South Dakota Farmer's Alliance

In 1881, farmers in Yankton County organized the first alliance in Dakota Territory, inspired by Milton George, editor of the Western Rural, who condemned discriminatory railroad practices and advocated for the National Farmers’ Alliance. A sharp drop in wheat prices in 1884 fueled widespread unrest, prompting mass meetings in Clark, Huron, Mellette, and Redfield, where farmers called for railroad regulation. In response, a territorial railroad commission was established in January 1885, but opposition rendered it powerless to set freight rates. The movement strengthened in February 1885, when delegates from eleven counties convened in Huron to form the Dakota Farmers’ Alliance, affiliating with the national organization. By mid-summer, the number of local alliances in the territory had tripled, demonstrating the growing influence of the farmers’ movement.