An effort to halt South Dakota governor Kristi Noem from merging government agencies has narrowly failed in the State Senate. A resolution was introduced that would have stopped the merger of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, but that failed in a close vote.
Noem says the new Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources would be a one-stop shop for farmers and ranchers that would save the state about $450,000 by eliminating five positions.
