Virginia’s first commercial hemp fiber processing plant, Vitality Farms, LLC, will soon be launched in Wythe County according to an announcement Governor Ralph Northam. The facility, currently operating as Appalachian Biomass Processing, plans on investing $894,000 and creating 13 jobs. The plant intends to purchase at least 6,000 tons of industrial hemp valued at $1 million or more from farmers in Virginia in the following three years.
In March, Governor Northam aligned Virginia’s hemp law to the 2018 Farm Bill by signing the bill legalizing commercial farming and processing of industrial hemp. The announcement was marked as the first economic development in the hemp industry in Virginia.
Governor Northam further said that his goal is to pursue every avenue meant to bring economic prosperity to the communities. He also noted that industrial hemp production opens the state of Virginia to a sea of opportunities such as new jobs and businesses. Governor Northam added that Virginia is dedicated to developing a booming and sustainable hemp industry, and he believes that by establishing the processing plant, a market will be opened for the farmers and growers of industrial hemp.
The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Bettina Ring, said that farmers in the Southern and Western regions if Virginia could benefit highly from the hemp as it has much potential. She further noted that for areas growing industrial hemp to benefit from the crop’s great potential, they must have a processing facility and robust markets for selling hemp products. In Virginia, the number of registered industrial hemp farmers is more than 1,100 and the local hemp market is growing, said Ring.
Working with Wythe County to snag the project for the Commonwealth is the Department of Agriculture in Virginia and Consumer Services. Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development, through Governor Northam, awarded the project a $25,000 grant. Wythe County was supposed to match the grant amount with local funds.
The owner of Appalachian Biomass Processing, Susan Moore, said that the facility uses a reproducible production model that is capable of expanding to meet the additional demands of the Virginia hemp supply chain. She further said that her team members are knowledgeable, with lots of experience and motivation to see the project succeed. She hopes that the state and local development supporters will work together with the company to bring the hemp industry to Virginia.
The Governor’s office released a statement saying that the company will process hemp stalk into agricultural products with a specialized decorticator. Appalachian Biomass Processing will sell the processed bast fiber to another company in North Carolina for further processing, which will later sell the finished product to the textile industry. The woody core of hemp will be used as animal bedding.
Through research by partnering with the University of Virginia and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Susan Moore, the co-founder of the company, has acquired a wealth of knowledge on the hemp industry.
According to analysts, hemp industry companies like Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Organigram Holdings Inc. (TSX: OGI) (NASDAQ: OGI) are pleased to see the industry deepen its reach into rural areas in different states.
About HempWire
HempWire (HW) is a dedicated information provider focused on (1) aggregating hemp-related news, (2) issuing HempNewsBreaks designed to update investors on the latest developments in the hemp market, (3) enhancing corporate news releases, (4) providing full-service distribution and social media offerings to public and private client-partners and (5) designing and implementing all-inclusive corporate communication solutions. HW is strategically positioned within the rapidly expanding hemp sector with a team of journalists working to help a growing roster of public and private companies reach a wide audience of investors, consumers and members of the media. We leverage a vast network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets to deliver unparalleled visibility, recognition and content to the hemp industry. HempWire (HW) is where HEMP news, content and information converge.
To receive instant SMS alerts, text HEMPWIRE to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information please visit https://www.hempwire.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the HempWire website applicable to all content provided by HW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.hempwire.com/Disclaimer
Do you have a questions or are you interested in working with HW? Ask our Editor
HempWire (HW)
Denver, Colorado
www.hempwire.com
303.498.7722 Office
[email protected]
