Many struggling farmers across the Chesapeake Bay states have embraced hemp – thanks to its many possible uses – as a potential saving grace during these challenging times, writes Ad Crable for The Southern Maryland Chronicle.

A Gold Rush mentality has erupted in this region, as the federal and state governments have now started removing the barriers to growing the plant that was banned due to its likeness to marijuana.

But while hemp backers continue to praise the plant as a sustainable alternative to plastics, cotton, and fossil fuels, much is still unknown about its future economic and environmental impacts.

Samuel Fisher, an Amish farmer in Chester County, is growing hemp as a source of CBD oil. So far, he has noticed that the plant requires plenty of nutrients from fertilizer and a lot of work to keep it healthy.

“For dairy farmers who are struggling, it could either keep them in business or put them out of business very quickly,” said Fisher. “You can’t just plant it in a field and pretend it’s going to grow and come out two months later to harvest it. We have two to three people in the field every day.”

Read more about hemp in The Southern Maryland Chronicle here.

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