PA: Hope For Hemp - Seeds Of Opportunity

Katelyn Baker

Well-Known Member
If industrial hemp's time really has come, it's wise for Westmoreland County to get in on the ground floor of a potential cash crop with a vast array of uses.

With the state Department of Agriculture set to approve 30 research projects of five acres each for 2017's growing season, state Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Greensburg, hosted a recent roundtable discussion at the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce on Hemp's possibilities. Kudos to all who took part for their early consideration of a potential new source of economic vitality.

Indeed, hemp – marijuana's botanical cousin, but so low in psychoactive THC that it's useless as an intoxicant – is a sort of wonder plant. The Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council says growing it "requires little to no pesticides or irrigation." Its deep roots aerate soil, fight erosion and remove contaminants, making it intriguing for brownfield sites.

And various parts of the plant and their derivatives can be used in making rope, textiles, paper, cardboard, insulation, concrete-like block, food, paint, soap and more, presenting post-harvest processing opportunities for Westmoreland, too.

The county has ample farmland and brownfield sites. And it certainly could use the economic boost that hemp could provide to its agriculture and industry.

Here's hoping that at least one of those 30 research projects is Westmoreland's next step toward capitalizing on hemp's tantalizing promise.

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News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Hope For Hemp - Seeds Of Opportunity
Author: Staff
Contact: Trib Live
Photo Credit: Flickr
Website: Trib Live
 
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