Changes on the way for Hemp production

Changes on the way for Hemp production

Maura Bennett
Maura Bennett

Governor Jared Polis spelled out his agenda for his first term saying he sees a stronger Colorado economy involving cannabis and industrial Hemp.

" With our world class universities like Colorado State and Adams State which are at the forefront of Hemp innovation and with the leading Hemp manufacturers and cultivators already here we want to seize on this opportunity with the most recent national Farm Bill to make Colorado the leader in industrial Hemp production."

Colorado accounts for about a third of the country's hemp production and about 31,000 acres of hemp and another 110 acres in greenhouses are registered with the state, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

One Hemp producer says it's been grown mostly by small scale farms but that's likely to change.

"There's not really that much involvement of large organizations right now because of the federal illegality which has kept the big money out. It's allowed the development of a lot of small farmers and small producers. That would never have happened if we hadn't had a period of federal illegality to begin with. And that gave us a little umbrella of protection from the big corporations. So that's gone and there's going to be a lot more big money."

Jan Vandenberg President of Mountain Flower Botanicals hopes the state will still be an advocate for small growers.

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