Publication Date

3-17-2022

Document Type

Working Paper

Advisor

Professor John Hall

Journal of Economic Literature Classification Codes

N5, N12, N52

Key Words

Agriculture, Government Regulation, Industrial Hemp, United States, World War Two

Abstract

This inquiry seeks to establish that in the United States the growing and processing of industrial hemp faced an array of barriers. Its involvement in the effort during World War Two was successful and experienced high praise from the federal government. While hemp provided measurable and grand benefits as a strategic war crop, its importance diminished sharply as the United States transitioned out of the war era. What was once a highly desirable crop became a demonized crop that gradually faded into the background of the American economy. Despite its initial positive portrayal, the utilization of industrial hemp was essentially nonexistent until the turn of the 21st century. As the industrial hemp industry went on a fifty-year hiatus, it became apparent that strict government regulations played a critical role. But with softened government restrictions, industrial hemp has potential to make an entrance back into the market and become a high growth industry producing an array of products for contemporary times.

Rights

© 2022 Olivia Carrillo

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/38590

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