Don’t like the taste or texture? We’ve got you covered

When she planted hemp to make extra money for her family farm, Susan Corbett did not imagine thieves would find their way to her rural plot in Virginia to steal the plants.

And yet they did — one of many bends in the wild and sometimes bumpy ride hemp farmers have had since the crop was legalized in the United States in 2018.

Two security cameras now watch over a portion of Corbett’s crop, which looks and smells like marijuana but contains very little tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is what gets users high.

Also warning would-be pilferers is a sign whose bold black letters read: “This is not marijuana.”

“I don’t know what they were doing with it,” Corbett said of her looted plants. “There’s no THC in it.”

Hemp is in demand for its seeds, fiber and oil containing the relaxing cannabinoid CBD — but it’s also the same plant as marijuana, which remains illegal federally and under varying restrictions in most American states.

Besides an oversaturated market and laborious cultivation process, hemp farmers hoping to profit from the newly legitimized plant say they have had to navigate suspicious police, a legal mandate to burn crops that exceed THC limits and the problem of theft.

“Everybody plants it and goes ‘This is wonderful,'” said Corbett. “I said ‘Just wait.'”

– It’s not easy –

One of the world’s oldest cultivated plants, the US banned hemp during the 20th century before allowing its growing for research starting in 2014, then legalizing it nationwide four years later.

Forty-six states have since passed laws regulating its cultivation, with hemp licenses in 34 states growing 455 percent last year over 2018, according to Vote Hemp, an advocacy group.

CBD, whether sold as a supplement or mixed into food or drinks, has also grown popular, and financial services firm Canaccord Genuity predicts CBD sales will jump 45 percent to $18 billion by 2024.

Those who grow hemp describe a demanding crop that must be harvested by hand, maintained with a rigorous spraying schedule to keep away pests then dried out before it can be sold.

With so much of the plant hitting the market, and a shortage of processors, many farmers are seeing buyers back out of agreements.

“When we go to the CBD market, it’s ‘We’ll pay you when we get paid,’ which puts us in a problem with our creditors,” said David Turner of DC Hemp, who farms in rural Dinwiddie county, Virginia.

Another peculiarity is the presence of THC in the plant. Farmers must constantly test hemp to ensure the level doesn’t get too high, otherwise they have to burn it.

“If I get the wrong situation where I have a crop out there, I’m a drug lord,” Turner said.

Local media has reported cases of police around the United States seizing hemp shipments on suspicion of being marijuana, so growers have started carrying around a pile of documentation when transporting their harvest.

– Who steals hemp? –

And then there are the thieves.

The brigands traipsed into Turner’s fields and yanked plants out of the ground repeatedly when he was growing it last year, while at Corbett’s farm they chopped off the tops of the plants where the buds grow.

Was it to smoke the plant thinking it’s marijuana? Or sell it to unsuspecting buyers? Turner’s not sure, but said local police arrested multiple suspects for the thefts.

Farmers say their real challenge is getting their oil sold. Turner and Corbett both are sitting on gallons of CBD oil, waiting for someone to buy it.

“There definitely was a bit of an oversaturation of the market last year, and in conjunction with that market prices have dropped significantly,” said Erica Stark, executive director of the National Hemp Association.

“It’s still profitable if you can find a buyer, but it’s a big if,” she said, adding that the market situation will improve once processing capacity for hemp fiber grows, and the government passes regulations on CBD’s use as a supplement.

Turner has decided to sit out the 2020 planting season, and Vote Hemp estimates the actual harvest in 2019 was much lower than what farmers were licensed for due to crop failure and non-compliant plants.

“I haven’t gotten rich doing it,” concedes Corbett, who also rents out land to cattle ranchers and hosts guests at her riverside acreage in the town of Stanley.

“I believe in CBD and so, if I do OK this year, I’ll probably commit to five more years.”

cs/jme

Over the last few years, hip-hop culture has actually ended up being substantial in Latin America, after years of being neglected.

Nowadays, rappers and trappers from the area acquire actual billions of views on their YouTube videos, while freestyle rap competitors fill stadiums with 40.000 individuals each week, all across the continent– prior to COVID-19, that is.

While still penetrated by the American rap culture, the movement is rather autochthonous; it is mostly Spanish-speaking artists who are revered in the community.

Out of the mission to incentivize a two-way cultural crossover, DAMN! was born.

The hip hop show, produced by the individuals behind the first viral freestyle battle competition of the Web era, has numerous thousands mesmerized – their YouTube channel, boasting nearly half a million customers.

Hosts Veeyam, Tata and Pluzito say they were motivated by the iconic 90 s program, “Stretch and Bobbito.” This becomes apparent when you enjoy their program

Back for its 3rd season, DAMN! pledges to step up its game to an entire brand-new level, educating its audience on the entire hip hop culture, from graffiti to b-boying. The hosts share information on equipment, suggestions on career structure, news and analyses, along with (of course) lots of music, live interviews with the biggest stars of the region, and freestyle.

See also: Magic Johnson Talks CBD: ‘I’m A Believer’

Intrigued in learning more about what fuels this cannabis-infused phenomenon, I overtook Veeyam, Tata and Pluzito and inquired about entrepreneurship, self-management, success, and how marijuana fits into everything.

Flying High, On Air

” We’re often ‘flying high’ when we’re on air,” jokes Pluzito, a well-known rapper in the scene, displaying his expertise with words.

What does amaze him is business behind cannabis, which is still mostly foreign to the Latin American area. Whatever, from technology to product packaging design, has Pluzito flipping out.

Tata is one of the OG freestyle rappers of Argentina. Nowadays, he’s a judge for the biggest competitors in the Spanish-speaking world, the Freestyle Master Series. The tournament is held throughout eight Spanish-speaking nations and swaggers over 4 million subscribers on its YouTube channel, with some fights reaching a million views within hours.

For Tata, cannabis is a lifestyle. And he is a mindful customer too.

” In my personal life, cannabis is important. Not just for all things imaginative, however likewise as a day-to-day medication,” he states. “And I seem like it makes me a better dad too. I’m a lot more patient and in touch with my kids.”

See likewise: Chris Webby Talks Marijuana, Psychedelics, Rap And Company: ‘Everything Is Connected’

Veeyam has a different relationship with marijuana – it’s more of a social activity. Still, he is a strong supporter for safe access to medical marijuana, which is yet not readily offered in Argentina, regardless of it having actually been legislated back in 2017.

The host shares an individual experience about how tough it was to gain access to CBD oil for a close relative with cancer. He had to jump through boundless hoops just to get bad quality, illicit products, which he feels should have never ever been unlawful in the first place.

” I tried to link with individuals who understood a lot about the topic, because I required assistance.

” There are people who require cannabis now. Not in 5 years … We need immediate access to the health benefits of marijuana … These are really serious ailments and people can’t get their medication in exceptionally critical situations,” the music manufacturer adds, calling for instant policy of cannabis items throughout Latin America.

Living Off Your Passion

In traditional hip-hop style, Veeyam, Tata and Pluzito are earning a living – and a killing- off their greatest enthusiasm.

” You have to take a leap, risk it,” says Tata when prompted about the viability of creating a task out of the important things you love the majority of. “Everybody can succeed at this, but not everyone is willing to take the danger and face the potential consequences.”

See likewise: Xzibit Talks Marijuana, Legalization And His New Brand ‘Napalm’

Of course, a great group is constantly basic, Tata adds, acknowledging his producers, Julo and Colo. Both his peers, nod in arrangement.

Pluzito, thoughtful and exceptionally articulate, brings up a lesson he’s learned about entrepreneurship: if you put your energy into something, it grows.

” However you need energy and heart, determination. That makes it grow way even more,” he states. “We’ve dealt with lots of barriers but we persevered, due to the fact that we know we wish to make our program live on, no matter what. You need to provide it your everything.”

Circling back on love, Veeyam adds: “it’s everything about individuals and union. Human capital and human quality.

” When you invest every day putting love, commitment, attention, and effort, into a project, it always bears fruit … That’s our secret sauce: love and devotion.

The two previous seasons of the show were produced by one of the biggest radio and podcast stations in Latin America. The new season is self-produced, thanks to the support of Move Performances, the MAD music school and the DAMN! production team.

See also: Biggie’s Own C.J. Wallace And Willie Mack Battle To Legislate Cannabis, Celebrate Black Culture And Imagination With New Lifestyle Brand Name

” One often tries to attain in life what one would have wished to have as a kid … If back in the day, we [the hosts] had actually had a space like DAMN!, we would have grown much faster. That’s what we want to accomplish now, for up and coming artists. We want to pass the torch,” Veeyam continues.

” DAMN!