In Oklahoma, Governor Mary Fallin signed House Bill 2913 by Senator Lonnie Paxton, Representative Jon Echols and Representative Mickey Dollens that now allows Oklahoma farmers to grow industrial hemp. The bill creates the Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Agricultural Pilot Program which allows universities or farmers contracted by universities to cultivate certified hemp crops for research and development for industrial uses.
“Currently, Oklahoma can import hemp but can’t grow it. This will help diversify our state’s struggling economy and will provide a tremendous boost to the agriculture industry,” said Paxton, R-Tuttle to KJRH News. “This new industry will potentially create thousands of jobs and put hundreds of millions of dollars a year into our economy. There’s a strong possibility that it could easily become a $1 billion industry.”