A pair of bills allowing commercial hemp farming in Connecticut have cleared their first hurdle, winning unanimous approval from the legislatures environment committee.
Advocates were emboldened by the move, but acknowledged the measures still have a long way to go.
Definitely, we feel encouraged, said Jeff Wentzel, head of the Connecticut Hemp Industry Association, an advocacy group. This has a good shot, but theres still going to be some heavy lifting.
HARTFORD — Legislators on the Environment Committee last week were urged to jump on board — quickly — to allow Connecticut farmers, especially the next generation of farmers, to become part of the growing list of states that have embraced cultivation of hemp as a way to revitalize the farming industry.
Read MoreWEST SIMSBURY Connecticut farmers are desperately eager to take advantage of new federal legislation legalizing potentially lucrative hemp crops, but theyre worried a delay in state action could give other U.S. farmers a big head start in the hemp game.
Can we get the state to move quick enough to plant this spring? asks Don Tuller, a West Simsbury farmer and president of the Connecticut Farm Bureau.
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