One day after it failed, the South Dakota State Senate is passing the bill that legalizes industrial hemp production.
State Senator Jordan Youngberg is a prime sponsor of the legislation in the senate. He says he’s heard a lot of interest from farmers to grow hemp. But he says he doesn’t envision a lot of production in the beginning.
“This is a new thing,” Youngberg says. “If we legalized corn growth tomorrow, a lot of people would go, 'Okay, we’re going to get into this slow and take our time.’ They’re not going to go out and buy a combine and spend millions of dollars to get full blown into it. I think we’re going to see small numbers.”
That’s if the bill gets the green light from the executive branch. Despite some amendments from her office, Governor Kristi Noem says she’s still concerned about legalizing industrial hemp production.
The bill now heads back to the house, because senators passed amendments to the bill from the governor’s office. Senators also removed references to an industrial hemp fund with the department of ag.
Fees associated with that fund required the senate get a 2/3 majority to pass the legislation. That threshold is also what’s required to override a governor veto.