Our country’s love affair with farming hemp goes back a long way. Even US presidents laid claim to its wonders. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper. Ben Franklin’s hemp paper mill helped America gain its own supply of paper, which led to the publication of colonial documents, and the American Revolution.

Jefferson also famously told the world, “Hemp is the first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country.” He made sure people knew that, “Some of my finest hours have been spent sitting on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see.”

The uses for hemp have only grown in number since its legalization with the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill. It’s a lucrative and worthwhile crop to grow for a number of reasons.

1. Hemp grows almost anywhere

Most farmers have limits on what they can grow based on regional conditions. This can put certain crops out of reach simply as a result of geography. Hemp, on the other hand, is a strong crop that thrives in almost any conditions. This includes both indoor and outdoor setups.

It’s also a very robust crop, known for being resistant to many common pests and diseases that can wipe out other plants. Even weeds get outpaced by the speed in which hemp plants grow.

2. Hemp helps other crops grow

Hemp is a great crop to add into your crop rotation. Its taproot grows extremely long. This not only enables it to get at water down deep in the soil, but the plant also helps aerate the ground for your next crop. Once harvested, you can return hemp biomass to your soil as fertilizer, giving back essential nutrients. If your farming strategy includes rotating crops, adding in hemp gives you a lucrative plant that also benefits the other products from your farm.

3. Versatility without match

It’s almost impossible to list all the products that come from hemp. You can make just about anything with it, and sometimes even get multiple products from a single crop. The trick is knowing how to plant, care, and harvest hemp to make the most out of it. Use the flower to extract beneficial cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, CBC, and CBN. These compounds go into tinctures, creams, gummies, and more thanks to their potential medicinal benefits. Hemp biomass has use as fiber, building material, and even animal feed. You can even transform hemp into a protein powder.

The uses for hemp are so vast, we haven’t even figured them all out. The unlimited possibilities of this plant make it even more lucrative as a crop. It most likely will remain in constant high demand.

4. Strong returns from your hemp crop

As an investment, hemp offers amazing returns. Especially when grown for CBD or CBG, hemp can yield as much as $30,000 to $40,000 per acre. This is a huge improvement from growing other crops like corn. These peak numbers demonstrate the earning potential of hemp, although it may take a few seasons to reach these financial heights. Knowing they’re on the horizon though, definitely makes it worthwhile to grow hemp.

5. Environmentally friendly hemp

You might not think about a crop as being good for the environment, but hemp is just that, and in a number of ways. Hemp not only uses less, but leaves the world in better condition than before it grew. Hemp helps the environment by:

• Using less water to grow.

• Needing fewer pesticides and herbicides to thrive.

• Preventing soil erosion.

• Taking in a considerable amount of harmful carbon dioxide.

Every ton of hemp absorbs 1.62 tons of CO2. The plants then put the CO2 back into the soil, helping to revitalize it for future crops.

Farming hemp is the right way to go

Making the switch, as a farmer, to hemp leaves you with a crop with limitless possibilities. However, cultivating hemp isn’t necessarily the same as growing other crops. A lot rides on the state of your soil and the specific strain you plant. Once harvested, there are other unique steps necessary to get a high-quality extract or product.

To ensure your hemp crop is successful, it’s best to partner with people who understand the industry. At Arbor Vita8, we’ve seen and done almost everything when it comes to hemp. We understand the business and can help guide you from seed to sale. Our high-end facility offers a variety of services to assist with drying, processing, and extraction. We’ll even connect you to manufacturers to make your final sale. To learn more about the benefits of partnering with Arbor Vita8, contact us today.