Ottoman’s, a Newmarket catalogue clothing and accessories firm, employs 50 people and has sales of $5 million. When the hemp fashion craze was at its height a few years ago, hemp products accounted for nearly a quarter of its sales.
Ottoman’s, a Newmarket catalogue clothing and accessories firm, employs 50 people and has sales of $5 million. When the hemp fashion craze was at its height a few years ago, hemp products accounted for nearly a quarter of its sales.
In 1999, The Body Shop bought $108,553 worth of hempseed oil. We anticipate this figure will almost double in the coming year,” the letter reads. Mark Lathrop, a Chesterfield farmer, said Roddick promised to buy his entire crop of hempseed if the bill passes.
Much of the interest appears to be economic. Hemp, according to industry estimates, grosses between $308 and $410 an acre, about three times as much as wheat. Still, opponents include many in the law enforcement industry, as well as the Legislature.
House lawmakers yesterday stunned law enforcers by giving initial approval to a bill legalizing the hemp industry in New Hampshire. Opponents said they would seek to overturn the House decision as soon as this afternoon, while law enforcement officials vowed to renew their fight against the bill.
The bill would let New Hampshire farmers grow hemp after obtaining a permit. The state would issue licenses to grow hemp and be the sole supplier of the seed. The state also would regulate the industry.