LEONHARDT

WHEELING — West Virginia’s farmers are now being permitted to grow industrial hemp, and Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt is seeking funding for staff to regulate the program.

Leonhardt said he will ask state lawmakers this year for $350,000 to hire employees to oversee inspections of hemp. In addition to this, he will seek one-time funding of $417,500 to update the State Department of Agriculture’s aging laboratories.

Investing in agriculture could help not just improve the quality and safety of West Virginia’s food supply, but also contribute to West Virginia’s economy, according to Leonhardt.

“We have to improve the state’s agricultural laboratories,” he said. “Other states are investing in agriculture, and there is a need in West Virginia for food safety and security.

“Our Department of Agriculture does a lot. It’s one of the tops in the nation, but its labs are antiquated and have to be updated.”

As for hemp’s presence in West Virginia, the plant has been used for centuries as a needed ingredient for paper, textiles, and rope. Its seeds and flowers also can be found in health foods, organic body care, and other nutraceuticals.

It has been considered illegal under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 because it contains a small amount of the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis.

West Virginia began its industrial hemp program on July 4 with a budget of just $9,000, according to Leonhardt. There are 46 licensed growers in the state, and Leonhardt expects that to jump to about 200 this year.

Presently there is just one part-time employee overseeing the inspection of hemp crops. By comparison, the state of Kentucky spent $500,000 on its industrial hemp program last year and employs three inspectors.

“We are requesting $310,000 for personnel upgrades so can have the full staff to run the program effectively,” Leonhardt said. “The result is more income for the state.”

Leonhardt believes the Legislature also can act to raise awareness of buying and consuming food grown in West Virginia.

“We’re building a new awareness about healthy eating and economic diversity in the state,” he said. “If we can start getting people to eat more local foods, we will be creating an opportunity for economic development.”

Leonhardt said he often asks people how many had thrown away vegetables in the last week because they had gone bad. Most will tell them they have.

“I tell them if you bought them at a local farmers’ market, it would have lasted longer,” he said. “People may think it cost more to shop at a farmer’s market, but it doesn’t cost more, if you don’t throw the vegetables away. They have a fresher, longer shelf life than if they are shipped from California or Mexico. You’re also helping the incomes of West Virginia farmers, increasing food security in the state.”

Leonhardt is pushing for more state contracts between vegetable growers in West Virginia and the state’s public schools and prisons. He believes prison inmates can participate in growing gardens while they are incarcerated.

“It gives them a sense of purpose, and it makes them more healthier,” he said. “They often gain 20 to 30 pounds because of the diets they have in prisons. There’s a lot of them on Medicaid, and that also costs the state funds.”

West Virginia also needs to invest in agriculture if it wants to invest in the future of its children, according to Leonhardt.

“It is time to invest in our children’s future by creating policies that reverse the atrocious health trends prevalent today,” he said. “We know healthy eating habits are formed at an early age. We also know our school systems are crucial in the formation of these habits.

“Decades ago, cooks and fresh foods were replaced with heat-and-serve methods that prioritized efficiency and cost over quality and health. Yes, the switch saved money in the short term, but in the long term it has contributed to some of the unhealthiest citizens in the United States. As health care costs continue to consume the bulk of the state budget, we can now see that these short-term savings have led to unintended consequences.”