With their water wells dropping, two farmers from the far southwest corner of Kansas flew a 1967 Cessna Wednesday morning to Topeka – all in support of hemp.

With their water wells dropping, two farmers from the far southwest corner of Kansas flew a 1967 Cessna Wednesday morning to Topeka – all in support of hemp.

Across the country, advocates are hailing industrial hemp as a miracle crop. Some Floridians even think the plant could surpass oranges as an agricultural powerhouse. But lawmakers in the capitol are urging caution.

Across the country, advocates are hailing industrial hemp as a miracle crop. Some Floridians even think the plant could surpass oranges as an agricultural powerhouse. But lawmakers in the capitol are urging caution.

A coalition of Republican lawmakers in New Hampshire has pre-filed a bill that would prohibit hemp’s designation as a controlled substance in the state, thereby legalizing full-scale commercial hemp farming and treating hemp just like any other agricultural crop.

A coalition of Republican lawmakers in New Hampshire has pre-filed a bill that would prohibit hemp’s designation as a controlled substance in the state, thereby legalizing full-scale commercial hemp farming and treating hemp just like any other agricultural crop.

Real-world research in more than a dozen states in recent years is giving farmers new understanding of how to grow industrial hemp and showing that it has promise to be a viable commercial crop in the U.S.

The hemp program in Kentucky is in its infancy, having just 2,350 acres grown last year and 922 acres in 2015.

Hemp initiatives in states from tiny Rhode Island in the east to expansive Washington state in the USA’s northwest are seeing advances as proponents of the crop see its potential to revive the farm sector and boost state tax coffers — sooner or later.

Hemp initiatives in states from tiny Rhode Island in the east to expansive Washington state in the USA’s northwest are seeing advances as proponents of the crop see its potential to revive the farm sector and boost state tax coffers — sooner or later.

Maybe you have heard of hemp in recent years, as momentum behind a movement to legalize the agricultural crop has grown with federal legislation and some states supporting it.

Maybe you have heard of hemp in recent years, as momentum behind a movement to legalize the agricultural crop has grown with federal legislation and some states supporting it.

Hemp industry representatives set out on Capitol Hill to press their case to ease federal restrictions on the cash crop, one they say has lucrative future in the U.S.

Hemp industry representatives set out on Capitol Hill to press their case to ease federal restrictions on the cash crop, one they say has lucrative future in the U.S.

DENVER (AP) -- Colorado livestock could be eating hemp under a bill that passed the state Senate Tuesday.

Cannabis: It’s not just for medicinal or recreational purposes. At least that's what one commercial grower hopes.

A bill that would legalize hemp production in New Mexico passed another legislative hurdle on Monday.

A bill that would legalize hemp production in New Mexico passed another legislative hurdle on Monday.

31 states have passed legislation allowing hemp research or production.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. – The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is announcing that three industrial hemp seed varieties have passed the statewide THC validation and observation trial and are now eligible to be grown by the Colorado Seed Growers Association for production of “CDA Approved Certified Seed.”

BROOMFIELD, Colo. – The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is announcing that three industrial hemp seed varieties have passed the statewide THC validation and observation trial and are now eligible to be grown by the Colorado Seed Growers Association for production of “CDA Approved Certified Seed.”

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - The medical marijuana bill, which is currently in discussion in the state Senate, and a law that would allow farmers to grow industrial hemp are two separate issues.

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - The medical marijuana bill, which is currently in discussion in the state Senate, and a law that would allow farmers to grow industrial hemp are two separate issues.

Could industrial hemp be the rotational crop of the future in the Midwest?

There’s a common misconception that’s been confusing people for decades: Hemp is marijuana.

There’s a common misconception that’s been confusing people for decades: Hemp is marijuana.

HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — History was made at the North Carolina-Tennessee border Friday night as the first permitted industrial hemp plants were trucked into the mountains.

There’s one piece of legislation that seems to be getting broad bipartisan support in Springfield.

There’s one piece of legislation that seems to be getting broad bipartisan support in Springfield.

Like marijuana, industrial hemp comes from the cannabis plant, but it does not have large concentrations of the compound that makes marijuana a high-inducing drug.

Like marijuana, industrial hemp comes from the cannabis plant, but it does not have large concentrations of the compound that makes marijuana a high-inducing drug.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators who have resisted proposals to legalize marijuana for medical use are advancing a proposal aimed at making the state an industrial hemp powerhouse.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators who have resisted proposals to legalize marijuana for medical use are advancing a proposal aimed at making the state an industrial hemp powerhouse.

The Kentucky Senate has passed a bill to update state law governing hemp production.

The Kentucky Senate has passed a bill to update state law governing hemp production.

The state House of Representatives on Tuesday passed yet another bill that would legalize research on industrial hemp.

The state House of Representatives on Tuesday passed yet another bill that would legalize research on industrial hemp.

BISMARCK — The 2014 Farm Bill allowed for universities and state departments of agriculture to create pilot programs for the growing of industrial hemp. But it didn’t change the Controlled Substances Act or make hemp completely legal.

BISMARCK — The 2014 Farm Bill allowed for universities and state departments of agriculture to create pilot programs for the growing of industrial hemp. But it didn’t change the Controlled Substances Act or make hemp completely legal.

The state will receive a total of 84,250 pounds of industrial hemp seed this year with seed distributed in 50-pound bags.

The state will receive a total of 84,250 pounds of industrial hemp seed this year with seed distributed in 50-pound bags.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Real-world research in more than a dozen states in recent years is giving farmers new understanding of how to grow industrial hemp and showing that it has promise to be a viable commercial crop in the U.S.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Real-world research in more than a dozen states in recent years is giving farmers new understanding of how to grow industrial hemp and showing that it has promise to be a viable commercial crop in the U.S.

Pennsylvania farmers are being invited to participate in a Hemp Pilot Research program that will contribute toward a better understanding of what could be a new cash crop in the commonwealth.

Industrial hemp gets a bad rap, advocates say.

Industrial hemp gets a bad rap, advocates say.

The pilot research program comes as state officials try to make sense of contradictory federal law.

The pilot research program comes as state officials try to make sense of contradictory federal law.

Not to be confused with illicit marijuana, useful plant draws interest as crop option at U's ag campus.

Not to be confused with illicit marijuana, useful plant draws interest as crop option at U's ag campus.