Hemp taking off as viable product, and Colorado entrepreneurs are at the forefront of industry
Producers await decision on new Farm Bill to clear roadblocks for more growth
November 20, 2018
Robbie Burnette works on trimming one of the mother plants at Veritas Farms on Nov. 7, 2018, in Pueblo. The farm grows and process hemp.
Rianna Meyer doesn't like talking about herself. When prompted, she ticks off a list of milestones: joining the Air Force, becoming a firefighting captain, finding her way to the Antarctic by way of Thailand. Her words tumble out with quick cadence, ready to talk about her latest adventure: hemp farming.
If she was a record, you would probably want to pick the needle up and play that first part over a few times. Yes, she lived in Antarctica and worked as a firefighter in one of the coldest places on Earth for five years.
Now, she is the vice president of operations for SanSal Wellness' Veritas Farm in Pueblo. SanSal is an agribusiness wellness company that operates the Veritas Farm from their headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The farm grows and processes on-site hemp products that include medicinal oils, lip balm and gummies.
Like with marijuana, Colorado entrepreneurs have been at the forefront of building up hemp as a viable undertaking.
The state cultivates the most hemp out of any state with 30,825 registered acres, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Historically, between 60-70 percent of the registered acres are cultivated.
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