Hemp builds houses, economy and opportunity in one Minnesota tribal community

Hemp builds houses, economy and opportunity in one Minnesota tribal community

Hoping to diversify its economy beyond gambling, the Lower Sioux Indian Community has put its chips on hempcrete, a sustainable housing insulation. The operation is part of a quiet, national surge in Native-owned startups. But steep challenges remain.

Hemp Builds Houses, Economy and Opportunity in One Minnesota Tribal Community - Organic Consumers

Hemp Builds Houses, Economy and Opportunity in One Minnesota Tribal CommunityAugust 18, 2026 | Source: MPR News | by Chris Farrell Hoping to boost his tribe’s economy beyond gambling some 15 years ago, former Tribal Council member Earl Pendleton went searching for a project that could bring jobs and investment to benefit the entire Lower Sioux Indian Community. Scrolling through YouTube videos, he saw people building homes with hempcrete, an ins…