Whats all this hype about Hemp?
Hemp? Wait what exactly are we talking about here?
Well we are talking about Industrial Hemp to be exact. Part of our mission here at Tikkun Olam is to "Foster Community Growth" and for us that means bringing jobs and opportunity to those on the Reservation. Tikkun Olam’s President Ken Elliott has a background in environmental construction and one of his newest endeavors has included the study of using Industrial Hemp for soil remediation, a process called Phytoremediation. Ken is working with farmers and ranchers throughout Montana and North Dakota to create opportunities for our agricultural communities as well as other industries that are being created as hemp is being more fully understood. Although Tikkun Olam is not directly involved in the Industrial Hemp industry right now we wanted to share with our friends and supporters some interesting facts about hemp and maybe debunk some of the misconceptions.
Tikkun Olam President, Ken Elliott, inspecting some female hemp plants at one of the pilot crop fields.
Q) Is Industrial Hemp Marijuana?
A) Although industrial hemp is from the same family marijuana comes from (cannabis) it is not marijuana. The chemical in marijuana responsible for psychological effects in people is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana has upwards of 30% THC in the cannabis plant while Industrial Hemp has THC concentrations of less than .3%; that’s a huge difference. Most everyone recognizes the while marijuana is highly regulated by the federal government as a Schedule 1 narcotic, industrial hemp has no psychoactive affects related to THC but does have all kinds of benefits from other CBDs (cannabidiols). There are dozens of University and Medical studies that suggest that CBD’s may have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of various conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, nausea, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, diabetes, PTSD, alcoholism, strokes and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other ailments.
Different strain of hemp at another pilot field located in northeastern Montana.
Q) Why has hemp been illegal and what's the status today?
A) In 1970 President Nixon declared a "War on Drugs" and signed the Controlled Substances Act (SCA) which was enacted by Congress and regulated numerous controlled substances, including marijuana as to the manufacturing, import, possession and distribution of various drugs. Unfortunately with lack of knowledge and understanding, one of the world's oldest crops, hemp, was included in this group of controlled substances which prohibited the cultivation and processing of hemp in the United States. The misconception of hemp dates back to 1937 with the Marijuana Tax Act where all hemp sales were heavily taxed making it cost prohibitive for farmers to grow.
Today there is a huge push to legalize the cultivation and production of industrial hemp. 38 states have enacted legislation allowing for the cultivation of hemp for commercial, research or pilot programs. Hemp today enjoys a broad bipartisan support and the proposed 2018 US Farm Bill allows for the cultivation and growing of hemp throughout the United States. The new Farm Bill will allow for the unrestricted interstate commerce of hemp and allow for farmers across the United States to work collectively on the development of hemp production and processing and provide for a more comprehensive approach to building a hemp industry throughout the country.
Female hemp plant with smaller male plant to the right.
Q) Does hemp have a male and female plant?
A) As strange as that statement may sound to a lot of people it is true. Most of the hemp varieties are either female or male in nature. Unless segregated hemp will have two different looking plants growing in the field. Male plants are similar to the male honey bee...only there to reproduce. Once they pollinate the female plants these particular stalks will die off. Without any flowers or seeds they are not any use for oil or protein harvesting but can still be used for commercial fiber uses. The female plant on the other hand has the seeds and will flower. Depending on what you are growing the plant for will depend when you harvest the crop. Monoecious plants produce two different types of flowers on the same plant. And then there are dioecious plants like cannabis, which produce either male or female reproductive organs.
Q) What can hemp be used for?
A) Great question! Hemp is one of the most versatile and unique crops currently being raised around the world. With nearly 30,000 commercial products being made from hemp it is one of the few materials that can provide markets with a sustainable solution to meeting our future needs. Broken down each constituent of the plant has its own beneficial uses. The fibers (stocks and leaves) are great for building materials like concrete and insulation and have been used for centuries to make various clothing around the world. Oil both in the seed and plant has hundreds of uses and benefits. If you Google search CBD, you’d be amazed at some of the things people are using CBDs for. The nutraceutical and pharmaceutical benefits of CBDs have provided people with chronic pain with a non-narcotic solution that deals with their pain without the fear of becoming addicted to drugs such as opioids and helps them remain an active and productive part of their communities. Once oil has been extracted from the hemp seeds, the remaining material is a significant source of protein containing some 20 amino acids and minerals that your body needs to sustain itself. At around 30% protein, hemp also has a great nutritional value and is sold in stores today as a plant based protein source. If you have trouble digesting whey protein or gluten you might find hemp listed as one of the ingredients supplemented into the foods you eat instead!
Q) Why do you think hemp is a good crop for Montana?
A) When you’re looking at pure numbers and land opportunities, the idea of hemp in Montana starts to look like a good idea. First off looking at the price of cropland, Montana has the cheapest $/acre amount coming in around $1,000/acre. Compare that to Illinois ($7,350/acre) or California ($11,290) and it makes no sense. Even Idaho and Washington can't compare ($3,400 and $2,890). Cheaper land allows farmer to take a little more risk with a new crop and would be a good place to start developing a new industry like hemp. Industrial hemp is also a pretty hardy plant and would grow well in the area with little extra work required. It's like a weed (no pun intended) and literally used to grow in drainage ditches across the country. Montana has millions of acres of arable land available and with one of the few competing crops being grown already being wheat, there a hundreds of farmers who are willing to entertain the idea of a new crop. Wheat prices hover around $0.10/lb whereas international hemps prices have been reported at the lowest $0.50/lb, some organic farmers even getting $1.80/lb. Obviously these prices will change once the market sees an influx in product and hemp starts to be grown as a commodity again but needless to say the potential is there!
So go do your research and make sure you understand the possibilities of this new, but yet old, crop called hemp. It gets a bad rap for looking like the other guy but could be a much cleaner and healthier choice for our environment!