The South Dakota Legislature’s Rules Committee on Monday approved hemp regulations proposed by the state departments of Agriculture and Public Safety, according to a KELO report. The regulations have already been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as required under the 2018 Farm Bill which legalized hemp nationwide.
Katie Sieverding, executive director of the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association, told KELO that some farmers and industry entrepreneurs “would have pressed the ‘go’ button back in March before the ink was dry on HB 1008” – the bill to legalize hemp in the state that was approved by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem earlier this year.
Noem had previously vetoed similar hemp legislation in 2019.
Republican Rep. Jean Hunhoff, who twice voted in favor of the reforms, noted that the rules will take effect in 20 days and businesses “can march forward.”
“You have put your hard work in. I realize that this has been a slower process than you had anticipated, but I believe we do things the right way in South Dakota, and the right way is that goes through a formal hearing process. And I would hope next legislative session we’re going to hear about the great things that are coming with the hemp products of South Dakota.” – Hunhoff during the hearing via KELO
During the Nov. 5 General Election, South Dakota voters approved both medical and adult-use cannabis legalization – the first state to approve both reforms simultaneously. The constitutionality of the adult-use measure is being challenged by Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller. The lawsuit is supported by Noem and uses state government funds.
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