The quality and efficacy of a CBD product starts with where and how the hemp plant was grown and harvested. Farmers in the U.S. encounter frequent challenges while raising a hemp crop for the budding CBD industry.
Hemp is an annual plant and seeds are typically planted between late April and the first week of June depending on the conditions. This crop is known to thrive in warm weather in a well-drained soil that’s high in organic matter. However, hemp grows well in most parts of the country, excluding extreme desert conditions and high mountain areas.
Hemp Farming Basics
Growing hemp the right way can be expensive. Because hemp is often produced in large quantities to turn a profit, it requires more labor than other common crops. Additionally, the special harvesting equipment required can be costly so it’s vital for hemp farmers to do everything they can to ensure their crops are within the legal regulations.
Before a single hemp seed can be sewn a prospective hemp farmer must verify that it is legal to grow hemp in the area. This can vary state to state because federal legislation requires each state to submit a plan to apply for primary regulatory authority over the production of hemp in their state. The application plan must outline in detail how the state will keep track of land, testing methods, as well as how the state will dispose of plants or products with THC levels that exceed federal regulations. If a farmer lives in a state where growing hemp is legal, they are then required to contact their local government and apply for specific licenses. This means spending time on detailed paperwork and paying the necessary fees before attempting to profit from the desired crop.
Hemp Farmers
Once a farmer has complied with all the pre-requisites for growing hemp the next step is to find hemp seeds with less than .3% THC. The main challenge with this step is that a farmer may not know how the seeds will acclimate to a new region or location. This change may cause a crop to exceed the THC limits during harvest resulting in the destruction of the entire crop. Because industrial hemp farming is relatively new, research is still needed before hemp farmers can identify how the genetics of a hemp seed react to different environments.
Like many other aspects of the CBD industry, the current practices in hemp farming are expected to change as legislation and regulation within the industry evolves. You can easily ensure the safety and efficacy of your CBD product by obtaining the COA, or Certificate Of Analysis, from the company. This is a lab report that details the contents of a product and identifies any harmful chemicals it contains.
Read more about COA's