May 14, 2020, Jasper, Florida, This week, the Green Point Research team harvested their first hemp crop of the year, marking a significant milestone for the public and private partners benefiting from the resurgence of the crop in Florida and across the United States.
The 30-acre harvest in Hamilton County, Florida, is the result of a multi-year effort for the Florida-based cannabis biomass and origination company and its partners. Given the legislative changes the past century, the accomplishment is also lauded as one of the first hemp harvests for the county in nearly 80 years.
Legislation passed in 1937 that made all cannabis, including hemp, illegal. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp and paved the way for farmers to benefit from the environmentally and economically powerful crop. Green Point Research (GPR) is a member of the Hemp Industries Association of Florida (HIAF), the Florida chapter of the national Hemp Industry Association (HIA), the national trade association established in 1994 and representing more than 1,500 members.
In August, GPR was in North Florida as part of the HIAF Industrial Hemp Road Tour, and the statewide road tour stop at the UF/IFAS Hamilton County Extension office attracted a large crowd of farmers, elected officials, and other professionals. This event was covered by the Suwannee Democrat and included informational presentations to the community and remarks from Ray Mazzie, Executive Director of the Hemp Industries Association of Florida; Dick Crockett, North Florida Regional Director, External Affairs, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS); Tim Standfield, Greenberg Traurig, LLP; and Ashley Leibe, Certified Cannabis Instructor.
The company received planting permits from the FDACS on 450 acres of farmland and a 30-acre nursery in 2019, making it the largest permitted cultivator in Florida. The timing is optimal as farmers anticipate Florida’s approval of hemp seeds for sale to be granted in the very near future. GPR’s four founders, David Hasenauer, Jordan Pace, Light Townsend, and Michael Dukes, were part of the harvest efforts this week. “We’re incredibly proud of the team and their collective efforts that helped bring this crop harvest to fruition,” said Jordan Pace, GPR’s chief operating officer. “We look forward to getting more plants in the field and providing the highly-demanded seeds and seed starts to our farming partners.”
Every good harvest starts with quality seed or seed start, regardless of what crop is being grown. If you are interested in purchasing seeds, seed starts, or clones, contact Green Point Research at info at greenpointhemp.com or call 954-500-HEMP. Learn more at https://greenpointhemp.com/seeds-start/.