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Why is hemp important?

Industrial hemp is one of the most important plants on Earth. Its fatty acid and amino acid profiles are identically aligned with human DNA, so as a food source, it offers protein, omegas and dietary fiber in perfect proportions to our nutritional needs. For food consumers, hemp seeds have it all. Hemp is naturally gluten-free, non-GMO, free of trypsin inhibitors, dairy-free and virtually free of any form of residual chemicals. Hemp protein is highly nutritious and easily digested and hemp seed oil is cold-pressed to retain all of its natural nutritional value. Hemp seed oil is a perfect balance of Omega 3-6-9, ideally suited for optimal human nutrition. Hemp seed/grain is also an excellent source of digestible fiber and a wide array of minerals and vitamins.

 

Beyond nutrition, the hemp plant provides the strongest, most durable, longest-lasting, natural, soft bast fiber compared to alternative sources. Its flexible characteristics provide durable clothing, shelter, building materials and an endless number of diverse products to satisfy human needs and wants. For the fiber industry, hemp has proven to be an excellent natural insulator. It has applications as a high-quality pressboard material, hempcrete, composite and plastic substrate product. Hemp is also being developed as a superior alternative to graphene, a supercapacitor energy storage technology used to power electronic devices.

In the medical industry, the application and value of industrial hemp are largely undiscovered. Based on preliminary scientific testing and results, industrial hemp contains important building blocks that could have beneficial impacts on the treatment of some medical conditions.

Equally important are the agronomic advantages of industrial hemp. The climate zones and soil types of North America provide excellent growing conditions for industrial hemp. It is an environmentally friendly crop with beneficial returns to the soil and atmosphere.

Hemp’s environmental impact

Hemp offers many different uses that can promote a more sustainable world. Hemp products can be recycled, reused and are 100% biodegradable. Proponents of hemp claim that it can help reduce global warming because it takes out large amounts of carbon dioxide per acre, more than most plants. This is especially true if the end products are locked up permanently in applications like building materials as opposed to recycling the carbon by applications such as compost.

Industrial hemp is a very robust, competitive plant that will outcompete weeds. In most cases, this makes production possible without the use of herbicides.  This is a clean air benefit that reduces pesticide load on the environment.

Industrial hemp has a large tap root that is capable of penetrating deep into the soil profile to pick up required water and nutrients for plant development. This is a benefit as hemp recovers nutrients that might otherwise be leached below the root zone and enter the groundwater. In addition, the deep roots open up the soil and enhance the tilth of the soil for future crops.

The utilization of hemp in biofiber processing has significant environmental benefits. Bio-products made of hemp can produce environmentally friendly products that are easily recycled in compost or in landfills. Most hemp-derived products are non-toxic, biodegradable and renewable.

Carbon Sequestration: High biomass crops such as industrial hemp are associated with the ability to sequester higher amounts of carbon through photosynthesis, storing it in the body of the plant and its roots.  The carbon in the fiber is then transferred into processed biofiber products. Biomass is approximately 40% carbon. Processing of the fiber will sequester carbon that will be captured and tied up in manufactured products.