Hemp Legally Harvested in Minnesota for First Time in Over 60 Years

By Tyler Berg
Source: kstp.com

Minnesota hemp was legally harvested Wednesday in Minnesota for the first time in more than 60 years.

The Industrial Hemp Development Act of 2015 allowed researchers from the University of Minnesota to collect wild hemp to be studied. On Wednesday, researchers scoured the overgrown grounds of Fort Snelling for the wild cannabis.

"These belong to the same species as marijuana," Dr. George Weiblen said. "They're treated as controlled substances, by law."

Weiblen and Jonathan Wenger have been studying hemp for more than a decade.

"Until now, we have not been able to collect wild cannabis seed in the United States," Weiblen said. "Our previous work has been based on seeds that we imported from the Netherlands and Canada."

After simply sitting and growing untouched for more than 60 years, everything from the collected hemp's fiber and seeds will be studied. It could potentially lead to the development of a strain that could flourish even better in Minnesota.

"Our aim is to breed and create new varieties in the hope that a domestic hemp industry might be reborn in the United States," Weiblen said.

While the wild hemp collected at Fort Snelling may look and even smell like traditional pot, Weiblen said it has very little THC. He added that instead of getting someone high, it would likely give them a headache and legal trouble.

Research finds that hemp is stretching beyond cosmetics, foods and fibers. Weiblen said it's also being used in industrial products. However, none of Minnesota's plants can be used until laws are changed.

"We see the market trending in this direction," Weiblen said. "Many states, nearly half, have passed hemp legislation in the last decade."

In the meantime, Weiblen plans to take advantage of the latest hemp legislation. He said if any further legislation does come, the U of M's studies could better prepare Minnesota for hemp harvesting.

"For some, it's a vice. For others, it's a virtue," Weiblen said. "Until we have better science to better understand what this plant is and what it can do for us, good and bad, my research isn't done."