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that we have."
• Noem added that improvements can be made when the two chambers work on a compromise in conference.
• The candidates voiced their support of conservation programs, country-of-origin legislation and the renewable fuel standard, but got into a squabble when Varilek questioned oil companies' donations to her campaign.
• "I'm willing to stand up to big oil companies who are the opponents funding the effort to weaken the RFS," Varilek said.
• Noem said she's been a longtime supporter of ethanol, and opponents of renewable fuel standards are running a radio ad attacking her for supporting renewable fuels.
• "If I'm friends with Big Oil, somebody forgot to tell them," she said.

• On farm subsidy caps, Varilek said there should be a cap on farm payments to cover only family-scale farmers and ranchers, not larger operations that can afford to manage risk.
• "We face a deficit, and we can't afford to subsidize everyone equally," he said.
• Noem said she supports the caps that are in place, but a bigger threat to family farms is the estate tax, which she calls a "death tax."
• She said if the tax is allowed to go back to a $1,000,000 exemption before being taxed at 55 percent, it will greatly affect farmers.
• "It's devastating," she said. "It's going to keep people from passing their family farms onto their kids."
• Varilek said he supports raising it to a level in which it wouldn't affect family farmers and ranchers in South Dakota.
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