<\/p>\n
Montezuma County planners entertained a vision of rolling waves of hemp fields as a way to bolster the local economy.<\/p>\n
A roundtable discussion on the potential of a local hemp market struck an optimistic tone during a special planning and zoning meeting on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe opportunities are there for a commodity crop, and our arid climate and soils of this region are pretty ideal,\u201d hemp advocate Sharon Stewart said during a presentation. \u201cI\u2019m selling my coffee shop to become a hemp farmer in Mancos.\u201d<\/p>\n
The industry won\u2019t develop overnight, she warned, but Colorado is well positioned to corner the U.S. industrial hemp market since it is one of a few states that have legalized it.<\/p>\n
Hemp is a form of cannabis but does not have the psychoactive ingredients (THC) of its genetic cousin, marijuana.<\/p>\n
The hemp flowers, seeds, oils, leaves and fibrous stems are used for a variety of products \u2014 soaps, lotions, clothing, paper, fuel, food, medicine, an alternative to plastics and the building material hempcrete.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, the medicinal market is very strong for hemp,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIt comes from oil processed from seeds\u201d and is known as CBD, or cannabidiol.<\/p>\n
Hemp is regulated by the state, and Colorado farmers may apply for a permit to grow hemp from the state Department of Agriculture. Random testing is done to ensure it\u2019s the hemp variety.<\/p>\n
So far, 330 farmers, including several in Montezuma County, have obtained permits. About 3,700 acres have been planted and harvested statewide.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, it is a lot of experimentation; it grows fast, and could be good for dry land,\u201d said Merle Root, a Pleasant View hemp farmer. \u201cMy research shows it is a good rotation crop and adds nitrogen to the soil.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hemp does not require herbicides because it chokes out weeds, and contends with no major pests, the presenters said.<\/p>\n
Industrial hemp can grow 14 feet high. Side roll irrigation works early on, and center-pivot irrigation later on. Water demands are estimated at 10-12 inches per acre. It is possible to retrofit combines for hemp harvest or use a silage cutter.<\/p>\n
The goal is to develop a local hemp cooperative and build a local processing plant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith enough growers, the demand for a processing plant will develop on its own and become an economic opportunity for an entrepreneur,\u201d said planning commissioner Mike Gaddy.<\/p>\n
Right now, a licensed hemp processing plant is operating in Fort Lupton, a potential option for local growers.<\/p>\n
Access to seeds is getting better, Stewart said. Certified seed providers are sprouting up in Colorado, such as Centennial Seeds.<\/p>\n
It was noted that it takes at least three seasons for a seed variety to acclimate to the local climate, though the science of local cultivars is imperfect.<\/p>\n
CSU\u2019s agricultural research station at Yellow Jacket is permitted to grow hemp under a provision of the U.S. Farm Bill. They plan to conduct a second year of experimental grows this spring.<\/p>\n
A single hemp crop can produce several products \u2013 medicine from flowers and leaves, oil and food from seeds, and industrial products from its stem.<\/p>\n
\u201cProcessing the stem is a complicated process,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cEducational seminars and outreach are needed, and that is part of our plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cross pollination of hemp and marijuana is a potential problem, but is less of a local issue because Montezuma County has banned commercial marijuana farms. Federal laws ban hemp production, and they typically trump state laws. Farm loans with a federal nexus could present problems, as could federal farm assistance programs, or even water sources funded by the federal sources such as the Bureau of Reclamation.<\/p>\n
Congressional bills have tried to legalize hemp by taking it off the Controlled Substances Act, and one may finally get passed this year, Stewart said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could be the pioneers of a new hemp market here,\u201d said planning commissioner Mike Rosso.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be foolish not to give it a try,\u201d said commissioner Bob Clayton.<\/p>\n