By It’s easy to reduce complex policy issues to slogans and soundbites, but real leadership looks beyond headlines and makes principled decisions that serve the long-term good.
There were plenty of soundbites and bad policy proposals during the 2026 legislative session meant to grab the attention of constituents and voters. Some candidates and political groups now attempt to paint legislators who cast principled votes as “anti-ag” or unwilling to stand up for farmers and ranchers. The clearest example is the attack on legislators who voted no on House Bill 1077, which would have defined cell-cultured protein as adulterated food, effectively banning the product from being sold in South Dakota.
Bieber
Many cattle producers have serious concerns about cell-cultured protein products. Many consumers share those concerns. But disliking a product and banning it through bad public policy are two very different things.
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Legislators who voted against HB 1077 don’t oppose agriculture, instead recognize something critically important for the future of farming and ranching: creating state-level bans on federally approved products sets a dangerous precedent that could be used against traditional agriculture.
Cell-cultured protein is regulated at the federal level by both the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture. It’s legal under federal law and subject to federal oversight and inspection. If changes need to be made to how these products are regulated, labeled or marketed, they must happen at the federal level, not through a patchwork of inconsistent state bans.
What happens when another state decides conventional beef production is undesirable? Or that cattle should be raised only under certain standards?
For years, farmers and ranchers have pushed back against states attempting to impose their preferences and production standards beyond their own borders.
For instance, Proposition 12, approved by California voters in 2018, establishes minimum space requirements for livestock, including breeding pigs, egg-laying hens and veal. It prohibits the sale of products to California that don’t meet restrictive standards. This means producers across the country must either comply with California’s rules or lose access to the nation’s largest market.
Once states weaponize commerce against industries they dislike, agriculture won’t come out ahead. Less than 1% of the population is directly involved in production agriculture. Yet, that small group is responsible for feeding not only the U.S., but much of the world.
When policy decisions are driven by populations far removed from the realities of ag, the risk of unintended consequences grows significantly. Pass short-sighted policies like HB 1077 and watch how quickly other states respond. The moment states begin restricting products based on political preference rather than sound policy, the door opens for retaliatory actions that could directly target South Dakota producers.
South Dakota agriculture has long depended on consistent interstate commerce and open markets. Producers cannot simultaneously argue for free and fair access to markets while supporting state-level bans that undermine those same principles.
The easy political position is backing a headline-grabbing ban and campaigning on it. The harder, more responsible position is stepping back and considering the long-term consequences for agricultural policy nationwide. Those who voted no on HB 1077 deserve recognition, not political attacks.
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Supporting agriculture doesn’t mean supporting every bill with an agriculture talking point. Sometimes it means having the discipline to oppose bad policy.
As you head to the polls on June 2, I encourage you to apply the same thoughtful analysis these legislators did. Resist political attacks designed to create outrage without context. Look beyond campaign mailers, social media posts and one-line accusations. Ask whether a policy truly protects agriculture in the long term or simply creates a good election talking point.
Craig Bieber is a McPherson County rancher and the president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, an organization that represents cattle producers across the state.
