Before Charles Levine opened Hemp Acres in 2017—now the largest hemp processing operation in the state—the young entrepreneur and farmer was ready to start a hard-cider operation. But he saw an opportunity when the 2016 Farm Bill opened further opportunities for hemp farmers, so with only a few apple trees planted, Levine started growing hemp. Waconia-based Hemp Acres works with farmers from Illinois to North Dakota. Based on current sales and projections, Levine says the coming year will show an enhanced focus on hemp grain and fiber processing, which has a multitude of uses—“everything from construction to plastics to different building materials,” he says. “That seems to be the most exciting thing looking forward.”

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