Blue Forest Farms used to grow hundreds of acres of kale, squash and pumpkins. But it has since switched its focus to a different cash crop: hemp.
The farm, which is located in Erie, Colorado, has dedicated 150 acres to growing hemp so far -- and it's still planting. "We're now expanding it to 1,000 acres," said McKenzie Mann, Blue Forest's production manager.
About 500 acres will come from land previously used to grow kale and squash. Farmers across the United States have been rushing into hemp ever since President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill into law in December. The legislation removed hemp from the government's controlled drug category, triggering a surge in demand for cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical that is derived from hemp and marijuana plants.
"There's a lot of excitement in the farming community because hemp is seen as a high-return crop. There are many farmers around the country who are struggling to make ends meet and they're looking for an alternative like hemp to boost revenue," said Eric Steenstra, president of VoteHemp, a non-profit that advocates for the commercial sale of hemp.
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