April 25, 2025
Dear John,

Expanding South Dakota’s Workforce

BIG News

Valley Queen completed its expansion in Milbank, and I was excited to see the completed project firsthand. Investments in dairy production are vital to South Dakota producers. Each year, Valley Queen receives 1.8 billion pounds of milk from farms in South Dakota and Minnesota to produce 200 million pounds of cheese. I’m grateful for their continued investment in our state.

Johnson at Valley Queen

I made more stops along the I-29 corridor to participate in two roundtable discussions – one about our state’s tourism industry, and the other about bolstering South Dakota’s workforce. More on that discussion below.

I also held Vietnam veteran pinning ceremonies in Brookings and Watertown to give a long-overdue and proper welcome home to 30 Vietnam-era veterans. Traveling around the state and talking to folks like you continues to be my favorite part of my job.

Johnson with a Vietnam veteran and his family in Watertown

BIG Idea

South Dakota is full of hard workers – that’s why the unemployment rate is only 1.8%, well below the 4.2% national average. With so few people looking for work, some communities and businesses are left with long-term vacancies. I met with Watertown business leaders at Lake Area Technical College to discuss the workforce shortages they experience and ways to fill in the gaps.

Partnerships between businesses, local communities, the state, and the federal government like the Build Dakota Scholarship and grants for high school career and technical education are integral to improving and expanding the workforce in South Dakota.

I’m leading many pieces of legislation to bolster the workforce across the country. My America Works Act would ensure people on SNAP who can work do work, my TEENS Act improves work opportunities for teenagers, and my SHIP IT Act incentivizes new truck drivers to enter the workforce. That’s just a few examples of the work I am doing. I will continue to lead these efforts to ensure our employees and businesses don’t just get by, but they thrive.

Johnson at the Watertown Workforce Roundtable

BIG Update

This week is National Park Week and a great opportunity to recognize the value of national parks in South Dakota. The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Wind Cave, and more provide breathtaking views and a chance to reflect on our state’s beauty. These parks draw more than four million visitors each year, including tourists from around the world. No one ever regrets a vacation to South Dakota!

Please do not reply to this email; this address is not monitored. Please use my contact page.