Our Team: The Folks Behind the Fields

Meet the heart and hustle driving Dakota Hemp. As veteran-led pioneers, we're blending fifth-generation farming wisdom with modern grit to make sustainable hemp a reality. No suits here—just soil-stained hands and big ideas for a greener America.

 

Founder & Fifth-Generation Farmer

John Peterson

 Born and raised on South Dakota soil, John farms hemp, corn, and soybeans alongside the 4th and 6th generations. A U.S. Navy veteran who served as a Nuclear Machinist Mate aboard a submarine, he sharpened his skills in Boston as a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technician before returning home in 2006 to team up with his dad, Steve—and run a hog finishing barn for 17 years.In 2021, South Dakota's hemp pioneer year, John planted 40 acres and spotted the fiber processing gap. After scouting facilities nationwide, he brought home a HempTrain™ decorticator from Canadian Greenfield Technologies. Through the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association, he's led nearly 100 educational meetings—demystifying everything from seed sourcing to bale contracts (and the all-important "what not to do").His drive made South Dakota the top U.S. hemp state in 2022 and 2023. Now, hemp's a full rotation crop on his farm, and he's expanding the national market and farmer network. Dakota Hemp's cutting-edge processing plant in Wakonda, SD, is nearing completion this fall—set to fuel sustainable growth.

Chief Operating Officer

Karll Lecher

Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Karll joined the U.S. Air Force in 2010 as a Security Forces member, honing discipline and grit. After relocating to South Dakota, he mastered all roles offered to him at Truxedo over eight years, building operational know-how. In 2021, John recruited him to co-found Dakota Hemp, creating a leading Midwest CBD brand with nationwide reach. Karll now steers daily operations for CBD and industrial hemp, guiding the Wakonda, SD, processing plant—set to open this winter. Got a hemp idea? Karll’s all ears.


Ready to connect? Drop us a line—our team’s always up for a chat about growing better together.

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