It's time for Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota to stop putting personal financial interests over the people of South Dakota. She opposes hemp, not because of personal issues or facts, but because her husband has financial interests in the crop insurance industry. Hemp is legal at the federal level and is being blocked state-level by our governor soley because of the aforementioned personal financial interests. Only four states block hemp at the state level; Ohio, South Dakota, Mississippi, and Idaho. The fact of the matter is, in addition to the major economic boost that hemp could provide as indicated by the economic boosts seen by states who have moved forward with legal hemp farming, by switching to hemp, we could also save around four BILLION trees a year. At a time scientists are giving us mere years to address our climate problem, this should be an easy decision for that alone. Something voters should understand is that hemp is not the same as marijuana. This would not make marijuana legal or see an increase in the recreational use of marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are two different things. 

It's time to address this both for the economic interests of the people of South Dakota and the environment itself. No more putting selfish, personal financial gain over the good of the state Kristi Noem represents. Help us tell her it's time to stop with this conflict of interest. She was elected governor to represent the best interests of the people, not her husbands investments. Putting something like a spouse's crop insurance business before the good of the people you represent is immoral, and it's not why we elected you Governor Noem. Enough is enough. On the 12th of March, 2019, a bill even passed the House 20 to 13 but was vetoed by Governor Kristi Noem. This personal conflict of interest must end.