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New hemp investment in Southern Tier could bring hundreds of jobs

Canopy Growth

A Canadian cannabis company could be bringing hundreds of jobs to the Southern Tier.

The company is Canopy Growth; that’s the business that Victor, NY-based Constellation Brands has taken a major stake in.

On Monday, Canopy Growth announced it has been granted a license by New York State to process and produce hemp, and it plans to establish a hemp industrial park somewhere in the Southern Tier.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer says this project has the potential to bring in hundreds of good-paying jobs. He notes that industrial hemp that can be used for a variety of applications including food, oil and cosmetic products.

The senator says that hemp contains a very small amount of ‘THC,’ which is the psychoactive substance that provides a marijuana high. Schumer says legislation signed last year lifts a federal impediment to making a cash crop out of industrial hemp.

Canopy Growth says it will have an investment of $100 million to $150 million in the Southern Tier, capable of producing tons of hemp extract on an annual basis.

The company says it’s evaluating a number of sites in the Southern Tier and it hopes to announce a specific location within 100 days.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's Director of News and Public Affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.