outh Dakota's KLUMB: Hemp bringing an exciting time for agriculture in SD

HB 1191 sailed through the House with very little opposition. I think it only received two no votes on the House floor. This past week in committee we heard HB 1191. Since the time it was in the House, opposition from the governor's office has increased dramatically. Her concerns are primarily that this is going to make law enforcement's job more difficult when it comes to detection of marijuana. As farmers continue to see depressed grain markets, they eventually will look for alternative crops that may help them make ends meet.Hemp may be that product, however it may not. I would caution farmers that should this bill become law, you're going to want to take a good, long look at every aspect of the product and have it all penciled out. There are no safety nets with this crop, there are minimal, if any markets for it in South Dakota at this time and all the risk is on the producer. My reason for voting for this bill was to tell those markets that may want to move here that South Dakota is for business. Now that the Feds have delisted it, other states are making a move and I want to encourage industry that may want to move to South Dakota to know that we're willing to work with them so we don't lose out on the market.