HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1003

         A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION,  Recognizing an agriculture crisis day.

     WHEREAS,  "Save Rural Main Street" is a grassroots program made up of rural main street businesses that began in Ziebach and Dewey counties of South Dakota and is rapidly gaining statewide support; and

     WHEREAS,  agriculture is the mainstay industry of the local economy and it is recognized that there is a serious crisis affecting all agriculture products; and

     WHEREAS,  continued low agriculture prices will force farm and ranch liquidations and this will in turn affect the local economies of small rural towns in many ways; and

     WHEREAS,  small rural South Dakota towns cannot afford to lose agricultural-based families; and

     WHEREAS,  the agricultural crisis that is crippling the small town economies must be dealt with immediately by state and federal government leaders; and

     WHEREAS,  the businesses represented by the membership of the "Save Rural Main Street" project realize that losses of farm and ranch families from our rural areas will create a domino effect that will eventually lead to the loss of schools, churches, and main street businesses:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,  by the House of Representatives of the Seventy- fourth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that February 17, 1999, be recognized as an agriculture crisis day in South Dakota.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,  that the South Dakota Department of Agriculture observe this day by sponsoring a one day hearing in Pierre, South Dakota, to gather testimony from our agriculture producers, small town mayors or council members, and business people on their struggle to survive.

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Adopted by the House of Representatives,
Concurred in by the Senate,

Roger Hunt Speaker of the House	Karen Gerdes Chief Clerk of the House
Carole Hillard President of the Senate	Patricia Adam Secretary of the Senate