Twenty South Carolina farmers will be able to grow up to 20 acres of industrial hemp this year as part of a research project. (The number of permit holders could increase to 40 in 2018.)
Thanks to H.3359 being passed by the South Carolina General Assembly, S.C.'s Department of Agriculture will approve 20 permits for farmers to grow hemp as part of a pilot program. But it comes at a cost. The application process includes a $50 non-refundable fee and if you are approved, there is a $400 permit fee.
Each applicant will be vetted by the Department of Agriculture + the FBI. Industrial hemp is defined as having less than .3% THC (the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana). For reference, a gram of marijuana has roughly 180 mg of THC.
“Anything above that [.3 percent THC concentration] is considered marijuana and is illegal in the state,” SCDA says.
Industrial hemp can be used for rope, clothing, food, paper, insulation, and more.
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