Robert Celt
New Member
Industrial hemp growers seeking to cultivate marijuana's workhorse cousin in Saguache County will have to wait a while.
County commissioners voted unanimously earlier this week to impose a six-month moratorium on hemp grows to get a better handle on the industry before issuing regulations.
"This is not in any way a yay or nay to hemp, it's merely a pause to do our research," Commissioner Jason Anderson said.
There are currently no hemp growing operations in the county.
So far there is only one application with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to grow hemp in the county, although that could change as applications continue to come in this spring, said Duane Sinning, assistant director of the department's plants division.
But the county has received several inquiries from the public on whether it would limit or regulate hemp due to the potential for cross pollination between hemp and the seven licensed marijuana growing operations in the county.
Both plants are cannabis but hemp, as it's regulated by the state, can contain no more than 0.3 percent THC, which is the chemical that gives pot its intoxicating high.
Marijuana, on the other hand, averages an 18 percent THC content.
Among the questions the commissioners want to answer is whether and to what extent zoning setbacks are needed between the two crops to prevent cross-pollination.
They also want to study the evolution of hemp's uses.
While the plant's fiber had a long history of multiple uses, much of the current push behind the industry in Colorado is for CBD oil, which has been touted as a way to reduce or cure seizures.
That development has also left Commissioner Ken Anderson (no relation to Jason) wary.
"That opens up a whole new range of issues," he said. "To me it's two different things."
To date, Pueblo County is the only county in the state to issue hemp regulations, so Saguache County will be entering relatively untested waters.
Regulation could be more straightforward as the industry grows and more counties get involved.
But that point hasn't been reached yet, said Eric Bergman, policy director for Colorado Counties Inc., which lobbies on behalf of counties and also advises them on policy matters.
"There's not a lot of there, there yet," Bergman said.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: CO: Saguache County Pauses On Hemp Grows
Author: Matt Hildner
Photo Credit: None found
Website: The Pueblo Chieftain
County commissioners voted unanimously earlier this week to impose a six-month moratorium on hemp grows to get a better handle on the industry before issuing regulations.
"This is not in any way a yay or nay to hemp, it's merely a pause to do our research," Commissioner Jason Anderson said.
There are currently no hemp growing operations in the county.
So far there is only one application with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to grow hemp in the county, although that could change as applications continue to come in this spring, said Duane Sinning, assistant director of the department's plants division.
But the county has received several inquiries from the public on whether it would limit or regulate hemp due to the potential for cross pollination between hemp and the seven licensed marijuana growing operations in the county.
Both plants are cannabis but hemp, as it's regulated by the state, can contain no more than 0.3 percent THC, which is the chemical that gives pot its intoxicating high.
Marijuana, on the other hand, averages an 18 percent THC content.
Among the questions the commissioners want to answer is whether and to what extent zoning setbacks are needed between the two crops to prevent cross-pollination.
They also want to study the evolution of hemp's uses.
While the plant's fiber had a long history of multiple uses, much of the current push behind the industry in Colorado is for CBD oil, which has been touted as a way to reduce or cure seizures.
That development has also left Commissioner Ken Anderson (no relation to Jason) wary.
"That opens up a whole new range of issues," he said. "To me it's two different things."
To date, Pueblo County is the only county in the state to issue hemp regulations, so Saguache County will be entering relatively untested waters.
Regulation could be more straightforward as the industry grows and more counties get involved.
But that point hasn't been reached yet, said Eric Bergman, policy director for Colorado Counties Inc., which lobbies on behalf of counties and also advises them on policy matters.
"There's not a lot of there, there yet," Bergman said.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: CO: Saguache County Pauses On Hemp Grows
Author: Matt Hildner
Photo Credit: None found
Website: The Pueblo Chieftain
