What Is Hemp?

Hemp is a plant with a huge number of possible uses. That should make it one of the top crops in the U.S., right? Nope- the United States is the only developed country in the world that does not allow hemp farming. 16 states have passed pro-hemp legislature, but for now, the country remains hemp-less.

Let’s explore some of the things that make hemp such a popular crop outside of the U.S., and dig into why it’s still banned in our country.

Why Farm Hemp? 

There are a lot of reasons that farmers around the world love hemp. Hemp plants grow quickly and easily.

They resist disease, as well as enrich the soil that they’re planted in.

Hemp is a very useful renewable resource. Hemp plants have been used for centuries around the world for things like textiles, paper, and food. Nowadays, modern technology allows us to use hemp to make an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, as well as hemp based biofuel.

Hemp foods are also popular outside of the U.S. Hemp seeds and hemp oil are both highly nutritious, and you can take both like a supplement akin to fish oil.

So, if hemp is so great, why don’t we farm it in the States?

Decades of Bias

Unfortunately, the U.S. government has been against hemp for awhile. But that hasn’t always been the case. The founding fathers actually supported hemp, and some of them even farmed it. But, in the 1930’s, all of that changed. The myth of ‘reefer madness’ became part of pop culture, and marijuana and hemp were seen as the same thing, despite the major differences between the two plants. From that point on, hemp was no longer allowed to be farmed in the States.

There are plenty of people working to try to change the attitude of the U.S. government towards hemp. There are so many practical benefits from hemp, and the fears surrounding ‘reefer madness’ have died down enough that it may be possible for legislation to change. We certainly hope so.

Ready to get started with hemp oil extract? Shop the Grassroots Harvest store to find the right products for your needs!