A committee of agricultural experts in Oregon will meet this December to draft rules to oversee industrial hemp cultivation. If the group can satisfy federal officials with a set of rules, Oregon farmers could plant their first hemp crop by this spring.
Hemp production could benefit a wide swath of the state’s economy, from construction and oil production to organic foods. It also will lead to plenty of new business opportunities, with the potential to generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue.
Oregon is one of seven states that allows the cultivation of industrial hemp.
Officials legalized hemp production in 2009, however the state has held off on implementing the law because of the federal government’s stance on cannabis.
But the government’s changed stance on marijuana – outlined by the US Department of Justice in August – has assuaged some concerns, and the state is now moving toward implementing the law.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture will oversee the committee, which includes Jim Cramer, a market and certification official.
Cramer said the group requested written confirmation from the federal government that it would not target hemp cultivators in Oregon, however it has not received a formal response.
– MMJ Business Daily staff
