Hemp is one of the earliest cultivated crops in the world, and throughout most of its history, it wasn’t grown for its oils, but for its fibers. Here in Western Colorado, where hemp farming is becoming more common, the emphasis is on the oil, specifically cannabidiol, or CBD, which is found in both hemp and cannabis.
When Colorado legalized cannabis in 2012, Colorado farmers got a jump start on hemp cultivation, since it was still illegal to grow hemp in other parts of the country. It made sense for Colorado growers to focus on hemp for CBD production rather than fiber production for several reasons, including the state’s encouragement of the industry, the lack of infrastructure for processing hemp fibers, and the public’s acceptance of cannabis. While some consumers weren’t interested in medical cannabis products because of the THC content, many of those same consumers were interested in products with CBD.
Those who began hemp farming early discovered another good reason to grow hemp in Western Colorado: it responds well to the climate and the soil.
“This is one of the most ideal longitude and latitude locations, and we have the irrigation infrastructure,” said Wacey Clark with Colorado Hemp Solutions, which has been growing hemp since 2016. Although hemp requires regular water, it requires less water than alfalfa or pasture, according to Clark.
Read more at gjsentinel.com