Robert Celt
New Member
On Wednesday evening, January 6, some concerned and caring citizens of Otis organized a meeting on industrial hemp. A few of the citizens think this could be a very good cash crop for farmers in the area and wanted to get more information out to everyone.
The first to address the crowd of about 55 was Jason Robillard of Hemp CBD Processing. This is a company under the umbrella of US CBD Corporation, who specialize both in medical marijuana and industrial hemp. CBD created a coop to process hemp for farmers who grow the product. CBD pays for testing of the fields, which will tell the strength of the hemp. Industrial hemp can test for no more than 0.3 percent of THC, and all hemp seed has to be tested if it is sold. CBD also produces products that help reduce symptoms of epilepsy, cancer and fibromyalgia, to name a few.
Robillard emphasized that all these products could come from hemp production and that hemp could be a huge cash crop. Hemp has been grown legally in all parts of the world for thousands of years. Hemp does not damage the soil and causes no soil problems. Next to speak was Mike Sullivan, a farmer who raises some hemp. He started in 2014 with two pounds of hemp seed and produced 600 pounds in his crop.
In 2015 he planted 50 pounds of hemp seed. More seeds can be planted and can be planted closer together. He had to cultivate the hemp until the plants grew large enough. When they get taller, they form a canopy over the field and then you don't have to do any cultivating.
He sprayed around the field to keep the grasshoppers out and also used a "Bird Squawker" to keep the birds away. He used a corn combine to harvest the crop and swathed and baled the plant material that was left over. Sullivan also discussed all the products you can get from hemp.
Ashley Weber, High Plains Coop President, then showed a video of a drone over a hemp field and a slide show of hemp farms in Colorado in 2015. She also spoke for a while on how to become a member, and met with area farmers after the meeting who wanted more information on how to join the coop and become a member.
David Bush, a lawyer who also spoke at the Akron Hemp Expo, discussed the legalities of hemp in the United States. Hemp is classified with marijuana and the federal government considers both as a Schedule 1 drug. The federal 1970 International Drug Control Treaties treat hemp as a drug, like marijuana, but you cannot get high from hemp. The 2014 Farm Bill allows for the research and development of industrial hemp by the government and higher education institutions. Some of the bigger universities in Colorado are doing research on industrial hemp for some of the products that can be developed and as a biofuel.
Hemp is used in so many ways, such as in clothing. Hemp holds up well, gets softer after each wash without disintegrating, is warmer than most materials and has many other good features. Many of the big name clothing companies, like Nike, have made clothing products that have contained hemp.
It is not illegal for banks to do business with farmers and businesses that deal with hemp, but because of the very strict rules and regulations required by the Bank Secrecy Act, they choose not to deal with hemp producers or anyone who deals with hemp in any way. The federal government has made it so expensive and there are so many hoops they have to jump through, that they have chosen not to deal with businesses that deal in hemp.
In Colorado law, hemp is only regulated through cultivation. Farmers need to be registered with the state and make sure that their hemp plants test for less than the 0.3 percent of THC. There are many rules and regulations dealing with marijuana. Local governments have little they can do in regard to industrial hemp. Their main action is in land zoning.
Colorado state legislators are just requiring that farmers be registered if they grow hemp.
After Bush finished giving his presentation, those who attended had time to ask questions of those who gave presentations. They also had more time to talk to Weber about the coop and get the information on how to join if they were interested.
It was a good evening and those who attended got a lot more information about industrial hemp and how it might make a good crop for some of the farmers. Raising industrial hemp will not only benefit the farmers, but will also affect the whole community where the farmers live.
Another meeting on industrial hemp will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, February 1 in the Otis School cafeteria. Many speakers are lined up to give more information on raising industrial hemp, so if at all interested or if you need more information, plan to attend this meeting.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Ohio: Otis Residents Learn More About Hemp Industry
Author: Jo Ann Busing
Contact: Akron News-Reporter
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Akron News-Reporter
The first to address the crowd of about 55 was Jason Robillard of Hemp CBD Processing. This is a company under the umbrella of US CBD Corporation, who specialize both in medical marijuana and industrial hemp. CBD created a coop to process hemp for farmers who grow the product. CBD pays for testing of the fields, which will tell the strength of the hemp. Industrial hemp can test for no more than 0.3 percent of THC, and all hemp seed has to be tested if it is sold. CBD also produces products that help reduce symptoms of epilepsy, cancer and fibromyalgia, to name a few.
Robillard emphasized that all these products could come from hemp production and that hemp could be a huge cash crop. Hemp has been grown legally in all parts of the world for thousands of years. Hemp does not damage the soil and causes no soil problems. Next to speak was Mike Sullivan, a farmer who raises some hemp. He started in 2014 with two pounds of hemp seed and produced 600 pounds in his crop.
In 2015 he planted 50 pounds of hemp seed. More seeds can be planted and can be planted closer together. He had to cultivate the hemp until the plants grew large enough. When they get taller, they form a canopy over the field and then you don't have to do any cultivating.
He sprayed around the field to keep the grasshoppers out and also used a "Bird Squawker" to keep the birds away. He used a corn combine to harvest the crop and swathed and baled the plant material that was left over. Sullivan also discussed all the products you can get from hemp.
Ashley Weber, High Plains Coop President, then showed a video of a drone over a hemp field and a slide show of hemp farms in Colorado in 2015. She also spoke for a while on how to become a member, and met with area farmers after the meeting who wanted more information on how to join the coop and become a member.
David Bush, a lawyer who also spoke at the Akron Hemp Expo, discussed the legalities of hemp in the United States. Hemp is classified with marijuana and the federal government considers both as a Schedule 1 drug. The federal 1970 International Drug Control Treaties treat hemp as a drug, like marijuana, but you cannot get high from hemp. The 2014 Farm Bill allows for the research and development of industrial hemp by the government and higher education institutions. Some of the bigger universities in Colorado are doing research on industrial hemp for some of the products that can be developed and as a biofuel.
Hemp is used in so many ways, such as in clothing. Hemp holds up well, gets softer after each wash without disintegrating, is warmer than most materials and has many other good features. Many of the big name clothing companies, like Nike, have made clothing products that have contained hemp.
It is not illegal for banks to do business with farmers and businesses that deal with hemp, but because of the very strict rules and regulations required by the Bank Secrecy Act, they choose not to deal with hemp producers or anyone who deals with hemp in any way. The federal government has made it so expensive and there are so many hoops they have to jump through, that they have chosen not to deal with businesses that deal in hemp.
In Colorado law, hemp is only regulated through cultivation. Farmers need to be registered with the state and make sure that their hemp plants test for less than the 0.3 percent of THC. There are many rules and regulations dealing with marijuana. Local governments have little they can do in regard to industrial hemp. Their main action is in land zoning.
Colorado state legislators are just requiring that farmers be registered if they grow hemp.
After Bush finished giving his presentation, those who attended had time to ask questions of those who gave presentations. They also had more time to talk to Weber about the coop and get the information on how to join if they were interested.
It was a good evening and those who attended got a lot more information about industrial hemp and how it might make a good crop for some of the farmers. Raising industrial hemp will not only benefit the farmers, but will also affect the whole community where the farmers live.
Another meeting on industrial hemp will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, February 1 in the Otis School cafeteria. Many speakers are lined up to give more information on raising industrial hemp, so if at all interested or if you need more information, plan to attend this meeting.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Ohio: Otis Residents Learn More About Hemp Industry
Author: Jo Ann Busing
Contact: Akron News-Reporter
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Akron News-Reporter
