Growing Hemp & Doubling Exports

Growing Hemp & Doubling Exports. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Looking for a new commodity to grow in Oregon? Check out industrial hemp. The Oregon Department of Agriculture this week began accepting applications for industrial hemp production. Applicants are responsible for understanding and following state regulations. While industrial hemp, as defined in Oregon Statutes, is arguably a safe crop, growing or handling it is still classified by the federal government as illegal. The goal of ODA and the Rules Advisory Committee was to write regulations that met state laws, in a manner tolerated by federal enforcement agencies. ODA is expecting to issue the first permits for industrial hemp soon, with a crop planting as early as this spring.

Good news out of Idaho as Celia Gould, director of the state agriculture department, announced that Idaho's agriculture exports have doubled in the last seven years. Other great news for Idaho farmers is that farm income is at a record high, and debt to asset ratios are at record lows. Laura Johnson –Bureau Chief for the Idaho Department of Ag's Market Development Division.

JOHNSON: We're very excited our export growth in the last 6 or 7 years and actually even longer than that. USDA Economic Research Service released their latest state agricultural figures just this last Friday and it showed that Idaho was nearly $2.6 billion dollars in total agricultural exports. It certainly helps drive our economy and support our rural communities and jobs throughout the State of Idaho.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.