2021 is South Dakota’s Marijuana Growers Year

South Dakota farmers will be able to plant cannabis in the 2021 growing season thanks to USDA (USDA) approval. CBD is one of eighty chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant and is completely separated from THC, a compound found in marijuana plants known for their medicinal qualities, according to the FDA.

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) submitted its plan for industrial cannabis production to the USDA in early August. Once the emergency administrative rules are in place to create the program, applications for a cannabis processing and crop production license will open.

The Industrial Hemp Bill passed during the 2020 Legislative Session following a battle between Governor Kristi Noem and the state legislature. Noem spoke out against legalizing industrial hemp, saying it could open the door for legalized marijuana, while lawmakers backed it as another option for farmers. The Industrial Hemp Bill was one of the last bills to be passed during the 2020 session.