YORK COUNTY — Wyndridge Farm in York Township has been named an exclusive grower and processor of industrial hemp by Albright College, which received a permit to research and grow the plant this year.
Located near Dallastown, Wyndridge — a hospitality and beverage manufacturing facility — is run by Albright ’87 alumnus Steve Groff and his family. Groff is a former orthopedic surgeon and founding president of OSS Health, a regional musculoskeletal medical practice and hospital, the college stated in a release.
“There is a lot of passion in trying to do things the right way,” said Groff. “There are a lot of unknowns about the health and wellness benefits of cannabinoids, so we need to show integrity in expressing what we do and don’t know, in order to raise the bar on research and education in this rapidly evolving area.”
Adding, “There are thousands of uses for industrial hemp. Part of the need for Pennsylvania is to determine which to focus on first.”
The endeavor will provide internship and employment opportunities to students, according to Albright President Jacquelyn Fetrow.
“This very exclusive permit creates unique opportunities for Albright students and faculty to participate in data-driven research on the growth, development and marketing of industrial hemp products,” she said.
Research is expected to begin in the spring.