Hemp

Marijuana manufacturer Delta Extraction has denied accusations that it illegally imported cannabis into Missouri, arguing it actually imported a non-psychoactive hemp product that was converted into THC once in the state. But dispensaries said they had no idea Delta's product was made from hemp.

Missouri dispensary owners say they had no idea they were paying marijuana prices for a "synthetic" THC that had been converted from hemp. State regulators last month issued a product recall that pulled more than 60,000 items off the shelves.

Fewer Kansas farmers are signing up to grow hemp each year, likely because of the diminishing demand for CBD oil. But hemp advocates say there are markets for hemp fiber and grains that could still be a boon for Kansas.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last month that it will not apply dietary supplement regulations to the hemp product CBD. The announcement has been frustrating for hemp farmers who have been waiting years for regulation.

Advocacy groups consider the move harassment of business owners. Cannabis products are legal in Kansas only with very small amounts of hemp-derived THC.

Researchers at Kansas State University said hemp could be a natural way to decrease stress-related respiratory infections and other ailments when cattle are being transported or weaned off their mothers.

After coming to Kansas City to train in journalism, a young reporter is now back in Ukraine — where she is observing from the front lines as her home country becomes a war zone. Plus, a couple in Missouri hopes to create the state’s first Black-owned hemp processing site.

There’s a glaring disparity issue in industrial hemp production — just 6% of producers are Black. A couple in Missouri hopes to create the state’s first Black-owned hemp processing site.

For the first time, the USDA reported nation-wide numbers on hemp production. Industry experts hope it will bring new investments into processing centers to support Midwestern farmers.

Hemp farmers find it hard to locate processors for their crops, making it hard for the industrial hemp industry to get a footing in the state.

The USDA has published final rules for hemp production in 2021, although Midwest farmers could still be in for a difficult year.

For many farmers, 2019 was the first year of growing hemp, since it became legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. In addition to the normal challenges of...