The next time you go to the grocery store say a prayer of thanks to our farmers. Say thanks for that fresh sweet corn. Say thanks for that ribeye steak. Say thanks for all the hot dogs and glasses of milk your kids love. If it weren't for our farmers, well, you should know better.

Here in South Dakota farming is big. I mean BILLIONS big!

In the latest release from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and the 2019 South Dakota Agricultural Economic Contribution Study, agriculture contributes $32.5 billion, annually, to South Dakota’s economy.

Those same farmers who plant and harvest their crops for us are the same farmers who create jobs. The study found that agriculture-related jobs increased from 115,651 to 132,105. This represents 22 percent of all jobs in South Dakota.

So once again say a prayer of thanks to our farmers.

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