Industrial hemp farming has come to Wisconsin. State lawmakers passed legislation in November allowing farmers to research production of the crop. Although the federal government still considers hemp a Schedule I controlled substance, hemp doesn’t have the psychoactive effects that marijuana has. Perry Brown, the institute’s executive director, says hemp is a good fit for Wisconsin farmers’ crop rotation because it has the same growing season and uses many of the same resources as corn, beans and wheat. Brown says hemp is being used in food such as energy bars, and hemp seed oil is used in cosmetics and food products. In the early 20th century, Wisconsin was a national leader in industrial hemp production. Brown points out that most hemp at that time was grown for the fiber and not the grain as it is now.