A Southern Oregon farm wants millions of dollars from a group of businesses and individuals who allegedly pitched themselves as a “co-op” of hemp harvesters and processors, but left the farm high and dry days after being paid six figures.
Jefferson State Farms of Medford, owned by Ben and Kathleen Yuma, is suing four individuals and three businesses that the Yumas met through social media for more than $11 million.
The Yumas are claiming that the businesses never so much as started harvesting the farm’s crop of 112,500 hemp plants last fall — despite making six-figures in deposits, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Jackson County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit makes civil fraud, unlawful trade practices and breach of contract allegations against businesses identified as Palex Enterprises, Hemp Warehouse and Great Horizons LLC and four individuals because the Yumas’ farm paid them a $136,000 down payment for the crop’s schedule Oct. 9 harvest start date, yet they never returned $86,000 of the money the farm paid — despite at least two handwritten promises to do so.
Read more at mailtribune.com
