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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2022)
| 21 Hemp: Continued from Page 20 Hemp cultivation today Although the hemp market has changed for the present-day farmer, McCormmach continued, hemp thrives in an incredible number of applications. “Today, hemp is used to make cloth- ing, home textiles, nutritional supple- ments, animal health care products, skin care products, plastics, home construc- tion materials and even automobile and aircraft parts,” she said. “Several well- known auto companies are using hemp plastics in the fabrication of door pan- els, trunks and dashboards. In addition to being inarguably more eco-friendly, hemp plastics are also cheaper and more durable, naturally making them safer than fiberglass counterparts.” Aside from its practical uses in every- day life, hemp most recently has been in the spotlight for CBD and its potential health benefits for mammals. “Though it has been a long road, one might argue it has been well worth the journey. It’s like climbing the Mount Everest of learning,” McCormmach said. “But to learn it, is to love it.” Now, she said, her focus is on the CBD line she developed following its first year’s harvest, with the main focus on equine. “I love this side of the line, because the leave their big hemp dreams in the dust. But she said she considers these tempo- rary setbacks for hemp. Hemp, she said, is alive and well. Courtney Moran, president of Oregon Industrial Hemp Farmers Association, shares McCormmach’s optimism. She “THOUGH IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD, ONE MIGHT ARGUE IT HAS BEEN WELL WORTH THE JOURNEY. IT’S LIKE CLIMBING THE MOUNT EVEREST OF LEARNING.” Rebecca McCormmach, Hemp Farmer horses don’t talk or analyze what you gave them,” she said. “You just see the results. And the results are fascinating.” Cultivation has presented many chal- lenges, McCormmach said, and many farmers opted to throw in the towel and said, “There still is a viable CBD market, it just looks different from a few years ago. In 2019 with so many new farms coming online across the country we saw overpro- duction, which led to the market decline. The global events that followed created additional challenges. Many farmers did not grow again in 2020 or 2021 because of the drop in market price. The reserves from previous years of production are get- ting used up, and farmers have shared with us that they are planning production for 2022, many with smaller acreage than in previous years.” “The Cannabinoid Hemp industry is alive,” Moran continued, “and those that have remained in the industry are seek- ing new opportunities with other minor cannabinoids.” She added, “The future is not in CBD alone, but with the production of a broader range of minor cannabinoids that pro- vide therapeutic benefits. The most recent interest is with CBDA and CBGA after the results from the studies at Oregon State University were made public.” “If federal regulations provide clear pathways for CBD itself,” Moran con- cluded, “we may see a further resurgence for CBD. We encourage the industry to contact their members of Congress to con- tinue to advocate for federal pathways for hemp-derived CBD and to contact state regulators to ensure pathways are opened for sales of minor cannabinoids in state.” Your “one stop solution” for all your Summer projects! MAKERS of STONE and MASONRY VENEER Patio Pavers - Retaining Block - Decorative Concrete Supplies - Pipe - Geotextiles - BASF Stucco - Manufactured Masonry & Veneer Stone www.nwconstructionsupply.com La Grande Baker City Pendleton 541-963-7368 541-523-7368 541-276-7368 Pasco 509-545-4055
