Agriculture Watch: USDA’s weekly crop progress report shows corn and soy ratings ticking up slightly, and winter wheat posting its first condition improvement in five weeks—corn now rated 68% good to excellent, with South Dakota listed at 21.83 (up from 20.99). Ag Leadership: Gov. Larry Rhoden named Jerry Schmitz of Vermillion the 2026 Governor’s Ag Ambassador, honoring decades of soybean leadership and producer advocacy. Dairy Expansion: Babybel’s Brookings plant is expanding with a $200M investment to double capacity, adding about 150 jobs and roughly $12M in payroll. Food Supply Pressure: Global protein demand is straining whey supplies, pushing prices higher and raising costs for manufacturers and consumers. Rural Logistics: Rural South Dakota is nearing a postal breaking point as USPS reduces rural delivery frequency and reshapes processing plans. EMS Funding: An EMS funding task force is set to meet in Pierre to study making ambulance service an essential service as providers face workforce and reimbursement shortfalls. Local Infrastructure: Rapid City and Sioux Falls are both rolling out summer road work with lane closures and curb/ADA upgrades affecting drivers. Startup & Claims Tech: Tugboat, a homeowner insurance claims support platform backed by South Dakota First, closed an oversubscribed $3M seed round to expand claim help. Workforce & Training: South Dakota Farmers Union is running a senior leadership teen camp in the Black Hills focused on ag careers and cooperative business simulations. Public Safety/Health: FDA issued a highest-risk Class I recall for Alfredo sauce in 41 states due to potential Salmonella contamination.