YANKTON, S.D. (WNAX) – The National Industrial Hemp Council has received $200,000 in funding from USDA’S Market Access Program. Those funds will support export market development for industrial hemp. South Dakota Farmers Union Lobbyist Mitch (rick-tur) Richter says that’s another sign of the normalization of growing industrial hemp and should help South Dakota as they proceed with their own program now that it’s been approved by the USDA.

He says South Dakota is moving ahead following last week’s industrial hemp rules meeting.

Richter says there won’t be large acres of industrial hemp planted in South Dakota next spring, but some growers will be able to at least put in a few acres.

The National Industrial Hemp Council will be focusing their work on exporting to Europe and China. In 2019, the global industrial hemp and products market was worth $11.1 billion in retail sales.