Sussex County’s legislative representatives recently commended the state and Agriculture Secretary Doug Fisher for quick work on the rules allowing the production of hemp and hemp products in the new year.
Sen. Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths, all R-24th Dist., sponsored legislation, signed into law in August, paving the way for the production in the Garden State of industrial hemp, a strain of the cannabis sativa plant that is grown specifically for industrial uses.
The state Department of Agriculture released its rules last week after getting a green light from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“This is good news for farmers, businesses and consumers in New Jersey,” said Oroho in a prepared statement. “Hemp is a versatile and profitable cash crop that can bring new revenue to cash-strapped farmers. I am pleased the state has taken the necessary steps to make this opportunity a reality in 2020.”
According to the agriculture department, applications for the 2020 New Jersey Hemp Program are expected to be available on it website within the next week.