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producers the certainty they need," said Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D. and a member of the committee trying to merge the two bills.
• Said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., "I believe conferees are very close to settling even the most contentious issues."
• But for South Dakota's ranchers the protracted farm bill negotiations -- as close to a conclusion as they may now be -- are a source of immense frustration.
• "Congress has frustrated me, period, whether the farm bill or whatever it is. I don't have a lot of respect for Congress whatever it is," said Chuck O'Connor, a rancher in Philip.
• The 76-year-old said he lost 38 cows and 52 calves during October's blizzard, a loss he estimates at about $100,000. He says he can weather it because he's been ranching for years and saved money. But O'Connor said he worries about younger, less established ranchers.
• He said he knows other ranchers who have heavier debt loads or haven't been doing it as long. Those are the people he feels sorry for, he said.
• "I just hope they can stay in business," he said.
• Rislov, a much younger rancher, said that his losses would set him back. But he also considers himself lucky compared to others.
• He is paid to ranch for someone else, so he has a steady income. And he rents pasture for his own cows. Still, he said that support from the federal government would have made him feel more secure.
• "There's a lot of people out there that lost close to everything, and then they have a land payment on top of that," he said. "How are them guys going to keep going without a little bit of assistance?
• "For me it would help tremendously. But for them?"
•