Former Sen. Tim Johnson, a South Dakota Democrat who helped create the Renewable Fuel Standard, reorganize the Farm Credit System and secure land-grant status for tribal colleges, died Tuesday night of complications after a recent stroke. He was 77.
Johnson served twenty-eight years in Congress, going undefeated as a Democrat in South Dakota until his retirement in 2015. Those who worked with Johnson described him as a quiet, policy-oriented lawmaker willing to cross party lines based on his beliefs.
In 1987, during the throes of the '80s farm crisis, Johnson was elected to the House. One of the first major pieces of legislation he worked on was the Ag Credit Act of 1987, which reorganized the FCS, provided assistance to distressed Farm Credit institutions and strengthened the rights of borrowers.
As a member of the House Ag Committee, he helped write a major standing disaster program for the 1988 crop year, in which South Dakota was hit with a heavy drought. It was one of the last times the committee created a standing disaster program.
Former Rep. Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat and former House Ag Chair who sat next to Johnson at hearings, told Agri-Pulse Johnson was very focused on Title I commodity programs, livestock issues and disaster aid.
“He got involved and he was very policy-oriented," Peterson said. "He would dig into things."
In the 1990 farm bill, Johnson helped create the marketing assistance loan for soybeans and other oilseeds. In 1994, he and Montana Democrat Pat Williams worked on legislation to secure land-grant status for tribal colleges.
Johnson was elected to the Senate in 1996 and served three terms in the chamber. When he was reelected in 2002, Johnson narrowly defeated then-Rep. John Thune, now a Republican leader in the Senate, by just over 500 votes.
“Tim was a steadfast leader who dedicated his life to serving the people of South Dakota with integrity and compassion,” Thune said in a statement. “He fought tirelessly for rural America and leaves a legacy that will have a lasting impact for years to come.”
Johnson's success winning over the state, which now consistently elects Republicans to Congress, could come from his plain-spoken, quiet demeanor, said Drey Samuelson, Johnson's former chief of staff.
"I think he just fit the way people sort of thought of themselves" Samuelson told Agri-Pulse. "Hard-working, determined, smart, but not someone that's full of themself. ... He was proud of his accomplishments, but he didn't wear his pride on his sleeve and I think that's true for most South Dakotans."
A vocal advocate for Country of Origin Labeling for beef and other agricultural products, Johnson was a driving force behind meat labeling language in the 2002 farm bill.
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Byron Dorgan, a former Democratic representative and senator from North Dakota, told Agri-Pulse Johnson was heavily involved in crafting the Renewable Fuel Standard, which was passed in 2005 and helped kick-start the U.S. renewable fuel industry.
"He was a guy that was fairly quiet for a politician," Dorgan said. "He seemed confident in all that he was doing. Once in a great while, he could get pretty upset. Not often, but you could tell when it happened. He was very assertive and very strong about things that he cared about."
In late 2006, Johnson underwent emergency surgery after a life-threatening brain hemorrhage which left him partially paralyzed and with slurred speech. But his recovery allowed him to continue serving until he announced his retirement in 2013.
Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a North Dakota Democrat, called Johnson one of the "nicest" people she served with. While he had strong beliefs and "would not compromise principle," she said he "was one of the most likeable people to ever serve in the United States Senate."
"He was somebody who didn’t talk a lot in caucus, didn’t engage a lot, but when he did, people really listened because they knew that he was going to give them something that they should listen to," Heitkamp told Agri-Pulse. "He didn’t just talk to hear himself talk."
As the chair of the Senate Banking Committee, Heitkamp said Johnson was an advocate for rural, community banks.
In a post to X, Senator Mike Rounds, R-S.D., who was elected to the Senate following Johnson's retirement, called Johnson's love for South Dakota "undeniable."
"His loss will be felt across the state, but particularly by his wife Barbara and family," Rounds wrote. "Praying for Tim’s family and all who knew and loved him."
Contributing Editor Jim Webster contributed to this story.
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