Governor Kristi Noem is a wife, a mother, and a lifelong rancher, farmer, and small business owner. In 2010, after serving in the South Dakota legislature for several years, Gov. Noem was elected to serve as South Dakota’s lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Agriculture is the foundation of South Dakota's economy and our number one industry - by a significant margin. All in all, it contributes about $32.5 billion to the economy, so when ag prospers, South Dakota prospers. Of course, when droughts hit or markets slide, everyone feels that too.
As a lifelong farmer and rancher, I know the challenges that come with the business. I know the stress that comes when you take out loans, bury that money in the ground in the form of seed and fertilizer, and hope not only for a good yield, but for the right market conditions at the right time. It’s a tough business. But I understand why folks do it. It’s a special job to feed the world - to know that the product of your labor brings families together around a dinner table, to know that your work makes a real difference.
As governor, I’m utilizing my experience as a lifelong producer to advance agriculture in our state. From protecting property rights to expanding markets, my administration is committed to developing the state’s agricultural economy and give more young people the opportunity to thrive as farmers and ranchers in South Dakota.
This year, we transferred Ag Development Representatives from the Department of Agriculture to my office of economic development. This makes sense, because ag development is economic development. For years, these two departments have largely performed the same functions when it comes to ag development. This move consolidates resources and brainpower, supplies more tools for development, eliminates red tape, and creates a better approach to developing our largest industry.
Additionally, I am continuing to leverage my federal network to promote South Dakota ag. I continue to have conversations with President Trump, Secretary Sonny Perdue, and other ag leaders to keep South Dakota agriculture in the national spotlight - especially when it comes to trade. Farmers want trade, not aid. Producers don’t want federal bailouts. We crave expanded market opportunities. We need level playing fields. This has been a frequent conversation I’ve had with President Trump. I’m grateful for the outcomes we’ve seen as a result. In late 2018, I was glad to see the president’s support of farm country when he lifted restrictions on year-round E15, a move that will help consume another 2 billion bushels of corn, while potentially saving consumers up to 10 cents per gallon at the pump.
The state fleet is leading by example on prioritizing ethanol consumption. In my first few weeks as governor, I launched the process of transitioning the state vehicle fleet to E30, further maximizing the use of homegrown fuels and revolutionizing the way we fuel both our vehicles and our economy. I strongly believe South Dakota can be an example to the nation on emphasizing ethanol as a means toward bolstered market opportunities and energy independence.
I’m proud of our agriculture tradition in South Dakota. Our ag industry is special - it’s our legacy, our culture. We must do everything we can to ensure the ag economy is ready to support the next generation of farmers and ranchers.
We have it pretty good in South Dakota. From beautifully laid and intricate landscapes, to revitalized hometown main streets and top-ranked higher education, there is so much that makes South Dakota special. But as the saying goes, “there is so much more.”
I’ve heard it said that 65 percent of children in elementary school today will work in jobs that don’t even exist yet. These jobs will undoubtedly require access to technology, particularly the internet. But today, widespread broadband access in South Dakota isn’t as widespread as we may think. In fact, about 88,000 South Dakotans lack high-speed internet access. These people cannot launch an online business or take advanced classes that require extensive uploading or downloading. Producers in these areas may not be able to use cutting-edge technology that requires online components.
As businesspeople, a gap in broadband internet is a failure to remain competitive. A failure to remain competitive threatens a cut in profit. A cut in profit may force a business to close. And when a business closes, jobs, sales tax income, school enrollment, and community reinvestment suffers, too. The internet - or lack thereof - connects us to more than just what we see on the screen. It connects us to our neighbors locally and our business potential globally.
I tasked the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) with spearheading this broadband challenge. I’m grateful for the partnership of the Legislature as we approved $5 million in grant money to launch our broadband development program, Connect South Dakota. And I’m proud of the private-public partnerships that were forged throughout this process. The eight projects awarded grant money will be incredibly influential in bringing internet access to underserved parts of South Dakota.
Like Ross Petrick, Alliance Communications General Manager said: “Many students in this area [northeast Minnehaha and southeastern Moody counties] struggle to complete homework at home due to the broadband gap, and one large dairy operation is struggling with no broadband capability. A fiber-optic broadband infrastructure will help farming and dairy operations run more efficiently and provide new educational opportunities and telecommuting employment options.”
Collectively, these eight projects will connect about 4,800 unserved and underserved households and more than 100 South Dakota businesses by the end of 2019, and they’re optimistic about the results they will produce.
“With higher speeds and more broadband capacity, the residents of Kranzburg and rural Codington County will no longer have to make do with sub-standard service,” said Scott Bostrom, General Manager of RC Technologies. Mona Thompson, General Manager of Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority said that “bringing fast, reliable, high-capacity broadband service to Timber Lake will greatly enhance all aspects of community life.”
This is only the beginning of our work to bring high-speed internet access to as many South Dakotas as possible. We can’t connect everyone overnight, but I’m committed to doing everything I can to connect South Dakota to a better, brighter tomorrow. We owe it to our future: our children, the next generation.
South Dakota has a strong legacy of military service. With over 72,000 veterans and nearly 4,200 enrolled members of the National Guard, our state understands the importance of answering the call to serve.
Time and time again, our South Dakota National Guard is recognized nationally as an example to the nation for readiness, efficiency, and superiority.
The SDNG's Adjutant General, Major General Jeff Marlette, leads nearly 4,200 Army and Air National Guard members and approximately 1,000 full-time federal and state employees, making sure our National Guard is trained and ready to respond to all state and federal missions at all times.
Year after year, hundreds of Soldiers and Airmen are mobilized to support federal commitment worldwide, as well as provide support to the citizens of South Dakota and state civil authorities in response to natural disasters and emergencies here at home. Since 9/11, the SDNG has deployed more than 8,740 Soldiers and Airmen in support of various operations throughout the globe.
Working with General Marlette, I look forward to further strengthening the SDNG. We’ve already made some great progress.
Since taking office, I worked with the legislature to put $5 million of state funds behind the construction of the Army Aviation Readiness Center in Rapid City. We’re also looking to start construction of the Sioux Falls Readiness Center in the next few years. These new readiness centers will give the National Guard the tools they need to train, prepare, and best protect our state.
Projects like these are only enhancements of an already great system of excellence that has been recognized in our region, in our country, and around the world.
Every summer in mid-June, our South Dakota National Guard hosts the Golden Coyote training exercise. This two-week-long training is one of the largest National Guard exercises in the country and is renowned globally as a top opportunity to provide units with relevant training in support of overseas operations and homeland defense. Each year, thousands of service members in National Guard and Reserve units from across the country, as well as from several foreign nations, participate in virtual and live training, combat operations, and leadership development. I’m proud of this program and the ways it’s equipping our defense and bolstering our readiness.
Because of the men and women who serve, our United States continues to be a shining beacon of freedom to the world. As Commander in Chief for our South Dakota National Guard, I’m committed to enhancing the readiness and success of our Soldiers and Airmen. They are the best asset our state has in protecting our liberties. I will continue to support them.
Every day, a typical American will spend more than 11 hours interacting with media. On average, we check our phones every 12 minutes - immersing ourselves in screens more than 80 times per day. You hardly need me to point out the ever-increasing dependency on connected technologies in our everyday lives.
But while the connectedness of our networks and devices bolsters convenience in an astounding way, that convenience also brings heightened vulnerability.
Over a six month span last year, 4.5 billion personal records were compromised by cyber thieves. In 2017, cyberattacks on mobile devices increased by over 40 percent with an average of over 1.2 million attacks per month. The cost of cyberattacks is rising, and the vulnerability of businesses to attacks is on the rise.
The need to address this problem is in high-demand. The global cybersecurity market is set to grow from its current value of more than $120 billion to over $300 billion by 2024. As the market increases, so will job opportunities. By 2021, there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs around the world. These are the high-paying jobs our kids will depend on to raise their families.
Here’s the good news: South Dakota is ready to lead the way.
Dakota State University in Madison is one of the most technologically-advanced universities in the Midwest. DSU is making significant investments in their cyber mission with the recent completion of the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences and new construction of the Madison Cyber Labs. These programs are producing graduating classes of well-qualified cyber professionals that are being tapped by leading intelligence agencies and federal contractors. In 2020, we invested in the Cyber Incubator and Entrepreneurial Center to spur more economic development in this area. Our priority must be not only in training this workforce, but also in attracting or creating companies in South Dakota to keep our graduates here at home, with great jobs and a way of life they love.
It makes sense, too. Aside from the second-to-none talent pipeline of DSU, South Dakota offers technology companies an off-the-beaten-path location that has value in and of itself. With our low population density, lack of skyscrapers, and land-locked location, our geography is an asset for intelligence security, not a liability. What’s more, South Dakota’s business climate is top in the nation for companies of all types. Our state’s limited business taxes and costs give businesses a competitive edge by helping them keep the money they make so they can continue to invest in their company’s growth.
I brought this same message to the Center of Academic Excellence for Cybersecurity in Florida in April 2019. It was great to meet with industry leaders and corporations looking for new places to do business. I’m confident that they will see that South Dakota has the talent, the know-how, the needed facilities, and the optimal geographic location for a resilient cybersecurity industry.
Pheasant hunting season is a major economic engine for South Dakota and a significant contributor to tourism, our second largest industry. Each year, 81,000 non-resident hunters flock to our state for hunting season and spend more than $156 million in our restaurants, hotels, gift shops, and gas stations. That money makes a real difference for families and small businesses.
If we’re committed to this heritage and want to conserve our outdoor culture, we need to proactively protect habitat. In recent years, pheasant numbers have dropped, and habitat lands have diminished largely because of fewer CRP acres and increased predator populations. Having recently celebrated 100 years of pheasant hunting in South Dakota, we must now be intentional about sustaining our wildlands and grasslands to ensure the second century of pheasant hunting is just as successful as the first.
My Second Century Initiative is a strategy to increase resources for habitat management. As part of this plan, I proposed a $1 million state investment to expand habitat and pheasant hunting opportunities. The Legislature approved this bill, and I was proud to sign it into law. These dollars will be used to leverage additional funds from private donations and federal conservation programs, which will help establish some real momentum for habitat.
And we’re already moving forward, putting practical ideas into action.
On April 1, 2019, we launched the nest predator bounty program that will focus on increasing trapping. While the nest predator bounty program is a new program, trapping predators during nesting season has been practiced in South Dakota for decades. My grandmother taught me that trapping is central to wildlife management, conservation, and maintaining our outdoor traditions for the next generation. I’m excited to implement this plan to get our kids outside - away from the x-box and out with the live box. This program will enhance duck and pheasant nest success.
What’s more, my newly expanded Hunt for Habitat program taps into how we can help raise money to fund habitat efforts across South Dakota. This program will include an auction tag and raffle licenses.
This is just the start of our plans to expand habitat, and we know that the best ideas don’t necessarily come from state office buildings in Pierre. A crowdsourcing effort for habitat solutions launched in February and has sparked a conversation that has led to over 750 emails and an online dialogue that has over 300 group members thinking, talking, and exploring habitat solutions.
As South Dakota’s Sportsman in Chief, I’m thrilled to see habitat making headlines and generating discussion around the dinner table. My Second Century Initiative is about families, introducing kids to the adventure of the outdoors, and conserving our outdoor culture for the next generation. Let’s enhance habitat and work together to strengthen the next 100 years of our outdoor traditions.
Foster care is an issue I've cared about for a long time. Growing up, I had a brother who joined our family through foster care. He made a big impact on my family and taught my siblings and me a different kind of love, compassion, and strength I don't know if I would have otherwise understood. We learned that family is more about what's in your heart than in your bloodstream. And those lessons have shaped how I live my life and how I now lead South Dakota.
I'm committed to using my microphone and my influence to educate people about the need for more foster families. The next generation of South Dakotans will not thrive if they don't have a home. A place to grow up. A family to love them.
I want our state to be an example of strong families who help struggling families to create a better future. But there's a lot of work to do. In total, over 900 children are in foster care. Foster families are needed to provide a support system for families who are working to reunite with their children. Families are also needed to adopt children who need a permanent home. There are 85 children available for adoption without an identified adoptive family. Sadly, life within the foster care system is difficult for many. More than half of the children in foster care experience at least seven school changes while in the child welfare system. The instability has a tremendous impact on their education, health, and outlook. The good news is that children in foster care who are in stable homes are much more likely to graduate from high school, go to college, and have a successful future.
While the staff at the Department of Social Services can raise awareness about the need, get the facts out, and debunk some of the myths people may believe, they can't put children in a home if no one is willing to provide one. There's a significant need.
If you're interested in influencing the next generation of South Dakota’s children and their families through foster care, I encourage you to visit fosterone.sd.gov where you can learn more, ask questions, and start the process of becoming a foster family. And if you are a foster family, I'd love to hear your story. Please consider sharing your journey with me by sending an email.
I'm confident that South Dakota can be a leader to our nation in how we prioritize families and help children who are the most vulnerable. Because every child deserves love, and every child deserves a home.
One of my priorities is to aggressively battle the meth epidemic to create a stronger South Dakota for the next generation.
Meth is filling our jails and prisons, clogging our court systems, tearing apart our families and stretching our drug treatment capacity.
Meth destroys people, but it does much more. It destroys families. It hurts our kids, and we see that in our schools, in our foster families, and in our health care providers. This breaks my heart. Not because I'm the governor. Because I';m a mom.
In the coming months and years, we'll work toward expanding prevention and treatment programs. We need to do more to educate our young people about the effects of meth and give them strategies to avoid it. We'll also help every South Dakotan learn to identify the early signs of meth use to increase early referrals to treatment. I want to reach meth users before they enter the criminal justice system and commit other crimes. Our objective isn't to imprison people - that hurts families too. We need additional mental health services. We must help people beat their meth addiction and return to their jobs and families.
Furthermore, we're going to get more aggressive in enforcing our laws against meth. We need to stop the traffic of meth into our state and crack down on those who deal drugs.
And while we crack down on enforcement, we must pave avenues for rehabilitation. Programs like Teen Challenge in Brookings as well as the six Intensive Methamphetamine Treatment programs across the state help people struggling with life-controlling substance abuse, and equips them to become productive members of their community. We need more options for people trapped in addiction, recognizing that second chances are available to people willing to walk the road to recovery. We need to encourage our loved ones to reach out for help and to fight the stigma around substance use disorder. If you or your loved one needs assistance, please call 1-800-920-4343 or visit https://dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealth/community/.
In South Dakota today, about 30,000 adults and 9,000 kids live with serious mental health conditions. With nearly every family and every community impacted, it’s overloaded the system. As a result, too many are falling through the cracks.
Too often, there is a stigma surrounding mental health. While this is true across the board, it’s especially true when we talk about mental health among agriculture producers.
As a lifelong farmer and rancher, I understand what it's like to look over flooded fields and know that there's nothing you can do. I know what it's like to lose livestock and know that one storm can wipe out thousands of dollars of crops. I also understand the added pressure of trying to keep the family farm viable, feeling as though your entire family's legacy is riding on your shoulders.
And ag producers aren't the only people who face mental health challenges every day.
As I travel the state, I repeatedly hear from folks that we need more mental health services in our schools. This year, I worked with the legislature to expand the number of System Care Coordinators. These professionals will work with our school systems to identify youth at risk for mental health crisis and connect families to needed services to prevent more costly interventions in the future. I've also worked with the Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court to provide funding for a mental health court for Minnehaha County. This court will focus on clients with mental health needs to stabilize them with both treatment and medication so they can exit the justice system and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.
From 1999 to 2018, South Dakota's suicide rates rose by nearly 40 percent. Just last year, 168 South Dakotans died by suicide, making it the tenth leading cause of death in our state. It's especially common among young people.
Suicide is a complicated problem and is rarely caused by a single factor. In fact, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention said that more than 50 percent of people who die by suicide are not known to have a mental health condition. Things like relationships, substance abuse, health, job trouble, money, or legal difficulties can all contribute to a heavy burden of stress or a lack of hope.
The State is taking action to make a difference in this area, too. I've mobilized my state agencies to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent suicide in South Dakota. My team will be reaching out to community members, faith leaders, and other organizations to fight the issue head-on. We're committed to shining a light on this problem. To learn more or to become involved, please visit https://sdsuicideprevention.org/. We all need to be the one to get involved and make a difference.
Hometowns are the heartbeat of South Dakota. I’m proud to be from a rural hometown. It’s where I learned the values of hard work and self-reliance, where Bryon and I chose to raise our kids, where we started an insurance business and hunting lodge, and where my family has farmed and ranched for a century. But many small towns like ours are struggling today.
As I tour our state’s businesses and meet with employers, I heard the same challenge of what is holding them back: workforce shortages.
In South Dakota, according to our most recent statistics, we have 15,870 job openings and 13,600 people actively looking for work. Unfortunately, what we have is a skills gap - those unemployed workers don’t have the skills necessarily to fill the open jobs. I strongly believe that the best way to prepare our young people for their careers is through work experience. Over the coming year, I’m asking school leaders to work with me to dramatically increase work experience in our high schools. We need more CTE and skills training in high school. We need more apprenticeship programs. And we need more opportunities for young people to get out of the classroom and experience a real job.
I would like our high schools to join together each year to hold a “Week of Work." This will be a special week when every high school student will get out of the classroom to experience a day on the job. I hope this can lead to schools coordinating more internships and experience-based classes.
Another state-imposed barrier to workforce can be professional licensure. I am directing the Department of Labor and Regulation, over the next year, to work with our professional organizations and licensure boards to conduct a full review of licensing requirements. We need to consider the elimination of unnecessary licenses, opportunities to streamline the licensure process, and options to fast-track licenses for apprentices, in-state graduates, veterans, and military personnel and their families. We can’t let unneeded red tape get in the way of growth.
Furthermore, I want to break down barriers to help fill workforce shortages. In our smaller communities and more rural areas, affordable housing creates difficulties for employers - a pilot project by the South Dakota Housing Development Authority to help fix this problem. We will be building new modular multi-housing units, called DakotaPlex, at the state prison facility in Springfield. It will be similar to the Governor's Houses, but built as duplex, triplex, or quadriplex units. South Dakota communities of less than 5,000 people will be eligible to purchase these units and offer them for rent at affordable levels. I’m confident this new project will help our smaller communities expand housing options for workers.
I believe the most sustainable way to strengthen rural communities is to expand economic opportunity, and that can only come from a healthy workforce. I am fully committed to revitalizing South Dakota’s rural culture, so small-town schools and businesses can thrive for generations to come.
Every policy item and priority must align with transparency. Many Americans and many South Dakotans are losing their trust in government. This is particularly true of the younger generations. Stories of government ineptitude and downright scandal don’t help matters much.
I’m committed to building the most transparent administration South Dakota has ever seen. I’ll bring debates and meetings from the boardroom to your living room by utilizing free technologies like YouTube, Facebook Live and other apps. We’ll modernize and expand existing transparency websites by adding all agendas, minutes, and livestreams to a centralized online location.
Fact-based reporting must be valued and encouraged in order to uphold the integrity of government entities. During the 2019 legislative session, I asked for a reporter shield law that protects journalists from revealing privileged sources and information that I signed into law. This new law will help ensure that investigative reporters can do their jobs without fear of consequences or legal action. This is a necessary step toward protecting the constitutional right to a free and independent press. I am thankful that the South Dakota Newspaper Association supported this concept and worked with a majority of legislators to get this across the finish line.
I’m committed to making my administration the most transparent in our state’s history. As we grow our economy and strengthen family structures, we must be diligent in keeping government transparency as a cornerstone. Our state government must operate to serve people, not special interests. If you have other ideas for ways to increase transparency, send them in to us. We’ll work to bring more sunlight to the statehouse. You have my word.
Strong families have always been the backbone of South Dakota. The kitchen table is where we learn our values. The backyard is where we learn to respect each other. The bedroom is where we learn how to pray.
President Reagan once said this: “Our families nurture, preserve, and pass on to each succeeding generation the values we share and cherish, values that are the foundation for our freedoms.” Today, more than ever, it’s important we work to strengthen families, which is why I’m committed to being a family-first governor, fighting to strengthen the family unit and preserve the values South Dakotans have long embraced.
As governor, I have the opportunity to support and create legislation that can create real opportunities for folks throughout South Dakota. July 1 marks a milestone where most bills I signed become law, and I’m proud of the ways we’re using legislation to strengthen families.
One bill going into effect will empower each family’s decisions for education by leveling the playing field for homeschool students. Prior to this legislation, kids who were homeschooled would have to score a 28 on the ACT to qualify for the Opportunity Scholarship. The legislation I signed lowers that required score to a 24 – the same score required for public and private school students who apply for the same scholarship. This bill gives all kids an equal shot at the tools they need for higher education.
Another bill going into effect will streamline the licensing process for military members and their spouses. More than 20 percent of military spouses say that one of their biggest challenges is licensing regulations. The slow process can harm families financially while also slowing military transfers. This bill fast-tracks the licensing process; it lets their experience count so it’s easier to work. This is one way we can support our troops – and the families that stand behind them.
Furthermore, because I recognize that strong families are key to a stronger future, I’ve committed to using my microphone and my influence to educate people about the need for more foster families. I’m confident that South Dakota can be a leader to our nation in how we help kids who are the most vulnerable. Every child deserves love, every child deserves a family, and every child deserves a home.
Strengthening families is a key element to every decision I make as governor, and I’m committed to keeping it at the center. Because strong families create strong communities. And strong communities create a stronger South Dakota.