Latest News - Montana issues its first commercial hemp farm license
Montana issues its first commercial hemp farm licenseBy MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press | Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:00 am
BILLINGS - The state this month issued its first license for an industrial hemp-growing operation to a woman who said she wants to develop a domestic market for the plant despite federal law barring its cultivation.
Laura Murphy, of Bozeman, was the first to apply for the two-year license since the state Legislature approved hemp's commercial cultivation in 2001.
Federal law prohibits such activity, but the license issued by the Montana Agriculture Department on Oct. 14 could challenge whether the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is willing to override the state.
