Dakota Hemp: Building an Industry in South Dakota

Dakota Hemp: Building an Industry in South Dakota

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor April 16, 2026 Duration: 37:02

This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to the guys from Dakota Hemp in Wakonda, South Dakota.

John Peterson and Karll Lecher are running a HempTrain decortication system, taking in bales from local farmers and turning them into fiber and hurd. We get into how the facility works, what they're producing, and what it takes to actually run a processing plant in the Midwest.

We talk about how they brought farmers in, what those early meetings looked like, and how the conversation has shifted over time — from skepticism to real agronomic questions. Once farmers got over the novelty of hemp, they started asking questions about row spacing, fertility, yields, etc. Then suddenly it started to look like farming. 

We also talk about where the processed hemp is going right now — animal bedding, early fiber markets — and what still needs to be built downstream to make this thing work at scale.

Plus, a quick look at how U.S.-grown hemp fiber is moving into global textile systems, and why new processing capacity is coming online even in places where acreage is still small.

Learn More:

Dakota Hemp

dakotahemp.com

South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association

sd-hemp.com

Horizon Specialty Seeds

horizonhempseeds.com

HempAgra

hempagra.com

Complete Hemp Processing

completehempprocessing.com/

Canadian Greenfield Technologies HempTrain

canadiangreenfield.com/hemptrain

News Nuggets

IND Hemp partnership with Summit International Trading and Thien Phuoc

Functional Fabric Fair Portland

$1 million federal loan supports Iowa hemp processor as state production remains limited

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

IND Hemp

indhemp.com

Forever Green / KP4 Hemp Cutter

hempcutter.com


There’s a quiet revolution happening in fields and factories, and it’s centered on a single, versatile plant. Industrial Hemp Podcast, guided by Eric Hurlock, the Digital Editor at Lancaster Farming, moves beyond the headlines to explore what’s actually happening on the ground. This isn’t just theoretical discussion; it’s a direct line to the people driving the industry forward. Each episode features conversations with the farmers who are planting and harvesting these crops, facing very real agronomic challenges and opportunities. You’ll also hear from researchers, processors, and policy experts who are shaping the future of hemp for fiber, grain, and other industrial applications. The dialogue digs into the practicalities-from planting techniques and harvesting equipment to market trends, regulatory hurdles, and technological innovations that are changing the game. It’s a clear-eyed look at an agricultural sector finding its footing, reported by journalists with deep roots in farming communities. For anyone curious about the business, science, and sheer hard work behind industrial hemp, this podcast serves as an essential, grounded resource. Tune in for honest talk that cuts through the hype and gets to the root of this growing field.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Industrial Hemp Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Hempcrete Hero: Little House on the Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:52
We have an outbuilding at home — we call it the Little House. It's a small old barn that sits out in our back yard, maybe 25 feet from the back door. It was a barn for animals at one point, then a garage, then an apartme…
Michael Klepacz: An American in Warsaw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week on the Hemp Show, we continue our hemp adventure in Poland, catching up with American expat Michael Klepacz, owner of Natural Materials Unlimited. Klepacz sits near the end of the hemp supply chain — he doesn't…
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Julia Bialecka — Replacing Styrofoam with Hemp and Mycelium [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Colin Steddy — Soil, Carbon, and Grassroots Farming Down Under [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:06
This is part five of a ten-part podcast series documenting the European Industrial Hemp Association's 23rd Annual Conference in Poznan, Poland, at the Institute of Fiber Plants and Medicinal Medicine, June 10-12. Colin S…
Jan Slaski — Hemp Breeding on the Canadian Prairies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
This is part four of a ten-part podcast series documenting the European Industrial Hemp Association's 23rd Annual Conference in Poznan, Poland, at the Institute of Fiber Plants and Medicinal Medicine, June 10-12. Jan Sla…