natural resource protection and agriculture go hand-in-hand. He says DANR’s mission is to protect and preserve South Dakota’s agriculture, environment and natural resources through effective regulatory services, natural resource conservation and financial and technical assistance.
Governor Kristi Noem announced her plan to merge the two departments in August 2020. In January 2021, she issued an Executive Reorganization Order (2021-03) combining the two departments.
Noem says this merger will foster sustainable agriculture and conservation of the state’s natural resources. She says DANR will be more effective, more efficient and more responsive to the needs of farmers.
For more information about DANR visit danr.sd.gov or find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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