PIERRE, SD - Four South Dakota locations have added SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED ™ Beef to their meat selections, Jafar Karim, director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development announced today. Al’s Oasis, Lynn’s Dakotamarts in Belle Fourche and Spearfish, and the Elkton House in Wall now carry the beef. 

SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED ™ Beef is the vision of Governor Mike Rounds and part of the state’s 2010 Initiative. “We continue to see tremendous interest in this program,” said Karim.

"Our customer base has been asking for the product so we decided to start carrying it. We are always looking to please our customers," said Kevin Haskins, manager of Al’s Oasis.

Jim Grapentine, manager of Lynn’s Dakotamart in Belle Fourche, believes that selling the product offers the company a win-win opportunity to serve a high quality product and support South Dakota producers. "We feel as a company that it's important to support programs like this. When you buy the certified beef, you know you’re getting an excellent product. We are locally owned, and stock our shelves with locally made products when we can," said Grapentine.

In order to be eligible for the program, cattle must be born, raised and harvested in South Dakota. “For the last two years, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Department of Agriculture, the Governor’s Office and various industry partners have worked hard to put together participation requirements for producers and processors to ensure consistently tender and wholesome cuts of beef,” Karim said.

Al’s Oasis, Lynn’s Dakotamarts in Belle Fourche and Spearfish, and the Elkton House join the growing list of retail outlets in South Dakota that offer SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED™ Beef.  For a full listing of locations, go to Where to Buy .