Contact Us
Hunter Roberts, Interim Secretary of Agriculture
South Dakota Department of Agriculture
523 East Capitol Avenue
Joe Foss Building, 3rd Floor
Pierre, SD 57501
605.773.5425
Office of the Secretary
Hunter Roberts Interim Secretary of Agriculture
523 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-3182
Phone: 605.773.5425
Fax: 605.773.3481
Email: agmail@state.sd.us
Office hours - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
The Secretary of Agriculture is appointed by the Governor and is responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of agricultural policy within state government.
The Office of the Secretary facilitates:
- Department Administration, Budget and Policy
- Information Dissemination
- Legislative Support
Staff Directory
- JaCee Aaseth, Strategic Communications Officer
- Kyle Holt, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
- Stephanie Lyons, Accountant
- Chris Petersen, Director, Fiscal Officer
- Taya Runyan, Legal Counsel
- Jennifer Schrempp, Accountant
- Ashley Waibel, Accounting Manager
- Zach Walters, Digital Content Manager
Agricultural Services
Taya Runyan, Division Director
523 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-3182
Phone: 605.773.4432
Fax: 605.773.3481
Email: sddaagronomy@state.sd.us
Office hours - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Tom Gere, Assistant Division Director
523 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-3182
Phone: 605.773.4432
Fax: 605.773.3481
Email: sddaagronomy@state.sd.us
Office hours - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
The Division of Agricultural Services develops policy and legislation to ensure agricultural commodities will be eligible for export from South Dakota.
- Protects environmental and public health by effective enforcement of statutes and rules.
- Protects South Dakota producers and consumers of agricultural products from unsafe actions, product misrepresentation, and unfair trade practices.
Three program offices comprise this Division: The Office of Agronomy Services, Office of Plant Industry, and the Office of Dairy and Egg.
To provide effective enforcement of statutes and rules, Agricultural Services ensures coordination and communication with producers, land owners/managers, and agricultural business.
Division responsibilities include:
Staff Directory- Heather Rogers, Dairy Program Manager (Milbank)
- Brenda Sievers, Plant Industry Program Manager (Huron)
- Derek Schiefelbein, Industrial Hemp Program Manager
- Dale Anderson, Plant Quarantine, Pest Survey
- Michael Blume, Commercial Feed, Animal Remedy Specialist
- Bob Endres, Ag Inspector (Mitchell)
- JD Farley, Compliance & Enforcement Specialist
- Stef Garland, Program Assistant
- Rick Geppert, Ag Inspector (Brookings)
- Spike King, Pesticide Container Recycling, Unusable Pesticide Disposal, Rodent Bait Manufacture Specialist
- Jim Konechne, Ag Inspector (Rapid City)
- Kimberly Lauing, Accounting Assistant
- Jeff Lounsbery, Seed and Nursery Specialist (Sioux Falls)
- Julie McClelland, Mediation Specialist
- Randy McFarling, Mediator
- Valerie Mitchell, Pesticide Applicator Certification & Licensing Specialist
- Mark Musel, Ag Inspector (Aberdeen)
- Katie Nold, Ag Program Specialist
- Kim Otterness, Dairy Secretary / Lab Tech (Brookings)
- Lowell Perman,Ag Inspector (Huron)
- Sherrie Petersen, Ag Inspector (Mitchell)
- Jeremiah Phelps, Weed and Pest Program Specialist
- Bob Reiners, Apiary Specialist
- Makayla Reed, Dairy Plant Compliance Specialist (Redfield)
- Tony Shumaker, State Dairy Survey Officer, Plant Compliance Specialist (Mitchell)
- Stephanie Silbernagel, Inspection Services Secretary
- Jamie Chalcraft, Fertilizer and Soil Amendment Program Specialist
- Gene Stegeman, Dairy Field Supervisor, State Egg Coordinator/State Dairy Lab Evaluation Officer (Brookings)
- Chad Kiel, Weed & Pest Management Specialist, Export Certification
- MacKenzie Schumacher, Ag Inspector (Milbank)
- Kristia Thomas, Pesticide Specialist
Resource Conservation & Forestry
Bill Smith, Division Director
523 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-3182
Phone: 605.773.3623
Fax: 605.773.4003
Email: SDRCF@state.sd.us
Office hours - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Greg Josten, State Forester
3305 W. South Street
Rapid City, SD 57702
Phone: 605.394.2395
Fax: 605.394.2549
Email: SDRCF@state.sd.us
Office hours - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time
The mission of the Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry is to conserve, protect, improve, and develop the natural resources of South Dakota for its citizens.
Division responsibilities include:
- Resource Conservation
- Community Forestry
- Forest Health
- Service Forestry Programs
Staff Directory
- Brian Garbisch, Agriculture Program Administrator (Rapid City)
- Krista Erdman, Northern Hills Service Forester (Lead)
- Bailey Kaskie, Natural Resources Program Specialist
- John Hartland, , CCGA Forester (Mitchell)
- Doug Haugan, GIS Specialist (Pierre)
- Nathan Kafer, Staff Forester (Mitchell)
- Josh Larson, Community Forester (Rapid City)
- Jon Livermore, Service Forester (Watertown)
- Rick Mayko, Service Forester (Sioux Falls)
- Rachel Ormseth, Urban & Community Forest Coordinator (Pierre)
- Kim Paxton, Senior Secretary (Pierre)
- Nicole Edwards, Grants and Loans Program Specialist
- Jason Schlafmann, GNA Forester/Rural Forester (Rapid City)
- Brian Scott, Conservation Specialist (Sioux Falls)
- Tony Seidl, Forest Health Program Coordinator (Rapid City)
- Sheila Hoyer, Senior Secretary (Rapid City)
- Matt Walsh, Southern Hills Service Forester (Hot Springs)
- Marcus Warnke, Natural Resource Planner (Rapid City)
- Patricia Weyrich, Natural Resource Planner (Rapid City)
Wildland Fire
Jay Esperance, Division Director
3305 West South Street
Rapid City, SD 57702
Phone: 605.393.8011
Fax: 605.393.8044
Office Hours - 8:00am - 5:00pm Mountain Time
Staff Directory
State Fair Park
1060 3rd St. SW
Huron, SD 57350
Phone: 605.353.7340
Toll-Free in South Dakota: 800.529.0900
Fax: 605.353.7348
Office hours - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Staff Directory
The first South Dakota State Fair was held September 29 through October 2, 1885. It moved around to various cities throughout South Dakota until making Huron a permanent home in 1905.
The State Fair Park Division works with the State Fair Advisory Commission, whose 13 members are appointed by the Governor, to plan and manage one of the biggest annual events in our state every year.
Division responsibilities include:
- State Fair Planning & Management
- Building Maintenance
- Marketing & Events Coordination
- Camping & Competitive Exhibits Coordination
- State Fair Foundation Coordination
- State Fair Advisory Commission Coordination
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your valued comments, suggestions, requests and ideas regarding South Dakota agriculture. For your convenience, please find specific contact information and staff directories listed above.
Messages will be received by the Public Affairs Manager and forwarded to the appropriate division. We will return your message as soon as possible.