ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA: COUNTY OF THE MONTH

County Name: Brookings

Largest City: Brookings

County Seat: Brookings

Population: 28,195: 2006 estimate

Organized: 1871

Located in eastern South Dakota, Brookings County is a significant manufacturing, education, and technology stronghold in our state. The county is named for the first provisional governor of the Dakota Territory, Wilmot Wood Brookings, who was a pioneer in southeast South Dakota. The county is also home to the towns of Volga, Bruce, White, Sinai, and Elkton, towns that take pride in their safe and close-knit communities.

W.W. Brookings helped lay the groundwork for Dakota Territory. He came to the area after graduating from college in Maine and was admitted to the bar in 1857. Despite a tragic mid-winter accident that took his legs as a young man, Brookings remained involved in prairie politics. He even took on a project to remove boulders and flatten land.

The first settlement in Brookings County was the town of Medary. Settled in 1857 and named for engineer Samuel A. Medary, the town was eclipsed by surrounding development after the Chicago & Northwestern railroad was built four miles north of the town. The City of Brookings was formed near the railroad and grew to become the largest city in the county. Today, Brookings��� economy and workforce is dominated by large, successful corporations such as 3M and Daktronics. Medary Avenue remains a major thoroughfare in Brookings.

South Dakota State University (SDSU), is our state���s largest public university and was originally named the South Dakota Agricultural College, also calls the City of Brookings home. Founded in 1881, the university placed an emphasis on improving agricultural practices in the Midwest. Today, the school is often lauded for its accomplished engineering and agricultural programs. In 2002, university was the first in South Dakota to make the transition to Division-I athletics.

Brookings County is also home to many popular parks and lakes. Lake Poinsett borders the northwest corner of the county. One of the largest lakes in the state, Poinsett offers an abundance of boating, fishing, camping, and water sports. The county is also a destination for pheasant hunters in the fall.

Tim���s Work in Brookings County:

Tim Helps Secure Funding for North Central Agricultural Research Lab (NCARL)
In FY 2008, Tim helped secure $3,956,839 in funding NCARL to address key issues in sustainable pest management. Formerly known as the Northern Grain Insects Research Lab, NCARL studies ways to deal with insect pests, such as Northern Corn Rootworm and the Soybean Aphid.

Tim Supports Biomass Crop Production Research
In 2008, Tim helped secure $1,204,509 in funding to support a new research effort concerning corn ethanol at SDSU. This effort will investigate the conversion of grains from ethanol production into high-value feed for cattle, as well as conversion to increased ethanol production.

In FY2008, Tim also announced that SDSU would receive $4,375,986 in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy���s Regional Biomass Energy Feedstock Partnership. The funding supported renewable energy research and will benefit South Dakota ethanol producers.

Tim Supports National Children���s Study
Tim is a longtime supporter of the National Children���s Study (NCS), the largest long-term study of human health ever conducted in the United States, tracking 100,000 children from birth to age 21. In FY2008, Tim helped secure $110.9 million for the study nationwide. Vanguard Center for the NCS will receive approximately $2.5 million to continue their work for NCS.

Tim Supports Sun Grant Research Center
In 2007, Tim announced that SDSU���s Sun Grant Research Center would receive $4,375,986 in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy���s Regional Biomass Energy Feedstock Partnership. The funding supported renewable energy research at the facility.

Tim Secures Funding for Shepard Hall Expansion
A long-time supporter of SDSU, in 2007, Tim secured two appropriations of $284,030 and $331,692 to help cover the cost of an addition to Shepard Hall Science Building. Specifically, the funding will be used to renovate several research labs and provide secure treatment and disposal of chemical and hazardous waste.