NY: Broome's First Modern-Day Hemp Crop Is In The Ground

Ron Strider

Well-Known Member
The first industrial hemp crop in Broome County in 80 years has been planted at Nanticoke Gardens.

"We're trying to compete to be one of the centers in the country, if not the center," said New York State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, D-Endwell. The crop represents a combined partnership of Nanticoke Gardens, Binghamton University's School of Pharmacy and Southern Tier Hemp.

Lupardo passed legislation for New York State's Industrial Hemp program in 2014 and wrote a bill in 2016 that expanded the program to allow for the transportation, processing, distribution and sale of hemp grown for research.

On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited Cornell University to sign a bill that categorizes industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity.

That gave it the same protections as any other crop and establishes a working group to guide research, support industry development and launch resources to help producers and processors navigate industry regulations and requirements.

Nanticoke Garden's crop will be grown specifically for medicinal and nutritional benefits. The plants do not contain THC but have high concentrations of cannabidiol, which will be researched by BU's pharmacy school for its medical benefits.

"What's been missing for a long time is the research," Lupardo said.

It's been about 80 years since Broome County last had a legally grown crop of hemp in its soil, Lupardo said.

She said BU will look specifically into the crop's effect on inflammation and pain.

Nanticoke Gardens is growing 15,000 plants, spanning five acres of land. By the time they are grown, they will stand at about 4 feet tall. Signage at Nanticoke Gardens indicates the plants are legal and do not contain THC.

Representatives of Nanticoke Gardens expect the plants to begin flowering in August and will harvest them in mid-October.

Once harvested, Southern Tier Hemp will process the plants and send the oil to the pharmacy school for research.

Gloria Meredith, the dean of the School of Pharmacy, said the school has geneticists and immunologists who study the benefits of hemp.

"This fits right into the vision of the pharmacy school," Meredith said.

Nanticoke Gardens received the plants as small cuttings, not seeds, grown at one of Southern Tier Hemp's research and processing partners in Kentucky.

While Southern Tier Hemp is headquartered in Syracuse, representatives said they hope to bring local offices to the area.

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Full Article: Broome's first modern-day hemp crop is in the ground
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