Indiana takes steps toward research for industrial hemp

Industrial hemp, a strain of the cannabis plant, which has a low concentration of the psychoactive drug compound tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is making significant steps toward the process to becoming legal.

Purdue University has fired up a pilot project, which will research hemp products and focus on varietal performance, economics of production and regulatory oversight of the plant.

Ronald Turco, assistant dean in the department of agriculture at Purdue University said researchers are interested in looking at hemp plant material and developing recommendations for people who want to grow it in the state. The initial pilot project is estimated to span over three years.

“This isn’t like a normal project, I’ve never had a background check for a normal project,” said Turco. “It has a federal component to it but we hope to be in the ground this spring and to have plants up this year. That will probably happen but we’re still waiting for federal approval.”

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