Growers, manufacturers tout hemp at Nebraska Legislature hearing

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Agriculture Committee of the Nebraska Legislature held a couple of hearings on Tuesday relating to hemp.

One specific bill, LB 263, would align state regulations with current federal law.

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During the hearing, there were numerous supporters and a couple of testifiers who were neutral. There was no one who spoke in opposition.

Supporters included the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, which asked the committee to introduce the bill; the Nebraska Farmers Union; and those in the hemp business.

Hemp producers and processors spoke about hemp’s uses, as well as its advantages for the environment.

Jacob Bish, a founding member of Global Fiber Processing, said his company worked with the University of Nebraska to develop a hemp-based cinder block.

Due to the nature of hemp, the block is carbon negative, meaning it takes in more carbon from the environment than it puts out.

It’s also a great insulator and is flame, water and pest-resistant.

The goal of the bill is to entice farmers to grow hemp and manufacturers to set up shop in Nebraska.

“Once you have manufacturers that want to manufacture with it, that demands growers and then they can allow for a processing facility to come in to facilitate that,” Bish said.