Hemp Voices: Ken Meyer, Complete Hemp Processing
Ken Meyer is co-owner of Winfred, SD-based Complete Hemp Processing in charge of farmer relations, workforce development, business development, public relations, and general oversight of the hemp decortication facility.
What interests me most about hemp is the challenge and opportunity of participating in a new growth industry. It is a large plus that this new growth industry can sustainably help people and the planet for years to come. Farmers can grow hemp in rotation with corn and soybeans, adding diversity to their farming operations and their soil. We can have bio-friendly products such as packaging, plastics, building materials, clothes, protein, and animal bedding. With hemp building we can bring to the homes we live in and the buildings we work in spaces that are healthier, more sustainable, and more comfortable.
What was a win for your company in the past year? A win for our company this year was opening the first hemp decortication facility in South Dakota and celebrating the accomplishment with a well-attended open house event.
What is something about hemp building/construction/processing you didn’t know a year ago? A year ago I didn't know that hemp hurd depending on hemp bale quality is no more than 30 to 50 percent of a typical hemp round bale.
What challenges does the hemp building industry face that it must overcome in the next five years? The industry has to build a sustainable supply chain almost from scratch that appropriately compensates each step in the supply chain from farm to consumer while providing end products and services that are competitively priced. To build out this supply chain there will have to be a large amount of investment and innovation directed at every step in the supply chain.
