PIERRE, S.D. — This week the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) picked two South Dakota producers to receive hay donated through the tri-state hay lottery. In order to be eligible, producers had to apply by Aug. 31, 2017, be from a D2, D3, or D4 or fire-affected county and own at least 25 animal unit equivalents of livestock.

The hay lottery was organized by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and North Dakota State University, in partnership with the SDDA and the Montana Department of Agriculture, to help producers affected by drought and wildfires in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Ag Community Relief, a Michigan organization, arranged the large-scale hay donation convoy to North Dakota.

“This year has been a difficult one for producers across South Dakota and our livestock producers have been especially hard hit. It’s great to see additional feed for livestock being provided to at least a few producers within the state,” said South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Mike Jaspers. “Thank you to everyone from across the country who came together to make this a possibility.”

Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s mission is to promote, protect and preserve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit SDDA online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

— South Dakota Department of Agriculture

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