LEDYARD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut’s hemp industry is beginning to take off.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week that the state has licensed 82 hemp growers, two processors, and 21 manufacturers under a pilot program the Democrat signed into law earlier this year.
The law allows for the cultivation, harvesting, processing, and manufacturing of hemp plants and by-products in the state. In total, there are 294 acres of land being used to grow hemp in Connecticut.
Under the law, which created a new industrial hemp research project, anyone who plans to manufacture hemp products that are consumed in any way by people — such as food products, lotions or oils — must obtain a license from the state Department of Consumer Protection.
Lamont said the program is creating more opportunities in the agricultural industry.
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