Cadiz all set to plant first commercial hemp crop

15 Feb '20

2 min read

Pic: Cadiz

Joint venture subsidiary of Cadiz with Glass House Group, set up to farm, harvest, process and market hemp and hemp-derived products, will plant its first commercial hemp crop in March 2020. The planting will follow the recent completion of two successful trial crops which demonstrated hemp’s commercial viability for the company’s agricultural operations.

Land preparations for the spring commercial planting are nearly complete and So Cal Hemp JV will begin cultivation of organic hemp in 2020 on up to 1,280 acres at the Cadiz Ranch. New labour force housing, new irrigation wells and piping have been installed over the last several months to support commercial production. Soil enhancement via organic green compost fertilizer application have prepped the soils to support natural, pesticide-free hemp growth.

“Progressing into a viable commercial organic hemp operation provides tremendous growth opportunities for our company, and also aligns with our core mission to deliver organic, sustainable products to help American corporations reduce their carbon footprint,” said Scott Slater CEO and president of Cadiz. “We believe a sun-grown, organic, low water using hemp product from Cadiz can service rising demand across all industries for products that support a more sustainable climate and environment, and offer tremendous benefits for humans, plants and animals.”

The commercial planting will follow the recent completion of two successful trial crops, the first of which was planted during the height of the summer in 2019 and the second during the winter. The completed trials confirmed the appropriate planting cycle, weather conditions and varietals for successful organic hemp growth in the unique Mojave Desert environment at Cadiz and further demonstrated hemp’s commercial viability for the company’s agricultural operations.

“The Cadiz Ranch offers fertile ground for growing unique, organic, California hemp suitable for a variety of hemp-derived products, including cannabinoid products and fibre, plastic and building material substitutes increasingly sought by the global consumer,” said Graham Farrar, president of Glass House Group. “We believe our hemp-derived product will be attractive to American businesses competing for market share among sustainability-conscious households and buyers seeking natural health and beauty products as well as alternatives to carbon intensive materials.”

Since the legalisation of hemp in the 2018 US Farm Bill, hemp industries in California and across the United States have sought regulatory support and clarity for successful industry growth.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SV)

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