After a rocky pilot year for legalized hemp in Colorado, the Department of Agriculture has taken on a program overhaul aimed at transforming marijuana’s non-intoxicating relative into a legitimate, commercial industry.
At the state’s Hemp Committee meeting this week, Division of Plant Industry authorities left a majority of the current rulebook marked in red and slated for tighter, clearer guidelines in 2015.
Although many of the revisions will seek to eliminate illicit activity and avoid conflict with the federal government, the state will also seek to get a better handle on its own management of this budding industry.
Lack of reporting requirements means Colorado has no available statistics on how much hemp was planted or harvested in the state this year. Colorado hemp growers were obligated to register their operations with the state ag department, but they were not asked to provide details on total acreage harvested.
Read more at GreeleyTribune.com
Hemp farming: Coverage of the re-emergence of this crop in the U.S. as federal laws loosen
