SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A recently released report from the United States Department of Agriculture shows South Dakota is leading among all states in acres of hemp harvested in 2024.
South Dakota’s lead isn’t expected to last long with states like Texas already planting more acres of hemp and other states increasing their acreage of planting at a much larger rate. Texas’s increase was over 1,800%.
However, there is still a strong push to grow the business in the 605.
South Dakota’s leading harvest amounted to 3,700 acres, almost 95% of the acres planted in the state.
“That’s substantially higher than most other states, and to lead the nation in acres harvested is something we can hang our hats on in our little state,” said hemp farmer John Peterson.
Peterson said it has been encouraging to see other farmers invest in hemp as he remains involved in getting a second fiber processor built where he lives in Wakonda.
“We put on over 70 meetings across the state to get farmers on board with this. It’s been a pretty good effort to get farmers on board, but they’ve responded and continued to grow,” said Peterson.
Some states like Missouri, Iowa and Montana have planted fewer acres of hemp than in 2023, but South Dakota expanded by almost 22%. Peterson said growth will likely continue when the second fiber plant in Wakonda is open, which is expected to be in July.
“Our processing machines will take these stocks and break these down into herd and fiber, and it will size the herd down from an eighth inch to two-inch long, and it will clean and separate the fibers,” said Peterson.
One of the biggest hurdles in growing the business is clearing the misconceptions of hemp being tied to cannabinoids, but hemp can be used for many other products, including paper, cosmetics and animal feed.
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A recently released report from the United States Department of Agriculture shows South Dakota is leading among all states in acres of hemp harvested in 2024. Read More
