Congress could soon approve a bill to fully legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp. But will farmers grow it sustainably and take advantage of its environmental benefits before Big Ag gets in the game?

In 2014, after growing industrial hemp in the U.S. became legal for the first time in almost five decades, organic farmer John Bell applied for a permit and planted a few acres on his 550-acre family farm in central Kentucky.

Even though his grandfather cultivated hemp on the same rolling hills during World War II, his father wasn’t legally able to. As a result, the 48-year-old has faced a steep learning curve since he put the first seeds in the ground four seasons ago. 

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Christina Cooke ~ CivilEats.com ~