Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity: Michigan reported municipal water systems saw activity consistent with federal warnings about remote attacks on internet-connected control devices, with South Dakota also named among states that have reported similar incidents; officials say systems kept operating safely while the FBI points to malicious actors targeting programmable logic controllers. Agriculture & Fuel Policy: The Senate Agriculture Committee released “Farm Bill 2.0” text ahead of markup, including year-round E15 sales—praised by South Dakota lawmakers as a boost for producers and rural economies. Rare Earths Research: South Dakota Mines won a $3.1M DOE ARPA-E grant to speed up locating rare earth and critical mineral deposits using advanced sensing plus AI-driven 3D mapping, partnering with universities and Dakota Gold for field testing near Lead. Education for Industry Talent: South Dakota Mines professor Cristian Vargas-Ordóñez earned a national KEEN Rising Star honor for teaching an entrepreneurial mindset in mechanical engineering. Local Infrastructure & Growth: Gov. Rhoden awarded $1M to Mitchell’s industrial park to make land “shovel-ready,” while Sioux Falls continues major road work with lane closures starting Aug. 3. Agribusiness Debate: Cattle groups are pushing mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) as Senate Ag prepares for Farm Bill markup.