Washington legislators remake hemp program

Washington lawmakers and the state Department of Agriculture are taking down barriers to growing hemp in time for spring planting, though how much farmers will pay in the future for the privilege has not yet been decided. The House Appropriations Committee unanimously endorsed a bill Tuesday that lifts a ban on moving harvested hemp across state lines. The bill also would allow hemp to be grown for CBD, an oil extract marketed for a wide range of ailments.Meanwhile, the agriculture department plans to abolish two rules by April 23. One rule prohibits hemp from being grown within 4 miles of marijuana. The other rule requires farmers to get permission from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to import hemp seeds. The House bill agrees with those steps.