(Pierre, SD) — A farmer says without allowing more laborers into the country, the dairy industry could suffer. Tim den Dulk says South Dakota has been affected by tighter immigration enforcement this past year. One farm near Lake Norden, Drumgoon Dairy, lost 38 of its 50 employees after it was flagged for having workers who didn’t have permission to work in the country. Meanwhile, the number of dairy cows in the state increased by 165-percent from 2006. The total number of cows in the state is expected to grow to 253-thousand in 2026.
