is growing hemp illegal
California Legalizes Industrial Hemp, With A Catch âIn the past year, the conversation to legalize the cultivation of hemp has gained momentum at the federal level, and it is only a matter of time before a farmerâs right to grow hemp is restored.â. Under federal law, hemp production is illegal, banned since 1957 because of the relation of hemp plants to marijuana. Hemp contains an insignificantly low amount of tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical in marijuana that produces a high.