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Illinois ag department sorting through USDA hemp regulatory framework

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is busy studying the USDA’s new hemp guidelines released last week.

Jeff Cox tells Brownfield there are 170 pages to sort through.

“There’s a few surprises. There are a few things that we don’t quite understand yet. But overall it is what it is so we will continue to determine how it is going to effect our current hemp program.”

For the first year of hemp production in Illinois, Cox says he is mainly hearing positive things from growers, but he does get frequent calls from producers looking for buyers and processors, and 2019 weather did take a toll on some of the crop.

“We are hearing some reports of CB flowers just rotting in the fields because of moisture which then turns to mold.”

He says they are anxious to hear more from Illinois hemp growers about the 2019 growing season to help shape the Illinois guidelines. 

Cox encourages farmers to submit comments on the USDA hemp rules, which ultimately shape the Illinois hemp guidelines.