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FARM FRIDAY: Part 1: The potential impact to hemp producers

Hemp harvested this fall dries in the drying shed at Fields of Glory near Paonia, Colorado
Lisa Young
/
KVNF
Hemp harvested this fall dries in the drying shed at Fields of Glory near Paonia, Colorado

Changes to hemp regulations in the federal funding bill could have a devastating impact on area producers and small businesses

Last week we heard a report from KLZR’s Stefanie Seer on how potential changes to federal hemp regulations could affect the $28 billion dollar industry. Today we go local with comments from an organic farmer in the North Fork Valley whose business could also be impacted if the bill goes into effect.

On today’s KVNF Farm Friday we visit with Jon Orlando, owner of Rock n’ Roots in Paonia, about the possible changes to the hemp industry affecting producers across the nation. The changes were snuck into the federal funding bill that helped congress re-open the federal government after the latest shutdown.

We’ll have more on this story during next week’s Farm Friday.

Lisa was born in Texas but grew up on a small farm in Olathe, Colorado and considers herself a “Colorado native after six years of age.” Lisa has nine years experience in news reporting. She began her career as a News Director for a small radio station on Colorado's Eastern Plains. Following her initial radio career, Lisa worked as a staff reporter for The Journal Advocate and South Platte Sentinel in Sterling, Colorado and then returned to the Western Slope as staff reporter for the Delta County Independent.