The state legislature has passed a bill that will allow current hemp farmers the opportunity to start growing adult-use marijuana.

The Hepworth family has owned a farm in the town of Milton that has been passed down for seven generations, and they’ll now have a chance to supply the booming marijuana business coming to the state.

Right now, New York imports millions of pounds of cannabis from other states. This new bill will give farmers like the Hepworths the chance to get ahead of the expected demand of dispensaries.

“It's very refreshing that the lawmakers who pass this provisional bill and put it forth have recognized that New York farmers, specifically hemp farmers, need a profitable crop going forward to continue to help this industry thrive,” said Jason Minard, general counsel and sales mediator for Hepworth Ag.

Ensuring equity in the market is a large part of the bill, and Minard says that’s critical to smaller, family-owned farms.

“What this provisional bill does is it shows New York state's commitment to small businesses. It's not all about money for the medical registered organization. Small businesses do have a seat at the table,” said Minard.

Minard hopes the bill will open the door to even more possibilities in the cannabis industry.

“The importance of the provisional bill is that it does take into account the importance of the outdoor grow, which is currently at one acre, just under an acre,” Minard said. “We would like to see that increased, because there is a big demand for sun-kissed cannabis in the dispensaries, and with customers approaching us, [it] is better for the environment. We just think there's a happy medium to be reached.”