Wyndridge Farm to grow industrial hemp, once banned but making a comeback in Pa.
John BuffoneWyndridge Farm near Dallastown will act as an exclusive grower and provider of industrial hemp to Albright College this spring.
Albright was awarded a Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture permit to research and grow hemp, something the college’s administration is hopeful will lead to new jobs for its students.
“This very exclusive permit creates unique opportunities for Albright students and faculty to participate in data-driven research on the growth, development and marketing of industrial hemp products,” said Albright President Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, Ph.D. in a news release. “We expect the endeavor to provide internship and employment opportunities in a revolutionary industry. Albright students will gain real-time experience of an industry roll out.”
Industrial hemp, once widely grown throughout Pennsylvania, was regulated and banned along with marijuana after World War II. Hemp and marijuana are different varieties of the same plant. Industrial hemp was declassified through the 2018 Farm Bill.
Wyndridge Farm is led by Steve Groff, M.D., an Albright alum, and was named York Business of the Year in 2018.
“There are thousands of uses for industrial hemp,” said Groff. “Part of the need for Pennsylvania is to determine which to focus on first.”
Though industrial hemp is cultivated for fiber, seeds and other uses, federal and state laws require a THC (the psychoactive plant chemical in marijuana) concentration less than 0.3 percent.
Preliminary clinical research on cannabidiol (CBD), one of 113 cannabinoids extracted from hemp, shows potential applications in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety and sleep disorders without the psychoactive effects of THC.
“There is a lot of passion in trying to do things the right way,” Groff said. “There are a lot of unknowns about the health and wellness benefits of cannabinoids, so we need to show integrity in expressing what we do and don’t know, in order to raise the bar on research and education in this rapidly evolving area.”
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