CLARKSBURG, W. Va. – Few plants are as entrenched in the controversy as this nine-leaf crop, and few have as many uses. Cannabis sativa, the scientific name for the plant, is commonly known to produce THC, which is responsible for the “high” feeling that some people have when they ingest or smoke their leaves and flowers. This chemical is one of more than a hundred and was the target of the Controlled Substances Act in 1937 which declared the plant an illegal drug. But now a hemp plant is legally different from the drug because it must have an incredibly low THC content.
“I once joked that if you smoke the whole acre [hemp], you would have an emphysema, not high, “said Dr. Louis McDonald, a professor of soil environmental chemistry and soil fertility at WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, who researches hemp plants at the university.” But the stigma is there. There’s no doubt”.
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Hemp was legalized in 2014, when an agricultural law called the Agricultural Law of 2014 was signed that allowed people to grow industrial hemp with a license for market research, as long as the plant does not exceed 0, 3% THC. But it was not as easy as Congress to pass a bill to grow the hemp industry.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture began receiving applications and authorizing farmers and researchers in 2016. Even then, it took farmers a couple of years to become interested in hemp. John Moredock, coordinator of the hemp program in the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, said that in the beginning, they really only had WVU researchers and a handful of farmers who wanted to take on the challenge of entering a new market.
Stigma and misconception
Although hemp farmers face many problems, misconceptions about hemp remain a barrier for them. Hemp is incapable of intoxicating anyone, but negative perceptions of marijuana affect public opinion about hemp.
“I think this will probably only exist forever, but my experience is that much of the general public still doesn’t quite understand the difference or that there is even a difference between hemp and medicinal cannabis because it’s the same plant.” . Moredock said: “If you go to the field and look at these plants, there is no way to know if they will pass or fail. [the THC test]. They look exactly like medicinal cannabis grown in California. “
This has led to reports of people stealing crops, which is part of why WVU started growing hemp in an enclosed greenhouse. However, Tiffany Fess, a hemp farmer and WVU undergraduate student, believes that over the past five years, people have become much more educated and open about hemp in general.
“I think for the most part, we’ve moved a little bit from this stigmatized area, and now that we also have medical marijuana, I think that helps,” Fess said. “You know, there are dispensaries that appear in “Everywhere you look today, the tide of protectionist sentiment is flowing.”
Dr. Michael Gutensohn, an associate professor of horticulture at WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, who also researches hemp plants, shared the same sentiment: that stigma begins to fade as people are exposed. in addition products. made with hemp crops.
“For example, I personally had a jacket made of hemp fibers, and I really liked it because it is quite fresh and pleasant to wear, and from the outside it does not look like it is made of hemp fibers. It sounds normal, “said Dr. Gutensohn. He also gave the example of printing paper: if someone uses paper made of hemp fibers, they may not even notice that it is hemp unless they examine the packaging.
“So I think that’s what we’re going to see more and more: products that are normal. We perceive them as normal products and you’re probably not even aware that there’s a bit of hemp,” Dr. Gutensohn explained.
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Joy and hemp
Joy and Hemp, a CBD company in Morgantown, is located at the intersection of Greenbag Road and Kingwood Pike. It is run by a group of brothers, Ted, Jennifer and Mary Hastings, as well as Patrick Kyle, who inherited the land and came up with the idea of planting hemp as they had good farmland on a busy road.
“We thought it would be an impact factor; you know, there’s cannabis on the side of the road here,” Kyle said, “But then it was like, oh, that’s helping people and it’s profitable. we kept doing it “.
They said the start-up was quite easy with the help of local farmer Mike Manypenny and since then the family has continued the tradition of helping other locals who want to grow hemp.
“I definitely couldn’t have done it without it in terms of the market. It’s like the wild west. It’s a new market; it’s very volatile,” Kyle explained.
Other factors, he says, led to his success being access to good soil and Kyle’s knowledge of hemp plants, which he gained while working on hemp farms in California.
“The whole ground comes down from the hill and fills up in the valley. For many, many years, the soil erodes and fills in flat areas, so the soil is very thin, ”said Ted Hastings.
Joy and Hemp makes a variety of products, including CBD body butter, chapstick, tincture, smoky flowers and white chocolates. They can be found at Tobacco and Vape stores in Morgantown or ordered through their website.
But it is planned to turn the estate into concrete, as the DOH plans to turn the land into a roundabout. Ted said he believes the farm faces discrimination because of its size and the fact that they grow hemp. Hemp is not a plant that farmers usually grow on acres and acres of land because it requires more care and is more difficult to harvest.
“We are not considered a legitimate farm [Monongalia] County Commission. I have heard them say that we are not legitimate. It’s very sad because we have a community garden. We have our own CBD business which is registered in the state. We have several farmers involved in the cultivation of the land, and there is simply no recognition, ”Ted said.
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“Here in Mon County, it’s very business-related, and apparently business and agriculture don’t mix. We’re in an urban development zone, so the fact that we’re in an urban development zone says “Basically, we’re not a gas station,” Ted continued. . “
WBOY contacted the road department, which is responsible for the roundabout project. They issued the following statement: “The environmental process has been thoroughly reviewed, analyzed, explored and approved to ensure that all parties involved are treated fairly.”
The DOH also stated that construction will begin once the design is completed and the right of way is acquired. “The improvements of roundabouts and intersections have been studied, analyzed and evaluated. The roundabout was the least impactful alternative in the area, fulfilling the goal of improving traffic flow and reducing delays better than a signposted intersection alternative, “they write.
Plant of a thousand uses
Hemp can be used for more than just CBD oil. The plant is also famous for its strong fibers, which can be used to make clothes, paper and even building materials such as concrete and auto parts. Seeds are a good source of vitamins and minerals and can be used to make cereals, cooking oil and body lotions. Seed oils are also a good fuel additive to prevent them from freezing at low temperatures.
