Illinois farmers are one step closer to growing hemp. The Illinois Department of Agriculture released the proposed regulations for growing industrial hemp on Dec. 28, 2018. Although Governor Bruce Rauner signed the Industrial Hemp Act in August, planting was delayed pending regulations.
Industrial hemp is used for CBD oil, food, clothing fiber and food, according to Liz Rupel, the policy organizer at Illinois Stewardship Alliance.
“We are pretty pleased with what the Department of Agriculture produced,” Rupel said. “This is very inclusive for smaller farmers, too.”