— Extreme summer weather is taking a devastating toll on South Dakota’s agricultural sector, with record temperatures threatening both livestock and feed supplies across the state. In an interview on Tuesday, Governor Larry Rhoden highlighted the worsening conditions faced by local producers as prolonged heat continues without relief in sight. “It’s been hotter than blue blazes… it’s been well over a hundred for, I don’t know how many days now,” Rhoden said. The sustained heat wave has already resulted in severe agricultural losses in key farming and ranching regions. “We got word yesterday that we lost quite a number of fat cattle in feedlots across South Dakota from the heat,” Rhoden stated.