Good morning District 27. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting a lot of voters at the Martin Livestock and Sale Barn Café. I also attended the morning and afternoon sessions of the special calf weigh-up sale. There were cattle buyers and ranchers selling livestock from various parts of the district and from across the state line into Nebraska. It was a lively morning and afternoon of buying and selling. I talked to the co-owner Joe Waln after the sale was over. He informed me that yesterday’s livestock sale probably grossed around $5 million. I was pleasantly surprised.
Joe mentioned to me that in the small town of Martin, this one-day sale has a ripple effect throughout our local economy because Ag producers come to town to sell their cows, but also do other business such as get groceries, fuel up their trucks, and dine out at various eating establishments, shop at the local hardware and auto parts stores, conduct banking activities, visit the pharmacy, and so forth. In other words, our small-town businesses and Ag producers are the economic engine that makes this town thrive. Without them, Martin would eventually wither away.
On a sale day like yesterday, Joe had 15 to 20 employees working for him. Having reliable employees is integral to his business. Good-paying jobs help stimulate the economy, and the Martin Livestock and Sale Barn Café are doing their part.
It is good to see a new generation of small business owners embark on this adventure. I appreciate what the Waln and Byrne families are doing to keep the sale barn open. I also appreciate them hosting one of my campaign signs. I have taught their kids in school and at the Catholic Church for faith formation. They were kind enough to let me canvass voters in the café yesterday. I had good quality conversations on particular issues that were on the minds of local voters. Also, it did not hurt that the Kathol for District 27 campaign sponsored 200 cups of free coffee to anyone visiting the café with their meal purchase. It was a great way to interact with the voters and for the voters to learn more about their candidate for state senate.
If elected to the state senate, I will be an advocate for our Ag producers and small-business owners. You are the backbone of our economies in rural South Dakota. I tilt my hat to all those men and women who get up every day to go to work to stimulate our local economy. God bless.
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