Can Idaho Lead The Hemp Industry? Only If Regulations Change
Idaho, the last U.S. state to legalize industrial hemp in April 2021, has significant potential to become a national leader in hemp cultivation.
However, restrictive regulations are slowing the industry’s growth, leaving farmers frustrated and cautious.
“Everyone’s nervous that it’s marijuana, or that it’s weed, or it’s a stepping stone to weed, but it’s a stepping stone to industrial building,” said Triston Sponseller, one of Idaho’s largest hemp farmers in an article by Hunter Frank on KTVB7.
His operations in Roberts focus on hemp fiber, showcasing the crop’s industrial applications rather than THC or CBD production.
Navigating Stringent Regulations
Idaho’s hemp laws mandate that crops test below 0.3% THC.
This year, Sponseller’s crop tested at 0.8%, forcing him to remove seed heads and bear the cost.
Like others, he used certified seeds that passed in other states but failed Idaho’s stricter requirements. Under the state’s “three strikes” rule, farmers exceeding THC limits three times in five years are banned from growing hemp for another five years.
“It …