Greetings! It’s going to be a great week here in Ireland. Whoops! I mean the Black Hills. We are past the first week in July and everything is greener than green. Lush is probably the best way to describe the Black Hills and pastures and hay ground to the east.
On Thursday, July 11th, I get the opportunity to serve on a Legislative Summer Study Committee. The subject? Hemp. This past session, we overwhelmingly passed a bill in the House and Senate to authorize our farmers to grow hemp. Unfortunately, our governor vetoed the bill. Once a bill is vetoed, both chambers can override a veto with a 2/3rds vote.
In my chamber, the House of Representatives, we got more than a 2/3rds vote to override the veto. However, in the Senate, several senators changed their votes, so we didn’t get the 2/3rds vote to override the governor’s veto.
So now what? Well, before each session ends in March, we all have input to what area needs additional work. This includes both chambers, the House and the Senate. The two bills with the most support for a summer study were Hemp and Meth.
I was asked to be on one of the two studies. I just about chose Meth because I can’t believe that we can’t get a handle on our meth epidemic in South Dakota. I picked Hemp instead.
Now, just because I picked Hemp, please don’t jump to the conclusion I’m in favor of legalizing marijuana, because I’m not. I am in favor of giving our farmers, who are suffering through low commodity prices, (primarily corn and soybeans), a chance to grow another crop that could really help their cash flow. To compound low soybean and corn prices, this unusually wet spring and early summer caused crops to be planted late and a lot of ground was too wet to plant.
Using hindsight, if the governor would have signed the Hemp Bill, or if the Senate would have been able to override her veto, it would have taken effect on our state new year, which is July 1st. What a great year for our producers to plant hemp in those “too wet” areas and get the bugs out on how to grow and harvest hemp.
I asked a couple of legislators that are/were farmers or ranchers a whole bunch of hemp-farming questions. Mostly I received the penguin salute. Seriously, how do you plant it? Is it in rows like corn or soybeans, or is it planted like alfalfa? When its time to harvest, how does that work? Does one swath it and put it up like hay, or do you use a combine to harvest just the heads?
As you can see, I’m definitely not a hemp expert, but I do think we should remove any government red tape that would hinder our farmers and ranchers from having another cash crop if possible.
To the citizens of District 30 and to the men and women in uniform, in honor of all who served, in respectful memory of all who fell, and in great appreciation to those who serve today, Thank You, for giving me the opportunity to serve you.
Tim R. Goodwin, District 30 Representative
Facebook: Goodwin In The House
Google it Kirby.
Have you heard of CBD oil, hemp protein, hemp lotions, clothing, textiles along with hundreds of other uses. Don’t listen to the propaganda from big oil, plastics, Monsanto, etc. Farmers can think for themselves. They don’t need government telling them how to farm.
If you don’t realize that there are no maningfulhemp markets and that all this is a step towards the legalization of marijuana you are fooling yourself.
Playing the fear card. You are even to afraid to use your name.
What is hemp used for? Is there really a viable market for hemp? I thought a lot of third-world countries who grew hemp have stopped because there is no longer a market? (I still worry about ulterior motives.)