Purdue ready to plant legal hemp

Goshen News
Ronald Turco has conducted critical research in his 30 years at Purdue University but his current project is the first to be vetted by federal drug agents.

An agronomist, Turco has spent months clearing hurdles to begin the first legal production of industrial hemp in decades in Indiana. Facing questions from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was just one of many steps in getting the cannabis seeds into the ground.

“You can’t just open up a catalog on the Internet and buy the stuff," he said. "It’s not like ordering a couple bags of seed corn that just show up on your doorstep the next day.”
http://www.goshennews.com/news/purdue-ready-to-plant-legal-hemp/article_e2b3cc4d-eb18-5662-a2b8-e449192f2171.html

Hemp: still too scary for Indiana

NUVO
This, of course, was ditch weed. Hemp. It grew wild in uncultivated fields like a kind of muscle memory from Indiana’s agricultural past. As we soon found out, it made for awful smoking.
http://www.nuvo.net/Hoppe/archives/2015/04/24/hemp-still-too-scary-for-indiana

Purdue industrial hemp pilot project fires up

AgriNews
In addition to Purdue’s pilot projects, a capstone class is being offered at the Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
 
“Agricultural and Industrial Business Ecosystem around Hemp” has been approved for spring 2015.
 
The purpose of the class is to explore, develop and recommend a comprehensive business ecosystem supportive of industrial hemp for use as a source of electricity, biofuels and value-added byproducts from the conversion process. 

“The project scope encompasses seed development, agriculture, pre-processing, transport, manufacturing and distribution,” Campbell said. 
http://agrinews-pubs.com/Content/News/MoneyNews/Article/Purdue-industrial-hemp-pilot-project-fires-up/8/27/11957

Support to grow industrial hemp in Indiana gains steam

AGRINEWS
A crowd gathered here to watch Bringing It Home, a documentary about the industrial hemp industry.
 
The 55-minute movie discussed the uses of hemp in textiles, food and building materials, as well as the regulations preventing U.S. farmers from growing it. 

“We’re getting all our hemp seed from Canada and all our (hemp) fiber from China,” said Jamie Campbell, president of the Indiana Hemp Industries Association. “China is the leading exporter of hemp; we’re the leading importer. 

“We believe that our farmers deserve the opportunity to grow hemp. We have land and engineers — so why can’t we manufacture it here? I look to Howard County — you have the tools and everything right here. The job market needs you.”
http://agrinews-pubs.com/Content/News/MoneyNews/Article/Support-to-grow-industrial-hemp-in-Indiana-gains-steam/8/27/11604