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South Dakota's ongoing conversation about the possibility of legalizing industrial hemp took center stage Wednesday morning at a Dakotafest panel in Mitchell.

The majority of the discussion, like that around House Bill 1191 that was vetoed in March by Gov. Kristi Noem, centered around how hemp might be regulated if a program were to begin in South Dakota and whether the potential benefits to farmers outweigh the strain it could put on law enforcement.

"We've had the benefit, and will have the benefit, of relying on states like Minnesota, North Dakota, Kentucky, even Colorado — they're the ones that have been doing this for the past five years," said Rep. Oren Lesmeister, R-Parade, the primary sponsor of HB 1191. "We will learn from their mistakes. We'll take that into account. The issues that keep arising, I think we can deal with them. I think we'll be fine."

South Dakota is one of three states that does not allow hemp to be grown. The others are Idaho and Mississippi.

South Dakota House of Representatives Majority Leader Lee Qualm, R-Platte, said there are a number of benefits that South Dakotans could reap with legal hemp, both because of the plant's variety of uses after it's harvested and because of the economic effects it could have on the farmers who choose to plant it.