The Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association was incorporated on March 30, 1942. by F.G. Clay and nineteen other Central Kentucky farmers. The Co-op was tasked with planting 2,100 acres of hemp fiber to support military operations during World War II.
On April 5th, 1952 Floyd G. Clay was elected president of the Co-op, along with Fr
The Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association was incorporated on March 30, 1942. by F.G. Clay and nineteen other Central Kentucky farmers. The Co-op was tasked with planting 2,100 acres of hemp fiber to support military operations during World War II.
On April 5th, 1952 Floyd G. Clay was elected president of the Co-op, along with Frank Bohannon Vice President and Jack Steele Secretary/Treasurer
In June 1942, the Farm Journal wrote; “All the hempseed available in the U.S. is stacked in this Kentucky warehouse under armed guard. Next year, USDA hopes, there’ll be enough to grow 350,000 acres.”
The tobacco warehouse in this picture shows military soldiers guarding bags of hemp confiscated from Perry Glass, a central Kentucky farmer
In June 1942, the Farm Journal wrote; “All the hempseed available in the U.S. is stacked in this Kentucky warehouse under armed guard. Next year, USDA hopes, there’ll be enough to grow 350,000 acres.”
The tobacco warehouse in this picture shows military soldiers guarding bags of hemp confiscated from Perry Glass, a central Kentucky farmer and businessman..
Perry traveled across Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky buying all the available seed he could find, cornering the United States’ hempseed market. In the meantime, as a result of World War II, the United States was cut off from its source of Manila hemp from the Philippines. Without a source of hemp needed to supply the U.S. Navy, the government needed to revive its hemp industry and began encouraging farmers to grow hemp again on a large scale. In order to plant the government’s 350,000 acres, the U.S. would need 5,250,000 pounds of hempseed. The government soon found Perry Glass owned all of the hempseed in the country, stored at a tobacco warehouse in Lexington, Kentucky.
After the hempseed was confiscated, the government redistributed Perry Glass’ hempseed through the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association.
The rest of this incredible story coming soon…
Hemp for Victory is a United States government film made during World War II and released in 1942, encouraging farmers to grow as hemp for the war effort. During World War II, the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 was lifted briefly to allow for hemp fiber production to create ropes for the U.S. Navy but after the war hemp reverted to its previous illegal status.