There are a lot of questions around the topics of Hemp, Cannabis and Marijuana. It's important to understand some of the basics first before getting into the many technical aspects of the plant. Below are a list of common questions and misconceptions surrounding the hemp plant and its cultivation. Let us know if you have any specific questions we can answer for you.
Answer: The cannabis plant is generally referred to as marijuana. This is false. The word cannabis encompasses both hemp and marijuana, but there is a distinction between the two. The difference between hemp and marijuana is the THC level, the part of the plant that can get you high. Hemp is classified by having less than 0.3% THC, which has no psychoactive effect on the body. Marijuana is classified by having more than 0.3% THC which has potential for psychoactive effects. It’s as simple as that. Hemp was farmed for thousands of years primarily for its abundant and versatile stalk fibers. Today, we have found that the cannabis plant has thousands of different uses from medicine, to animal feed and bedding, plastic and even building materials. Every part of the plant is usable. With strategic farming practices, farmers can now develop distribution systems for fiber, seeds, flower, hurd, roots and even discarded by-products.
Answer: Hemp was originally used for making ship sails, clothing, paper and many other products. Hemp of today is being farmed and harvested for construction materials, bioplastics, biofuels, personal care and for general health & wellness. According to multiple sources, there are more than 25,000 products that can be made from hemp.
Answer: Hemp is legal as long as your State has a program in place and you follow their guidelines for obtaining the proper application and approval to do so. “On February 7, 2014, President Obama signed the Farm Bill of 2013 into law. Section 7606 of the act, Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research, defines industrial hemp as distinct from marijuana and authorizes institutions of higher education or state department's of agriculture in states that legalized hemp cultivation to regulate and conduct research and pilot programs.” Click here to read more.
Answer: China, Russia, and South Korea lead the world as the main hemp-producing nations and account for 70% of the world's industrial hemp supply. The world supply is currently estimated at 55,700 metric tons of industrial hemp. The United States imports over $2 billion in hemp products every year.
Answer: In 2017 there were 23,343 acres farmed by 1,456 State licensed hemp growers in 19 different states with 32 universities conducting research. Colorado led the way with 7,500 acres of hemp planted. Tennessee harvest just over 200 acres of hemp in 2017.
