ROBESON COUNTY, NC (WBTW) – A Robeson County farmer has started to experimentally grow industrial hemp.
Al Averitt said he typically farms row crops like corn, cotton, tobacco, and potatoes.
“I’m an independent crop consultant,” Averitt told News13. “And if it becomes a viable crop I’d like to be able to help farmers not make mistakes growing, and make a good return on it.”
Averitt said last year was the first year it became legal to grow hemp with a license.
He said farmers have to apply for a license to grow hemp through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Commission.
“When an individual applies to grow it, they select one or more of the purposes and research they’re intending to grow for,” Averitt explained. “In my case, it’s research for marketing purposes.”
Averitt said he will most-likely only sell his hemp in North Carolina.
“I think it maybe, at this point in time, it’s the only way it can occur,” he said about selling the plant within the state.
He said he invested between $30,000 and $35,000 for the three acres of hemp.
“I’m not sure what I expect to make, but hopefully it’ll be more than the investment, and hopefully substantially, but I’ve heard all kinds of numbers,” said Averitt.
Averitt said he wants the hemp to boost the rural economy.
“The economy in a lot of small towns is not doing that well,” he said. “If farmers do well, their local small towns do well. Cities are flourishing, and small towns are waning.”
Averitt explained how hemp is different from marijuana because of the THC content.
“The THC content is .3 percent or less, possibly even zero percent,” he said. “The plants have been bred for that, so that makes it industrial hemp, and you can’t get high off of it,” he continued. “This [hemp] has so little [THC] in it, you couldn’t detect it if you tried to smoke it or consume it.”
The farmer said hemp is mainly used for its seeds, fibers, and oils that the plant produces.
“Seed production, some of that goes into various food products,” he explained. “It could even be used as a blend into birdseed. The hemp fiber can be used in upholstery. In the case of the CBD oil, extractors would sell it in products as a dietary supplement.”
He said his goal is for his research to help future hemp farmers gain knowledge on how farming the plant works, and how to properly nourish the hemp.
“Information is gathered by the Hemp Commission, and compiled, and eventually will probably be used, should it become a crop that you see regularly around North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, or Tennessee,” he said.
Averitt said he planted the hemp in April, and will harvest it in September or even as late as October this year.
