With hemp now distinguished from marijuana by federal law, in the latest Farm Bill, the rush is on to grow legal cannabis, under the watchful eye of state agriculture agencies.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture announced that 1,115 farmers in the state applied to grow hemp and 1,035 were licensed. "That’s up from the 210 licensed growers in 2018 . . . leaving little doubt that the hemp hype has taken hold in the commonwealth," Don Wilkins writes for the Messenger-Inquirer in Owensboro,
“It exceeded expectations,” Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. “The enthusiasm for the crop continues to grow.” License holders must pass background checks and allow program staff and law enforcement to inspect premises where hemp or hemp products are grown, handled, stored or processed. Police agencies are notified of those locations.
Kentucky is expected have 42,000 acres in hemp this year, up from 16,000 last year. Wilkins reports, Until the Farm Bill cleared the way for commercialized industrial hemp, Kentucky had been part of a pilot program that limited the number of growers. Paul Glover, a 60-year-old third generation Hancock County farmer, was one of those pilot growers."
Glover told Wilkins that he welcomes more growers, but is concerned that processors could take advantage of farmers looking to diversify or move away from tobacco. The state now has fewer than 4,000 tobacco farmers.
“The whole thing with CBD oil is blowing up,” said Glover, who has been growing hemp and selling the oil for five years. “Everybody and their brother is trying to get in on this green rush to try to make money. There are a lot of unscrupulous processors and people out there who are promising the farmers that they’re going to make a gazillion dollars. It’s not quite as easy as sticking some plants into the ground and then going straight to the bank at the end of the season.”
Glover told Wilkins that he welcomes more growers, but is concerned that processors could take advantage of farmers looking to diversify or move away from tobacco. The state now has fewer than 4,000 tobacco farmers.
“The whole thing with CBD oil is blowing up,” said Glover, who has been growing hemp and selling the oil for five years. “Everybody and their brother is trying to get in on this green rush to try to make money. There are a lot of unscrupulous processors and people out there who are promising the farmers that they’re going to make a gazillion dollars. It’s not quite as easy as sticking some plants into the ground and then going straight to the bank at the end of the season.”
Quarles said farmers and processors have a "learning period" ahead of them. "We hope our hemp participants take time to consider who to hitch their wagon to on the processing side," he said. "The market is literally being developed as we speak."
No comments:
Post a Comment