Cannabis has been a taboo subject in the United States for the last century,

Chris Dolan, president of Hoophouse Organic, inspects the flowers of this season's hemp CBD crop.  The plants require constant care throughout the growing season to ensure a successful harvest.

but before that, it was an agricultural staple. A local farm, HoopHouse Organic CBD in Hereford is opening the door for the hemp industry in Pennsylvania. The farm grows and produces USDA licensed hemp.

            There has been a lot of controversy regarding cannabis. Is it a dangerous substance or a beneficial cash crop? The answer depends on who you ask. To understand the blemished reputation that has hindered hemp agriculture, we offer a brief look at hemp history.

            In 1545, Spanish colonists introduced hemp to Central and South America.           

            By 1630, cannabis became an important crop in New England – even George Washington began growing hemp at Mt. Vernon in 1765 to replace his economically failing tobacco crop.

            Cannabis eventually became a valued medical treatment.

            At the turn of the 20^th century, pharmaceutical companies were producing cannabis extracts and other applications for a variety of medical conditions.

An elegant example of the hemp flower. Different strains of the plant produce variance in flower color.  Hemp CBD only contains .3% THC, the primary ac- tive incredient responsible for pshcho- active effects.

            By 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act led to the creation of the FDA. The law required drug labels to list ingredients that were "addictive" or "dangerous". Cannabis was put on this list. By 1936, the anti-cannabis sentiment was on the rise.

            The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) of 1970 placed cannabis under federal control. Although the CSA contained an exemption for hemp, The DEA's interpretation of the law led to the ban of all forms of hemp.

            The Agricultural Act of 2014, or the Farm Bill, removed federal restrictions on hemp and transformed the regulatory status of hemp in the United States. 

            Industrial hemp and marijuana are different varieties of the same plant. Cannabis Sativa contains the psychoactive property of THC, or delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol. Industrial hemp or CBD contains .3% THC. Industrial hemp is used for fiber, plastics, construction materials, food products and biofuels. Hemp CBD is grown specifically for the flower to make cannabinoid extracts.

            Scientific study strongly suggests that cannabis CBD extracts have anti-anxiety, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-psychotic, antioxidant and antidepressant properties.

            This is where HoopHouse CBD farmin Hereford Township comes in. They are

Jose Rodriquez (left) and Marco Collazzo, both from  Puerto Rico, are part of the farm crew that cares for the  crop on a daily bais.  It is a labor intensive endeavor that requires attention to detail.

passionate and knowledgeable about the work they do and they want to share that work with the community.

            The farm is a serious endeavor and it takes a team of people.  Chris "Woody" Dolan is the President, Matt Baxter is a farmer and Vice President, Thomas Corning is the Director of Marketing and Dr. Shawn Zimberg is CEO and focuses on research and development.

            The care of the crop is in the hand of the experienced farm crew. Sam Medvetz from Green Lane, Marco Collazzo and Jose Rodriquez are from Puerto Rico. The three tend to the plants on a daily basis.

            The team views hemp as the crop of the future. It has the potential to open new pathways for farmers and instill financial stability in agriculture.  They favor the beautiful landscape and the tight knight community. "We chose Pennsylvania because we feel there is a lot of opportunity for growing and processing within the state", Said Chris Dolan.

            The most challenging aspect of farming in this area has been remediating the soil after decades of industrial agriculture, monocropping, and non-organic farming practices.

            Hemp farming will shift agriculture for the better by improving soil quality for farmers that want to convert to this crop on a small or large scale. The hemp industry has the ability to create new jobs and high profit margins for farmers.

            Hoophouse Organics are hemp experts and want to share their knowledge with the community and farming neighbors. They offer services to hemp farmers in the cultivation, biomass, drying, processing, storage and extraction of CBD and cannabinoids.

            The farm is currently growing several strains for research and development. They grow strains that thrive in our local growing conditions. In addition, they are establishing an organic breeding project to create a new strain specifically for Pennsylvania farmers.

            They are also in the process of finishing a state of the art processing lab in Warminster to assist PA farmers in converting their crops from bio mass into other salable forms.

HoopHouse Organics is community minded and is planning engagement events for the public. They are working on a Celebration of Harvest event and a Hemp for Cancer Research community fundraiser.

            The demonizing of this beneficial plant is receding. It is a crop that has the potential to contribute positively to our environment, community and financial health of our farmers.