Missouri Senate passes bill for industrial hemp pilot

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Senate has passed a bill to legalize industrial hemp.

The measure to create a hemp-growing pilot program passed 29-3 Thursday. It's now up for consideration in the House, which passed a similar measure by a vote of 141-4 last month.

Hemp, which can be used as raw material for manufacturing, comes from the same plant as marijuana. But it contains very low levels of the psychoactive chemical known as THC.

The bill would require people to get a permit from the Department of Agriculture to grow hemp.

Backers argue growing industrial hemp could help farmers and businesses in the state. But it's been met with skepticism for years by some lawmakers.

Hemp bills are SB 547 and HB 2034