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By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Put up
Over time, industrial hemp has gotten a nasty rap due to its cousin, marijuana. Whereas marijuana remains to be unlawful in lots of states, together with Kansas, industrial hemp isn’t.
Manufacturing of commercial hemp in Kansas started in 2019, with 2,782 acres planted and 1,831 acres harvested, based on data from the Kansas Division of Agriculture. In 2020, 3,968 acres of commercial hemp had been planted, whereas solely 761 acres had been harvested. In line with reporting by Brian Grimmett for the Kansas Information Service, an eighth of the 2020 crop “needed to be burned by the state as a result of it contained an excessive amount of of the psychoactive chemical THC.”
READ: Kan. farmers: The only thing harder than growing hemp? Selling it
This yr, solely 481 acres had been planted, the Kansas Division of Agriculture famous. Harvesting statistics for 2021 are usually not but obtainable.
Moreover, in 2019 and 2020, planted acres had been predominantly (roughly 90%) for floral/CBD manufacturing. In 2021, solely 22% of the planted acres in 2021 had been for floral/CBD manufacturing; grain/fiber was 21%, seed/grain was 40%, fiber was 17%, based on data supplied to Salina Put up by the Kansas Division of Agriculture.
So why develop industrial hemp?
“Hemp fibers are getting used to weave into baskets, make prosthetics in addition to sunglass frames and homes. Hemp plastics are a renewable and accountable approach to substitute oil-based plastics,” Peggy DeBey, co-owner of The Flower Nook, informed Salina Put up.
The Flower Nook not too long ago launched a line of merchandise made by from industrial hemp. The merchandise, made by Hemp3D, embody board video games, sun shades, bottle openers, rolling boards, and jewellery.
In line with the Hemp3D web site, “Hemp fibers are a few of the longest, strongest, and most sturdy of all pure fibers and possess many fascinating mechanical properties together with excessive affect and flexural energy.”
DeBey mentioned she realized about industrial hemp and Hemp3D after a product conference by South Bend Industrial Hemp in Nice Bend.
“I knew I needed to introduce this product to the neighborhood. I made a number of calls to the homeowners of the Hemp3d firm, from Steward, Neb., expressing an curiosity within the product and the artistic course of concerned,” DeBey mentioned. “I realized hemp may be reworked in filament for use for 3D printing. The product is biodegradable, recyclable and free from toxins, plus has a better affect resistance than common plastic.”
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