CV Sciences Inc., a Nevada-based startup working to produce supplements containing the hemp extract cannabidiol (CBD), has announced the donation of internationally sourced hemp seed to several Kentucky universities and farms.
The commonwealth is starting up its third year of hemp pilot projects, aimed at reviving the industrial crop as a major commodity in the state.
“We’re inspired to assist researchers and farmers in Kentucky with the hope that together we will be able to secure a domestic supply that will meet the booming demand for hemp-derived CBD in this country,” Michael Mona III, CV Sciences’ vice president of operations, said in a statement.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture says about 4,500 acres of hemp will be grown for the projects this year.
CV Sciences said its seed distribution arrived a month earlier than last year’s, giving two universities and four farms better planting windows. The company said its distributed hemp seed to Kentucky State University and Murray State University, as well as to farms in Hippo, Mount Sterling, Murray and Paris.
“The logistics and the outcomes of farming can be unpredictable,” said Josh Hendrix, a Kentucky farmer and CV Sciences’ director of business development. “Being on an accelerated timeline, with seed in hand so early, allows us to take what we have learned in previous years, build on it, and hopefully get that much closer to creating a domestic supply that eventually meets industry needs.”