Senate Approves Legalizing Industrial Hemp In Indiana

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INDIANA:  The Senate voted unanimously Monday to pass legislation that would legalize the farming and production of industrial hemp in Indiana.

Senate Bill 357 – authored by Sen. Richard Young, D-Milltown – now moves to the House for consideration.

The bill does not affect the state’s marijuana laws. Instead, it legalizes the production of one of its botanical cousins. Hemp is a multipurpose crop that can be used in the production of textiles, foods, plastics, building materials and medicines but it doesn’t have enough tetrahydrocannabinol – known as THC – for someone to use it as a drug.

“You could not ingest enough of this material to get high in any way – to have hallucinogenic benefits,” Young said. “What you would do is get sick.” [Read more…]

Statehouse Update: Industrial Hemp Could Be Indiana’s Next Cash Crop

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INDIANA: Indiana’s agriculture sector has long been the backbone of the Hoosier economy. In 2011 alone, the Indiana Business Research Center estimates Indiana ag contributed $37.9 billion in economic output and supported 190,000 jobs. To ensure agriculture remains a vital driver of economic activity, it’s imperative lawmakers consider common sense options to improving and diversifying yields. [Read more…]