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Noem Encourages Legislators to Table Industrial Hemp Discussions

Press Release

Date: Feb. 8, 2019
Issues: Agriculture and Food

Governor Kristi Noem today asked the South Dakota legislature to table discussions on legalizing industrial hemp this legislative session.

"South Dakota is not ready for industrial hemp production," said Noem. "There are still questions about the impact on public safety, enforcement, and costs to the taxpayers. We need to see federal guidelines when they are issued and then decide if this commodity is as promising as they say it will be."

In December 2018, then-Congresswoman Noem voted in favor of the 2018 Farm Bill, a small section of which loosened regulations on industrial hemp. The crop is not currently authorized for growth in South Dakota under any state or federal program. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Governor Noem have discouraged producers from making plans to grow industrial hemp in the 2019 growing season.


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