Hemp Farming in Colorado

When Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use they also legalized hemp, which will soon open up new opportunities for commercial farmers. The Colorado Legislature has until July 2014 to decide how to regulate hemp.

Hemp has been grown for centuries by farmers, and has proven itself as a very versatile, cash crop. It can be used to make just about anything: rope, paper, plastic, clothing, shoe polish, car parts and even dog chew toys. In addition, hemp is a very hearty plant, allowing it to survive in many different climates without a lot of extra hemp from the farmer.

Even though hemp contains very little of the chemical THC, the active ingredient in pot, the Federal Government still views hemp the same way if sees marijuana: illegal.

“It really doesn’t matter whether it looks different or it looks the same,” says Special Agent Paul Roach of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “If it’s the cannabis plant, it’s in the Controlled Substances Act and, therefore, enforceable under federal drug law.”

Currently, the United States is the only industrialized country that bans hemp. Yet we are also the world’s largest consumer of hemp products. According to an industry association, total sales of products containing hemp are estimated to be around $450 million.