50,000 Uses
Plants contribute to healthy environments and hemp (a variety of cannabis) is a catalyst for growth and development seldom explored in major media outlets in Richmond, VA. Hemp is classified as an agricultural crop, similar to cotton and tobacco, and is used for more than to smoke or eat as gummies. Hemp has over 50,000 uses; to include making paper, clothing, rope and soap to construction materials for housing, flooring, drywall, insulation, and bio-fuels for example.
More than a flavor, hickory was a tree variety that once thrived at Hickory Hill. Both hemp plants and hickory trees are used in construction, to make tools, mobility devices, furniture, and much more. Learning agricultural trades is essential for future sustainability, and a part of Hickory Hill's history. Below are news stories that highlight emerging opportunities in hemp industries.
Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement Act: In a historic vote on Friday, December 4th, 2020, the US House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 3884, 228 to 164. Otherwise known as The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or the MORE Act, this historic bill was written to deschedule and decriminalize cannabis in the USA, provide for expungement of federal cannabis offenses and for reinvestment in persons negatively impacted by the War on Drugs and “for other purposes”, according to the amended bill.
Today, less than 2% of farmers in this country are black, approximately 44,000 farmers. Longstanding bias in legislation, inequitable distribution of farm aid, and unfair loan practices are just a few of the obstacles faced by farmers of color. Additionally, many multi-generational farms are finding challenges in passing the torch. Many from younger generations view farming as less than noble because it is inextricably tied with historical oppression and slavery. Renard “Azibo” Turner who serves on the USDA’s Minority Farmers Advisory Committee – calls this “anti-agricultural blacklash.”
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is a promising candidate for phytoremediation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912475/
Hemp and Farm Programs: 2018 Farm Bill https://www.farmers.gov/your-business/row-crops/hemp
Phillip Morris to Aquire Cannabis Inhaler Company https://www.forbes.com/sites/dariosabaghi/2023/07/20/philip-morris-to-acquire-israeli-cannabis-inhaler-company-syqe-medical-for-up-to-650-million/?sh=33af3fa01f27
Pillar of Sustainability
-
Hemp, cannabis, ganja and marijuana all come from the same plant family, but are different in variety and use. The American flag was made from hemp. Early dollars were made from hemp. It was mandatory to grow hemp in the early years of America. Hemp is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber thousands of years ago. It has reemerged as a foundational pillar of sustainability in economic, environmental and social dynamics.
Phytoremediation (Bioremediation)
-
Phyto (plant) / remediation (restoring balance) – is the use of plants to reduce risks of contaminated soils. Hemp roots go deep and are able to extract heavy metals from soil. Phytoremediation was successfully used in the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska and also after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in Ukraine. Not only does phytoremediation benefit soil but enhancements to human lifestyle can be observed.
More about Hemp
-
Recommended Resources and Bibliography:
-
The Indigenous History of Hemp
