Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Angie Craig (D-MN) introduced the Small Packer Overtime and Holiday Fee Relief COVID-19 Act to support small meatpacking plants working overtime during COVID-19. Amid large plant closures, small packing plants have extended hours to ensure our supply chain keeps moving – this comes with added costs.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), both members of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address the urgent issues facing America's agriculture economy and food supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Farming Support to States Act would provide states access to immediate, flexible funding to ensure farmers and rural businesses have the tools needed to respond and rebuild more resilient supply chains right here in South Dakota. U.S.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced Kenzee Schafer, from Wessington Springs, as the winner of the 2020 Congressional Art Competition for South Dakota. Schafer won for her oil and acrylic painting, "Pride." Schafer is a junior at Wessington Springs High School, taught by art teacher is Alicia Roesler. The artwork will be on exhibit in the Cannon Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol, along with the winning artwork from other congressional districts for the next year.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today signed onto the Agricultural Security Risk Review Act, a bipartisan bill which would formally name the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The Agricultural Security Risk Review Act would allow USDA to analyze any foreign investment into our nation's food supply.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) allow meat and poultry products that have been inspected by state-approved meat and poultry inspection programs to be donated or sold across state lines.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued a statement following President Trump's announcement of a Department of Justice investigation into the cattle markets.

"Beef is flying off the shelves, while our cattle producers can barely make ends meet. Something doesn't add up," said Johnson. "I'm grateful after calls from Midwest members, the president is ramping up this investigation for cattle country. COVID-19 has exposed the cracks in our supply chain.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) was given an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony pro-life group. Johnson is an original cosponsor of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and signed onto the discharge petition to immediately bring this legislation to the floor for a vote.

Washington, D.C. – Along with 24 of his U.S. House colleagues, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to provide the findings of the agency's beef pricing investigation to Congress as soon as possible. Following the announcement of the USDA's Packers and Stockyard Division investigation in August of 2019, Secretary Perdue extended USDA's investigation last month to determine the causes of divergence between live beef and box prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.