Scientists Expanding Work To Help Farmers Learn About Industrial Hemp

With the passage of the 2018 federal farm bill and new regulations that allow the crop to be grown for sale for a range of uses, hemp production in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania has taken off, with more than 300 permits approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture this year.

“Industrial hemp is spurring excitement among Pennsylvania growers and nongrowers alike,” said Alyssa Collins, director of Penn State’s Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Manheim, Lancaster County.

Industrial hemp – a variety of the cannabis plant – is a renewable resource grown for raw ma...