Montana hemp growers awarded $65 million for 'deceptive' deal
Lawsuit plaintiff Beau Anderson said he's hopeful a $65 million judgment sends a message that "you don't roll in and try to dupe a bunch of farmers [to grow] what could be a worthwhile commodity for the region without any money." Anderson said the hemp he grew for USA Biofuels is still baled in his fields. (Alexis Bonogofsky/Montana Free Press)
Hemp, a crop that largely flew under the radar in Montana when it was planted under a pilot program three years ago, is now central to one of the largest civil awards in the state's history.
A jury in Wolf Point last month awarded 25 eastern Montana farmers $65 million in compensatory and punitive damages, finding that a handful of Canadian and American businessmen had committed negligence, fraud and deceit in failing to fulfill contracts, leaving the crops unpaid for and languishing in fields...
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