SoCal Hemp has renewed its local partnership with Victorville, California's Victor Valley College ("VVC") to support student research into desert hemp farming, hemp product marketing and development.
Through the partnership with VVC, which was established last year, SoCal Hemp is supporting VVC's Agricultural and Natural Resources Department's ongoing research into best practices for farming hemp in a desert environment, while fostering practical educational opportunities for VVC students pursuing careers in the agriculture industry.
"We are honored to continue our partnership with Victor Valley College, a local community leader that shares our goal of successful and sustainable desert agricultural development of hemp," said Graham Farrar, President of SoCal Hemp. "For centuries, hemp has been successfully grown around the world supporting thousands of important products. The United States is behind in understanding its true potential. Together with VVC, we can demystify hemp for the country and for California with research and data and unlock its true potential."
SoCal Hemp and VVC are actively exploring and developing various growing, irrigation, and cultivation techniques for industrial hemp. This research has continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic and is focused on appropriate irrigation and wind break methods for the desert environment, using native vegetation and drip irrigation.
Led by VVC Professor Neville Slade, students frequent the Cadiz Ranch cultivation site, Cadiz Inc.'s 9,600-acre agricultural property in the Mojave Desert, to collect agronomic data and samples alongside SoCal Hemp's workforce.
"Our partnership with SoCal Hemp aligns with Victor Valley College's mission to support local career opportunity and advancement," said Professor Slade. "Innovation in farming is key to sustainability and success, and we are grateful for the partnership with SoCal Hemp, which helps us properly train our students through real-world experience working with an exciting new crop for our region that offers tremendous potential for economic success and environmental benefit."
The SoCal Hemp and VVC research partnership is focused on developing techniques and best practices for the harvest, processing, extraction, commercialization, and marketing of hemp and hemp-derived products grown in desert environments. An important component of the research program is studying how the harvested material in a desert location like Cadiz can enter the market and benefit the broader agricultural community. All yield and economic data are being shared with VVC in the hopes of supporting the understanding of the market viability of sun-grown hemp in California.
For more information:
SoCal Hemp
104 E. Haley St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
213-271-1600
socalhemp.us