Hemp farming applications continue to grow in West Virginia and Illinois

West Virginia and Illinois farmers are submitting an increasing number of applications to grow industrial hemp this year. The West Virginia Agriculture Department says the number of licenses issued to farmers grew from 46 last year to 158 this year. The agency also said the number of acres dedicated to hemp farming will grow this year as well. It’s a big jump as farmers planted 155 acres of hemp last year and plan to put in 1,532 acres this year. West Virginia Ag Commissioner Kent Leonhardt says farmers are excited to have a new crop to plant. Illinois farmers also have a growing desire to plant industrial hemp this year. The Chicago Tribune says farmers have swamped Illinois regulators with requests to grow the crop and they did so as soon as the application process began. Since Tuesday of this week, nearly 300 farmers have asked to grow industrial hemp. Another 74 applications to process the crop have already come in. The Illinois Department of Agriculture has already approved 100 of those applications to grow the crop and another 29 licenses to process it. Officials say their goal is to approve more licenses in time for spring planting.