In December 2018, Congress passed the annual farm bill and made a big change by taking hemp, a cousin crop of marijuana, off of the federal controlled substance list. Now, farmers and entrepreneurs in Minnesota are rushing to get their piece of this burgeoning industry.
Hemony is part of this fresh crop of startups. Established earlier this year, the company aims to offer high-quality health products created from hemp. Hemony currently sources its hemp from elsewhere in the U.S., but hope to eventually create its products using hemp grown in Minnesota.
Hemony's first available product is organic peppermint hemp seed oil, which the company sells for $23 per ounce.
Other hemp companies have made a name for themselves in the market with this oil, which contains cannabidiol, a chemical sourced from a non-intoxicating part of the plant. The oil can be ingested or applied to the skin. Advocates believe that CBD can provide numerous benefits, including heart health and joint pain relief.
"Hemp has a lot of potential," said Hemony co-founder Zach Robins. "We're in an exciting time where this incredible crop has become legal."
Hemp is a versatile plant. In addition to oil, parts of the plant can also be used to flavor food, create textiles and even create "hempcrete," a hemp-based concrete mixture.
Robins is also a co-founder of the Minnesota Hemp Association, a newly-founded group that hopes to connect those working across the state's expanding hemp supply chain. The Hemp Association's current members include farmers, greenhouse cultivators, processors, distributors, retailers and others.
Minnesota began a hemp pilot program in 2016 with six participants who harvested about 40 acres of hemp. The following year, the program grew to 38 participants who grew more than 1,200 acres. And in 2018, the number of growers jumped to 51.
Minnesota will continue its hemp pilot program in 2019, MPR reports, and will submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to regulate hemp in the 2020 growing season. Under the current pilot, anyone can plant hemp this spring, but they must file a report with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and allow the state to monitor the crop for things like THC content.
Robins said that he was initially introduced to hemp through his work as an attorney, where he frequently works with companies producing regulated substances like alcohol. He was approached by local entrepreneurs Allison and Mickeli Bedore with questions about hemp, and eventually, they decided to start Hemony.
A handful of companies from the West Coast (where marijuana and its related products have been legal for several years) have already established a stronghold in the hemp industry. But Robins believes that hemp is still growing in popularity, and there's plenty of room for Hemony and other Midwestern companies to make an impact.
"There's a ton of energy surrounding Hemp in Minnesota. It really has the potential to make a difference, both for the people growing it and those using it," Robins said. "Have an open mind – be willing to test a completely new segment of products grown from a plant that has all these incredible health benefits."
