The two-month period during which Colorado farmers could register to grow industrial hemp for the 2014 growing season closed on May 1. And as of 4:30 p.m. that day, state records show that 42 people or businesses were approved to grow hemp and another 53 had applied but were not yet approved.
And there may be more on the way. Colorado Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Christi Lightcap says more applications may trickle in, since they simply had to be postmarked — not received — by May 1. A few of the applicants stand out, including a county government and Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
The list of registrants provided to us by the Colorado Department of Agriculture doesn’t include any details about where or what Costilla County intends to grow. It only indicates that the county was approved to grow hemp for research and development purposes rather than commercial purposes.
Read from Westword writer Melanie Asmar over at The Latest Word.