Hemp program begins
Ted Sloan, Ky Dept. of Ag LEXINGTON, Ky. —The University of Kentucky launched its industrial hemp pilot program today when hemp seeds were planted at Spindletop Farm, marking another milestone in the drive to restore industrial hemp production to the Commonwealth. “The University of Kentucky’s pilot program will help us recover much of the knowledge about industrial hemp production that has been lost since hemp was last grown in Kentucky,” state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “I’m grateful to UK and the other institutions that are participating in the hemp pilot programs. With their help, we will bring industrial hemp back to Kentucky and with it new jobs and new farm income.” Scientists in UK’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment will conduct two trials for fiber production and one for seed production. They will seek to identify varieties best suited for Kentucky, measure yields of fiber and seeds, and study potential weed, disease, and insect problems. The hemp seeds were sourced from Italy through Original Green Distribution, of Prescott, Wis., which specializes in green, bio-based building materials, including hemp. OGD has an interest in building the infrastructure for domestic industrial hemp production. After he took office in January 2012, Commissioner Comer revived the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission and pushed for legislation to make industrial hemp production legal in Kentucky, which passed in 2013. The federal farm bill, which was signed into law by President Obama in February, authorizes hemp production for research purposes in states such as Kentucky where hemp production is legal under state law.
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