By KSEE News

Source: ksee24.comUpdated Jul 12, 2011 at 2:15 PM PDT

Shampoo, shirts and milk are just several things that can be made out of hemp. Stratford farmer Charles Meyer has been an advocate for industrial hemp for years. He said, "In the early days hemp was the standard of the economy. It could be a multi-trillion dollar had it kept going from the early days had it hadn't been outlawed because of it's relationship with marijuana."

A bill that would allow the growing of industrial hemp just passed the State Assembly Ag Committee. It would permit the growing of hemp as an eight year pilot program in Kern, Kings and San Joaquin counties. A number of law enforcement agencies are against the plan. They say growers can easily hide marijuana in hemp fields. They add it would bring more crime to the area. Meyer says this isn't the case.

"You can't grow marijuana in a hemp field it would get pollinated by the male plants and would seize to produce the thc or wouldn't produce it at all," said Meyer.

Sheriff's offices in Kings, Kern and San Joaquin counties didn't want to comment on the issue at this time. Former governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar vetoed similar bills to legalize industrial hemp.

The bill clarifies that industrial hemp is different and separate from forms of cannabis to make marijuana.