Despite the reputation of cannabis as a drug, hemp is a rapidly-growing commodity with a wide range of uses. Old taboos and legal restrictions surrounding hemp are becoming relics of the past, and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is making moves to get ahead in the fiber and food hemp markets.
Unlike the marijuana used for medicine and recreation, the cannabis used for hemp lacks enough THC to produce a "high."
To kickstart hemp growing, sales, and awareness in Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture has contributed $392,265 in grants to three agriculture nonprofits.
“Pennsylvania has been making history, building a new hemp industry from roots up,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “These grants feed the growth of an industry that was once a staple of Pennsylvania’s economy and is once again growing opportunities for new businesses, farm income, jobs, and climate-smart, environmentally sound products.”
A $56,000 grant to the Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council will fund a campaign to promote the benefits of hemp and create new markets for hemp-based products. The council is connecting farmers, businesses, investors, government agencies, and communities to revive Pennsylvania's hemp farming and processing industry.
The U.S. Ecological Advanced Research & Conservation Hub Hemp Certificate Program for Disadvantaged Communities (USEARCH) is receiving $20,500 for an educational program to encourage and empower youth, veterans, and women to enter the hemp industry.
Vytal Plant Science Research is receiving $315,765 to introduce a STEM program to high schools and universities that link education to industrial hemp production, management, and cultivation. The program will promote and market industrial hemp for uses like food, fiber, fuel, and personal care products.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jessicahyde
Categories: Pennsylvania, Crops