PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – South Dakota’s new Sales and Use Tax Rebate Program is an incentive for livestock development, not a bribe. That’s according to South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Kim Vanneman.

The sales and use tax rebate programs are available through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) and new Ag Development Division. Although the division was moved from the Department of Ag Vanneman says the program is designed to encourage livestock development. This because in 2018, many counties turned down millions of dollars in capital investment related to livestock development.

She says when a livestock facility is built in a county the sales and other taxes from materials, etc. that are going into the unit will be rebated back to the county. The county can use those dollars in any part of their budget.

In a release from GOED, commissioner Steve Westra says for the countries that see livestock development as a fit, this provides them an additional tool and the decision to pursue these projects is still completely under local control.