Capital Press shares how the rise of hemp farming offers opportunities to transition to organic and building a sustainable marketplace for hemp-derived products.

OTCO-certified client, Lazarus Naturals, moved to organic hemp farming to produce CBD for use in alternative medicine tinctures, lotions and other products. “Lazarus Naturals sells a line of CBD tinctures, capsules and topical lotions and provides a 60 percent discount to veterans, individuals on long-term disability and low-income households,” said Lazarus Farm Manager Zack Troyer.

Recent analysis by Beau Whitney, an Oregon-based economist, reports that organic farmers can charge double the amount of conventional hemp farmers.

Oregon Tilth’s Executive Director, Chris Schreiner, shared that OTCO currently certified 66 hemp farms, with 43 operations in Oregon.

Because hemp is a “new” commodity — at least in the legal sense — Schreiner said there are few conventional fertilizers and pesticides approved for it. In a way, he said, that almost makes hemp organic by default.

It’s clear that organic hemp can provide value and enable farmers to access premium markets to meet rapidly increasing consumer demand.

Full article at Capital Press