Gas City Startup Helping Hemp Farmers
Last month, it became legal for Hoosier farmers to grow hemp and a Gas City-based startup is being aggressive in being among the first to take advantage of market opportunities. Heartland Harvest Processing is helping farmers connect the new agricultural commodity to consumer products, including CBD. Founder and Chief Marketing Officer Chris Moorman says the first hemp harvest under the new law is expected to begin next month.
In an interview with Business of Health Reporter Kylie Veleta, Moorman said farmers should be aware of the credibility of potential partners in the hemp industry.
"It’s really important for Indiana farmers in particular to get with people who have got an agricultural background," said Moorman. "If somebody comes in and says, ‘I just came out of real estate but now I’m in the hemp business,’ be careful. We’ve seen a lot of farmers who have literally made a bet. Unfortunately, they might’ve bet the farm on this because it’s a very expensive product to get out into the field. Harvest is a problem and drying is a thing that Indiana does not have the infrastructure for, unfortunately, like Kentucky, where they’re hanging things in the tobacco-drying barns. So we’ve seen a lot of people jumping in with both feet and I’m afraid that we’re going to have some farmers who kind of wished they’d have dipped their toes in a little bit more this year."
Moorman says his company takes the raw hemp product from the field and turns it into a usable product. He says the company has partnered with Kline Family Farms in Hartford City to receive the raw materials. They also have a collaboration with independent pharmacists throughout Indiana for its SaintGene CBD products.
"We really wanted to partner with somebody who could talk to patients about how this could fit into their overall wellness regimen. We thought that was really important. You can see gas stations and grocery stores and pretty much anybody selling CBD these days; we thought it was really important to have an actual healthcare professional have discussions."
You can watch the full interview in the video above.