LEXINGTON, Ky. — The latest hemp update from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) took place, ironically, at a tobacco warehouse where a packed house heard several speakers including state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer report on the status of the crop entering season two of research production.

He told those at the G.F. Vaughan Tobacco Warehouse #23 they were there to brand Kentucky as a leader in industrial hemp production. “We want to make Kentucky synonymous with hemp, like Idaho with potatoes,” said Comer.

He also said the response from growers and processor to participate in this year’s research projects was overwhelming, considering it is a new program. “We had 326 applications received, 121 participants approved for 2015, and this included seven universities in Kentucky.”

Comer remarked how appropriate it was to hold the press conference in a tobacco facility and that many in attendance were current or former tobacco farmers. In fact, it was Derek Vaughan, CEO of Vaughan Tobacco, who next offered remarks.

He emphasized his is a “tobacco family,” being involved in the state’s industry for more than a century. “We’re the last remaining tobacco processor in Kentucky … which is an indication of where the tobacco capacity in this state has gone,” he explained.

Vaughan also said while he has been on the “peripheral” of the hemp movement for about the last 15 years, it wasn’t until Comer took up the cause after getting into office that it gained teeth and hopefully will provide another crop for farmers.

“Kentucky has an incredible agricultural heritage and capacity. We were the largest burley producers in the world, so we’ve got farmers out there that can grow anything and this may be the opportunity, we certainly hope so, for them to grow another crop,” he said.

A variety of speakers followed, including those from hemp processing, growers and advocates, many of whom made note of how popular hemp was at one time in Kentucky. The state once led the nation in industrial hemp production. One of those speakers is Andy Graves, CEO of Atalo Holdings, a holding company for three hemp businesses.

He said Atalo has the largest hemp grower group in Kentucky, with 30 in 12 counties planting 545 acres. “You may not believe this, but you’re standing in the heart of hemp country today,” Graves said. “No one else is doing what Kentucky is doing.”

With the passage of state Senate Bill 50 two years ago, Kentucky became one of the first states to enact legislation that set up an administrative framework for the production of industrial hemp once federal restrictions were lifted. Comer said through the investments being made by the companies represented at the event and others, jobs are being created.

“Hemp equals jobs and true economic development, which is what we predicted when we launched Senate Bill 50 two years ago,” he said.

Will Snell, a University of Kentucky agricultural economist and tobacco expert, said tobacco, while on the downturn, is still a viable industry. “Tobacco is not going to go away, but as businesspeople in the farming community look for other opportunities as the price of corn goes down and the price of cattle goes down, you have to find something to supplement,” he pointed out.

He added it’s important to get ahead during this research phase of hemp production, to learn more about the equipment that will be needed along with what varieties will grow best in the state. Kentucky still has a valuable tobacco infrastructure with equipment that could be repurposed and used in hemp production.

“With some uncertainty of the future, you don’t want to go out and buy a lot of expensive equipment and if we can have some dual purposes, it would certainly be beneficial to our farmers,” said Snell.

Adam Watson, KDA Industrial Hemp Program coordinator, is satisfied in the interest in hemp from both the grower perspective and the processors. “We see that processors are key to the future of the industrial hemp economy and we’ve got to be able to value-add and capture the value of the farm products here in Kentucky with that process,” he said.

Watson also noted with many tobacco farmers looking to diversify their operations, hemp plays well into this process and is sorely needed for those efforts.

For more information online on industrial hemp, the pilot projects and hemp’s history in Kentucky, go to www. kyagr.com/hemp