HB1159

South Dakota would stop approving new large dairy farms or expansions of existing ones that would have more than 7,499 dairy cows, though farms already permitted before July 1, 2026 can continue operating at their current size. The pause would give state agriculture officials time to study the economic and environmental impacts of large-scale dairy operations and allow counties to update their land use rules, including requiring road maintenance agreements and larger setback distances based on farm size. The moratorium doesn't change existing state law but adds a temporary freeze on new large dairy permits.