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In a drought-weary state like Colorado, some farmers are looking for any advantage crops can give their land. The latest one is the newly-legal hemp. "It's good for the soil," said Dick Blumenhein, who farms 3,000acres. He grows alfalfa in a place where water is hard to find. "That's a high concern in the San Luis Valley," he said. "We've had a drought. Alfalfa takes a fair amount of water and hemp takes significantly less."
The interest and curiosity surrounding hemp brought out more than 100 people on Thursday to the first ever Industrial Hemp Symposium in Adams County. Leaders there want to see if the crop can help expand and diversify the county's economy. "I think there's been a lot of drive- especially with changes to the farming bill as to 'How do we implement this? How do we use this in Adams County?'" said Adams County Commissioner Charles "Chaz" Tedesco. The interest is attracting attention from California to Canada-- a country with a strong hemp seed production. A provision in the recently-passed federal farm bill could change that, though, since it gives universities and agriculture agencies in Colorado a chance to grow hemp legally, without jeopardizing their federal funding.
"It's really progressed a lot," said Tyler Frank, founder and owner of the California-based business Hemptopia. The company designs and manufactures hemp products, like clothing. In the company's nearly ten years of existence, all of its raw hemp yarn had to be imported from China. They hope Colorado may be able to change that in time. "I think that it's still going to be some time until the hemp fiber industry evolves here," Frank said. "In terms of hemp seed, though, that is basically what will take off here." Farmers interested in growing hemp first have to register with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. That registration process kicked off last month.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: 9News.com
Author: Maya Rodriguez
Contact: 9NEWS - Contact Us | 9 News
Website: Hemp symposium attracts interest, curiosity
The interest and curiosity surrounding hemp brought out more than 100 people on Thursday to the first ever Industrial Hemp Symposium in Adams County. Leaders there want to see if the crop can help expand and diversify the county's economy. "I think there's been a lot of drive- especially with changes to the farming bill as to 'How do we implement this? How do we use this in Adams County?'" said Adams County Commissioner Charles "Chaz" Tedesco. The interest is attracting attention from California to Canada-- a country with a strong hemp seed production. A provision in the recently-passed federal farm bill could change that, though, since it gives universities and agriculture agencies in Colorado a chance to grow hemp legally, without jeopardizing their federal funding.
"It's really progressed a lot," said Tyler Frank, founder and owner of the California-based business Hemptopia. The company designs and manufactures hemp products, like clothing. In the company's nearly ten years of existence, all of its raw hemp yarn had to be imported from China. They hope Colorado may be able to change that in time. "I think that it's still going to be some time until the hemp fiber industry evolves here," Frank said. "In terms of hemp seed, though, that is basically what will take off here." Farmers interested in growing hemp first have to register with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. That registration process kicked off last month.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: 9News.com
Author: Maya Rodriguez
Contact: 9NEWS - Contact Us | 9 News
Website: Hemp symposium attracts interest, curiosity
