State agricultural leaders form a coalition in defense of ag business developments - including carbon capture and sequestration pipelines.
This comes as Summit Carbon Solutions continues to work with the state on their pipeline application.
The coalition is named "Protect South Dakota’s Ag Future." Its board is made of influential names in the state ethanol and agricultural industries.
They said attempting to stop the remaining carbon pipeline project in the state will damage the agricultural economy and cost the state billions of dollars.
Walt Wendland is the President and CEO of Ringneck Energy and a member of the coalition’s board.
“The real mission of the group is to protect all that we’ve developed here in South Dakota to have a strong agriculture. Last thing we want to do is go against things that can protect and help advance agriculture in South Dakota,” said Wendland.
The coalition said a small group of landowners and county commissioners are preventing substantial investments in the state’s ethanol infrastructure.
Lake Preston farmer Paul Casper is a coalition board member.
"We’ve been working to create value-added ag opportunities in the state for more than 25 years and we know the carbon pipeline is more than just an infrastructure project; it’s a lifeline for our state’s economic and agricultural future,” said Casper.
Wendland said opponents to the pipeline should consider the direct economic benefits a pipeline would offer the state.
“It’s more about the system and getting that in place and having all of the ethanol plants hooked up to a system like that than it is about the government program. The government program just helps get the system in place,” said Wendland.
The coalition wants to end what they say is the negative outlook South Dakotans have on expanding agricultural opportunities.
“It’s about protecting all of South Dakota agriculture. It really probably needs to go outside just the carbon project. It seems like there is a lot of areas that impact agriculture that are being misrepresented,” said Wendland.
Wendland said the coalition plans to bring their concerns to lawmakers this legislative session.
