Hemp started out as one of the biggest industrial products in United States history. During the time of our founding fathers hemp was used in almost every product, the Declaration of Independence was even written on hemp paper. Hemp can lead to biofuels, food products, and industrial products ranging anywhere from paper to building materials. Ever since the early twentieth century though hemp has been outlawed and replaced by many less environmentally friendly products such as paper from trees. This leads us to believe that The legalization of industrial hemp could lead to positive effects on our agricultural lifestyle, have a beneficial impact on the environment, and the production of multiple biofuels.

Currently agriculture isn’t nearly as big of a money maker for the american economy as it was in the near past. Industrial hemp has the ability and promise to change this. Hemp can grow any where in the United States and has the capability to grow into a larger market. In 1916, the U.S. Department of Agriculture chief scientists Lyster H. Dewe and Jason L. Merrill stated that hemp hurds were “favorable in comparison with those used with pulp wood.” (wikipedia) In a finding by the University of Kentucky it was found that farmers in Kentucky could earn roughly $120 per acre when growing industrial hemp for straw alone or straw and grain, and $340 and acre from growing certified hemp seed. Industrial hemp also is more effective than other crops at reducing selected weeds. Still with so much opposition towards industrial hemp getting it to become part of our everyday economic and agricultural lifestyle could still end up taking years. But if it were to be widely legalized we believe it could change things forever.

Hemp, crop wise, is a very environmentally friendly plant, mostly because it requires very few pesticides and no herbicides. Also because it’s incredibly robust and grows fast which means it can take away from cutting down trees. There are numerous environmental advantages to hemp (Smith-Heisters) Currently, results say that high yields of hemp would require total nutrient similar to a high yield wheat crop. Hemp also produces 20% -40% more oxygen than would be polluted if it were to be used as a type of fuel. Hemp has the ability to restore soil because of its long roots which act as soil replenishers and help stop topsoil erosion. Also for every 4 acres of trees required annually to make paper, only an acre of hemp would be needed thus severely slowing down deforestation. Thirty years ago when the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred hemp