WAKONDA, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – In 2024, South Dakota led all states in acres of hemp harvested but many of these plants are often processed in other parts of the Midwest, slowing down the business here in the state.
One South Dakota hemp business is close to changing that with a new processing facility in Wakonda.
The plant is expected to be up and running early in the fall, and it’s going to play a role in widening the bottleneck that is slowing the hemp business down in the state.
Hemp is often associated with CBD products that can provide pain relief and comfort without the psychoactive effects, but it can also be used for some other unique items, too.
“Some of the more popular items that we have are the pasta and the wood products, that’s usually what gets people to stop and do a double-take, that they didn’t know those types of items are made out of hemp,” John Peterson, Owner of Dakota Hemp, said.
Dakota Hemp’s processing facility will be able to handle around 3,000 acres of stalk from grain and stalk hemp, relieving some of the efforts of farmers who have had to travel to Montana or Kansas to process their plants.
“We’re not trying to outgrow, have the farmers outgrow the processors, and vice versa, we’re trying to build this up and as the processors grow, so then the final product manufacturers come too, looking for that material,” Peterson said.
As the facility separates the fiber and hurd from the stalks of the hemp plant, the hurd can then be used for products such as Hempcrete, which may be the future of house building.
“Because it’s made with the lime, it won’t mold, and it’s very fire resistant, we’re able to do demonstrations with our blow torch to show people how it is,” Dakota Hemp COO Karl Lecher said.
The 3,000 acres of hemp that will be processed yearly is quite the difference maker, as last year the entire state of South Dakota harvested 3,700 acres.
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Dakota Hemp’s processing facility will be able to handle around 3,000 acres of stalk from grain and stalk hemp, relieving some of the efforts of farmers who have had to travel to Montana or Kansas to process their plants. Read More
