Hempire State Growers: Seeding a Better Future for Cannabis Farmers

Agriculture has never been an industry known for its cushy margins. With the recent legalization of recreational cannabis in New York, however, there are many interested parties hoping to get in on their share of the harvest. But for Amy and Gail Hepworth of Hempire State Growers, interest in cannabis has always been about ensuring that the health and well-being of the Hudson Valley farming community remains front and center.

CHRONOGRAM

High hopes for legal marijuana to drive climate and racial justice in New York

Proponents of growing marijuana outdoors say that the scale of indoor-grow operations that are likely to come to New York, and their resulting greenhouse gas emissions, make outdoor grows all the more important.

“There's massive money in this space,” said Jason Minard, in-house counsel for Hempire State Farms, a collective of organic farms that grow hemp and produce.

SPECTRUM NEWS

As state hemp market goes to pot, growers eye switch to marijuana

SISTERS EYE GROWING MARKET — Gail Hepworth, right, and Amy Hepworth, sisters and co-owners of Hepworth Farms, pose for a picture on bags full of hemp plants at Hepworth Farms in Milton on Monday. Farmers dealing with depressed prices for plants that produce CBD extract are eager to take part in a statewide marijuana market expected to generate billions of dollars a year once retail sales start.

WASHINGTON POST

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