The Challenges Facing Hemp Producers Across the U.S.

Have you had any challenges getting your CBD business up and running?

I recently saw a story on the Washington Post that made me sit up in anger and frustration. While the 2019 Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp, state laws have still been playing catch up. That can result in tragedies like what happened to farmer John Trenton Pendarvis.

While you can find the details of the story in the link above, the bottom line is this. Due to planting his hemp crop in a field not officially permitted for hemp by South Carolina’s state agriculture department, Mr. Pendarvis was handcuffed, arrested, fingerprinted, thrown in jail, and the entire acre was bulldozed by law enforcement. 

Let me repeat that. For growing hemp, an entirely legal crop, he was treated like a criminal and essentially robbed of over $1,000,000 by state officials. Now, if that isn’t enough to make any CBD enthusiast angry, I don’t know what could!

The Problem

While it can take time for state laws to come into alignment with federal laws, the rules and regulations behind hemp production have been especially slow to catch up.

The 2019 Farm Bill was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and the President all saw the incredible advantages that could come with hemp cultivation. Finally, after decades, the stigma that was created due to marijuana started to fall away, and the way was paved for thriving hemp and CBD markets. 

Enter state bureaucracy.

The trouble is, for the last century, the law was put in place to prevent the cultivation of hemp. Dismantling those laws and coming up with new ones, including penalties for breaking those laws, is ongoing. 

This state of affairs is especially a problem in the Southern United States, which offers the perfect climate for hemp cultivation. Thus far, there are few guidelines, and laws are always changing. 

Tragically, John Trenton Pendarvis was caught up in this tangled mess of evolving law. Circumstances, including the impact of Hurricane Dorian and water issues, forced him to plant his crop in a field that wasn’t officially designated for hemp. Him being a farmer, generally an incredibly law-abiding group of people, he called the state agency and was told to submit an amendment form. Apparently, he didn’t submit it fast enough because he was referred to a law-enforcement division that handles street-level drug crime. I don’t think I need to tell you that hemp is NOT a street drug.

Then, without a judicial review, which was recommended by South Carolina’s attorney general, his crop was destroyed.

Every time I write that, I can feel my teeth grinding.

The Future

Thankfully, tragic situations like this will hopefully happen less and less often as state laws are updated. And the big indication that the bureaucracy can’t just sit on its hands is the demand in the CBD market. In the last year, hemp production exploded from 256 acres to over 3,300 acres, and that number looks to grow into 2020. 

The reason why John Trenton Pendarvis was growing hemp says it all. In the past, he would only be bringing in about $1000 per acre of peanuts. How much does he earn on an acre of hemp? One million dollars. 

One of the biggest reasons for this is the CBD market. As you know, CBD doesn’t have any of the psychotropic effects associated with THC and marijuana. Instead, CBD can treat dozens of potential health issues, including headaches, depression, and epilepsy. 

As one of the leading producers, manufacturers, and distributors of bulk and wholesale hemp-derived CBD products, CBD Hemp Experts know firsthand how rapidly the market is expanding. We recently opened a brand-new 97,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility to help us meet the demand, and thank heavens we did! CBD businesses all over the United States are requesting our help to supply them with their top-quality CBD products. Everything from CBD bath products to gummies for eating to pet treats, we can help you meet your CBD product needs!

What About The Farmers?

Now, here is the good news about John Trenton Pendarvis. Even though this was a remarkably unfair setback, he still has his hemp-growing license. That means the upcoming year’s hemp crop will hopefully bring him in millions of dollars, and supply manufacturers like us with the raw materials we need to make CBD products. 

I genuinely hope this is the last time that I hear about something like this happening in America. Hemp and CBD have finally broken into the mainstream, and despite those who are still fighting against it, we are on the winning side! I know that nothing is going to stop CBD Hemp Experts and me from our mission of helping those who need CBD products, and I know nothing will stop you either! Godspeed!