VIRGINIA HEMP FARMER, STATE AND MARKET CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
VIRGINIA HEMP FARMER, STATE AND MARKET CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS Virginia hemp agriculture and farming is experiencing a time of acceleration, complexity and frustration. This is an exciting and potentially prosperous enterprise for hundreds of family farmers and ancillary small businesses and thousands of rural Virginians. I have identified some relatively simple issues that our state leaders could focus on to positively impact rural constituents. CHALLENGES: Farmer Issues: Need education and guidance The retail market is unstable and oversupplied, but there are many underserved populations Expensive enterprise to start, maintain and insure Processing facilities are not sufficient Low official THC levels cause crops to be destroyed State Issues: In-state processing facilities are not sufficient Dispensary system rewards out-of-state, vertically integrated corporations and sidelines Virginia farmers Legislative issues and roadblocks, ie: Delta 8 legality, cannabis timetables and acces