Hemp production took a significant step forward at Oregon State University’s Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center with the successful testing of a first-of-its-kind machine.
Hemp is far from a new crop in American agriculture, being grown as far back as the 1600s. It became valued for its strong fiber, which was used to make rope, sailcloth, canvas and other textiles. However, production declined as other fibers became more economical and federal regulations increased, such as the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 that imposed taxes and registration requirements, and the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 which placed cannabis under strict federal control, effectively ending widespread commercial hemp production in the United States.
The crop began making its return under the 2014 Farm Bill, which permitted cultivation through certain state and university research programs. The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the federal controlled-substances framework and opened the door to broader commercial production…