Ag United News

SD Pork Producers Council President, Rommereim Meets with Ag Secretary Vilsack, Herseth Sandlin

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, President of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council Steve Rommereim and Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. Photo Credit: Office of Rep. Herseth Sandlin

October 14, 2009 -- Aberdeen, SD-Recently, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin met with Alcester native Steve Rommereim, President of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council (SDPPC). Originally formed in 1954, the mission of the SDPPC is to responsibly serve, support, and enhance the success of the South Dakota pork production industry by managing industry issues to successful conclusions, improving the image of the industry and insuring a safe, wholesome and quality product through a unified and engaged membership.

"The South Dakota Pork Producers Council not only provides important services to our state's pork industry but also dedicates itself to ensuring the safety of our country's food supply by producing high quality product," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I look forward to continuing to work with Steve and the SDPPC to strengthen South Dakota's pork industry and will continue to support efforts to provide relief to struggling producers."   

On October 2, 2009 Rep. Herseth Sandlin joined 62 of her House colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Secretary Vilsack urging him to take action to provide additional emergency relief to the U.S. pork industry, including additional purchases of surplus pork product for use in federal food programs and to work with the U.S. Trade Representative to reopen foreign markets that have been unfairly closed to U.S. pork imports.

In addition to meeting with leaders in South Dakota's agriculture industry, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for a Rural Issues Forum at the farm of Jim and Barbara Hundstad in Bath, South Dakota. In May, Rep. Herseth Sandlin invited Secretary Vilsack to survey the extensive flood damage in northeastern South Dakota and hold a town hall meeting with farmers and ranchers. During the forum, representatives of farming and ranching organizations along with area producers had the opportunity to ask questions of Rep. Herseth Sandlin and Secretary Vilsack.