State officials will take public comments on a new industrial hemp research initiative in three two-hour sessions Friday in Manhattan.

The Alternative Crop Research Act, passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Jeff Colyer in April, establishes a hemp research program to be overseen by Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Public input will be used to develop rules and regulations for the program.

Scheduled speakers include Brent Burchett, plant division director for Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and Mitch Yergert, retired plant industry division director for Colorado State Department of Agriculture.

Pre-registration is required to speak at one of three sessions scheduled for 9 to 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the KDA offices at 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan. Speakers will be limited to three minutes, and each session is limited to 50 speakers.

Participants can preregister at https://fs22.formsite.com/KansasDeptAg/IndustrialHemp/index.html.