South Dakota Pork Producers Council

The future of South Dakota agriculture depends on a strong connection between producers and processors. Ray Waldner, Hog Manager at Orland Colony, shares why keeping Smithfield's Sioux Falls facility operating is vital for pork producers, local businesses, workers, and consumers alike.

A strong pork industry means a stronger South Dakota.

Breakfast around your place is about to get a whole lot more exciting because we’re about to bring a fresh twist to your morning routine.

We were joined by Abbey Reimenschneider from the South Dakota Pork Producers Council. She showed us how to turn simple ingredients into something seriously crave-worthy. Think bold flavors, a little sizzle, and a recipe the whole family will love: Breakfast Smashed Tacos are on the menu, and you won’t want to miss this!

You can find more delicious pork recipes online at SDPork.org.

📢Invitation for operators to June CAFO Environmental Training📢

SDSU Extension will host an environmental training session for operators of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on June 23 at the Crossroads Convention Center (100 Fourth St. S.W., Huron, SD 57350).

This current training program meets the training requirement of the 2017 General Water Pollution Control Permit for CAFOs. If producers haven’t attended a training since July 2017, they’ll need to attend in order to be in compliance with the General Permit.

Manure applicators, producers, concerned citizens, policy makers, county commissioners, zoning board officers and any other interested individuals who are not currently applying for a permit are also welcome to attend.

📅 June 23, 2026
📍 Crossroads Convention Center, Huron, SD
💲 Registration: $50 (includes lunch, breaks, and training materials)

Don't miss this opportunity to learn practical strategies that can benefit your operation and help ensure compliance with permit requirements. Register through the SDSU Extension Events page and search "CAFO."

SDSU Extension invites operators to June CAFO environmental training There will be an environmental training session for operators of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on June 23, 2026, at the Crossroads Convention Center in Huron.

The 2026 Swine Summit took place on June 6th at SDSU. Attendees were educated on all things SWINE! Sessions were held on anatomy, meat cuts, nutrition and health. Attendees also engage and learned about the different aspects of pork production with some of the best pork
producers in South Dakota at our lunch & learn. Thank you to all who attended- you are the future of South Dakota Pork!

SDPPC flew out to DC to talk with Senate Majority Leader and South Dakota Senator John Thune in hopes of getting the Prop 12 issue resolved. Thank you Senator Thune and staff for your time.
The House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on a 224-200 bipartisan vote, and it includes the federal fix to California Proposition 12 that America's pork producers urgently need.
The importance of a Prop 12 fix is listed below.
Prop. 12 has created an unsustainable 50-state patchwork of animal housing regulations, putting small and mid-sized family farms at serious risk of consolidation or closure. The Supreme Court has made clear: this is a problem only Congress can fix. The Senate must follow suit and deliver certainty to the 60,000-plus farms that feed this country.
NPPC will continue advocating for a federal fix that preserves a national marketplace and protects producers' freedom to farm.
Learn more: fixprop12.com.

The South Dakota Pork team had an amazing week in Des Moines at the World Pork Expo! From amazing seminars, connecting with vendors, eating amazing food, seeing old friends, and making new ones, there was always something to look forward to.

We want to send a special thank you out to the Smithfield Virginia Team for meeting with us and for keeping their facility in South Dakota so that our producers will continue to have easy access to market their pigs. We also want to express our appreciation in their continued economic development this brings to South Dakota.

Good luck to our former South Dakota Pork Ambassador, Carter Ross as he competes in the Young Pork Advocates Issues Meet today at World Pork Expo!

These are the ladies of the office! Can you tell who’s who?