A legislative committee created to boost trade relations and business for South Dakotans said its latest mission to Ireland revealed some economic insights and opportunity.
The South Dakota-Ireland Trade Commission was created in 2024 and aims to expand academic, business and other opportunities between the two governments. Some South Dakota legislators, private industry leaders and members of the Executive Branch visited Ireland in August as part of a trade mission with South Dakota Trade.
Hunter Roberts is the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and on the commission. He said he doesn’t see much trade potential, saying South Dakota’s greatest economic opportunity lies on the direct investment side.
“I guess my perception is they’re going to leverage and seem like they’re going to leverage E.U. trade barriers to help their industries more than fair trade across the line," Roberts said. "And we produce a lot of the same stuff they do. So, I don’t see, on the ag side especially, I don’t see huge opportunities for trade there. You know leveraging their market access to the E.U. for ancillary-type trade through South Dakota businesses on the more traditional business, not the ag side, I think there is probably some opportunity.”
The trade group did visit a poultry farm that imports soybean meal, and commissioners said that was one opportunity in Ireland that could benefit the agriculture industry.
Rep. Steve Duffy is on the commission. He said he’s hoping Ireland can give South Dakota greater market and business access to the European Union, adding that the state has more opportunity beyond just agriculture.
“We do trust work. We do trusts in this state. We do banking in this state that is significant," Duffy said. "And I don’t know if there’s any cross-pollination with the European Union or any of that stuff that Ireland can get us into.”
The commission also looked ahead to future plans for the group. One of those included adding two representatives from the private industry in South Dakota. That was made possible through SB 143, a bill that passed during the 100th Legislative Session to promote the commission's intent more accurately.
One representative will be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the other by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Jesse Fonkert is the CEO and President of South Dakota Trade and on the commission.
“What we do next now that [this commission is] created? I think we went there, we should see these guys come here more,” Fonkert said.
The South-Dakota Ireland Trade Commission expressed a desire to invite some of the Irish delegation to visit Pierre during Legislative Session.
Chris Karr, Senate President Pro Tempore and Chair of the Commission, asked Fonkert when the best time would be to invite the delegation. Fonkert said to do it sooner rather than later, probably within the next two weeks.
The South Dakota Ireland Trade Commission expressed a desire to invite some of the Irish delegation to visit Pierre during Legislative Session.
"You know, there's competing invitations and interests and maybe we're already too late. I don't know," Karr said. "I know I plan out several months, and so I would think that these individuals probably do too."
He said they should plan to hash the details out at a later date. Karr said part of that should include a fundraiser to cover some of the expenses. By law, SD-Ireland Trade Commission is only allowed to spend money it has fundraised. Those funds are also supposed to cover reimbursement expenditures for commissioners for travel expenses, such as the trip to Ireland in August.
That's something Sioux Falls Sen. Jamie Smith brought for the group to work on.
"The only other interesting thing I thought was getting appointed to this committee but then not having the funding necessarily," Smith said. "So, using the funds that we raise from our own political campaigns and things like that to pay for them."
He said he's not sure the political climate on that issue, but that because commission members are doing work representing the state, then that should be an investment the state pays for.
Karr said fundraising efforts for the Irish delegation could help alleviate some of those concerns.
