Hemp in South Dakota

Hemp—A Viable Replacement?

Could hemp replace countless products that come from other countries and help stimulate the economy in the United States?

Ford recognized the utility of the hemp plant. He constructed a car of resin stiffened hemp fiber, and even ran the car on ethanol made from hemp. Ford knew that hemp could produce vast economic resources if widely cultivated. Hempcrete was first used in construction to build non-weight bearing infill walls in France during the early 1990s. Hempcrete is made from mixing the hemp hurd with lime and water and weighs only about an eighth of regular concrete weight. July 10, 2008 Lotus has taken a different approach to 'green' car building with the announcement of its Eco Elise - featuring hemp-based bodywork and other renewable materials.
Hemp has virtually unlimited potential and is appealing to scientists, entrepreneurs, and inventors. New products are entering the market fueling research and positively impacting the environment.

Hemp is traditionally used in the following applications:

  • Shampoo
  • Sunscreen
  • Clothing
  • Shoes
  • Rope
  • Jewelry
  • Soaps
  • Detergents
  • Fuels
  • Glasses
  • Pens
  • Candles
  • Draperies
  • Animal toys
  • Animal Feed (chickens, other livestock)

Hemp is currently be used in the following applications:

Plastics vs. Zeoform

Zeoform can be sprayed, formed, or molded.  It can replace plastic, wood, and composite material in construction/manufacturing.  It has no additives or glues, and is cleaner and safer than plastic.

Concrete vs. Hempcrete / Hempwood

Hempcrete is durable, made of raw fiber, 15% as heavy, and stronger than concrete.  It is energy efficient, insulates, resistant to moisture penetration/cracking, and being used by builders more frequently.

Graphene vs. Carbon Nanosheets Supercapacitors/Battery Storage

Carbon nanosheets can be used for storage by cooking hemp, and are more cost effective than graphene.

Gas vs. hemp biodiesel/methanol/ethanol

Cars can be made from and fueled by hemp. The first hemp car was built by Henry Ford in 1941, and was recreated in 2017 by Bruce Dietzen.

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