• HURON, S.D. --  South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke has named Mike Traxinger legislative director for the family farm organization. Traxinger is a fifth-generation South Dakota farmer and a native of Claremont, S.D. He maintains a small herd of cattle on his family's farm operation, Traxinger Simmentals, near Houghton.
• "Mike brings a background in production agriculture and a wealth of law and agricultural policy knowledge to this position," Sombke said. "We're excited to have him on board and look forward to having him on our team for the upcoming legislative session."
• Traxinger received a J.D. from Drake University Law School with a focus in agricultural law and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He is a

graduate of Langford High School.
• Most recently, Traxinger was selected as a member of Class VIII of the South Dakota Agricultural Rural Leadership program. He has previously worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the

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