The moment you enter into the hemp industry, terminology is going to confuse you. You may understand what hemp is. You may also know why it’s different from marijuana. But then, someone brings up the cannabis plant and you’re now not sure what product they’re talking about. Hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis plant. Whether the plant leans toward hemp or “weed” is all based on THC levels.
With this example, it’s easy to see how misinterpreting terminology can get someone into trouble. If you’re talking about the cannabis plant as a hemp farmer, but someone thinks only marijuana comes from cannabis, they might question your product. There are also other muddled terms within the hemp industry that have the potential to cause issues.
A conversation at the Emerald Conference 2020, shared in The Cannabis Scientist, focused on this topic. They cite that the, “lack of standard terminology in the cannabinoid industry is a barrier to communication in business and science.” Here are some of the key terms they evaluated. The outcome being a standardization of the nomenclature that can help everyone.
Biomass
At first glance, this term may mean to you all the hemp plant matter harvested from a crop. However, confusion arises when thinking about the plant itself and then the flower on its own. Technically, biomass can stand for both options. But, if you’re talking about only the flower of the plant, you’re speaking of the most valuable part.
The compromise? Have two terms. Biomass will still exist as a term that encapsulates all harvested parts of the Cannabis sativa plant. Biomass flower will then specify only the flower portion of the plant, no stalks or leaves.
Flower
After defining exactly what biomass flower is, a few more terms came up that sometimes caused confusion. Specifically, what wet flower and dry flower covered. The discussion at the Emerald Conference concluded that wet flower refers to biomass flower before curing. Dry flower is the same part of plant after curing.
Oil
Those familiar with the hemp industry already know that the word oil fits into a variety of terms. They mostly occur at varying stages of extraction. Crude oil, prior to the conference, had a definition that included a specific method of extraction. This proved incorrect since there are many ways in which extraction can take place. The new definition focuses on what crude oil actually is, “compounds of interest (usually cannabinoids and terpenes), lipids, and waxes.” This is way more helpful.
Further updated definitions are also provided for:
- Winterized oil, crude oil that has undergone refining to remove lipids and waxes.
- Distillate, refined extractions often containing a higher percentage of a single compound.
- Isolate, material of a near-pure single compound.
Speaking the language of hemp
The initial conversation went into even more detail. It brought to light the importance of developing hemp terminology for the industry as it grows and develops. At Arbor Vita8, we confidently speak the language of hemp even as definitions change. Our industry experience and knowledge makes us second-to-none when it comes to hemp processing in the Southeast. With services that go from seed-to-sale, we offer ample resources, an amazing facility, and direct connections to wholesalers, scientists, and manufacturers. Contact us today to learn more.
