By KATHY NEIDERT
Vernon Economic Development Association board member
We have exciting news: The Coulee Region is being considered for an industrial hemp grain processing plant.
Ken Anderson, president and founder of Legacy Hemp, located in Prescott, Wis., made the announcement after speaking at three seminars coordinated by Vernon Economic Development Association and held Jan. 10 at the Food Enterprise Center in Viroqua.
About 120 area residents attended the seminars to hear about potential business opportunities for growing and processing industrial hemp, which will be possible under 2017 Wisconsin Act 100, a law recently passed by the legislature and signed by the governor on Nov. 30, 2017.
Seminar attendees learned that marijuana and industrial hemp are not the same. Industrial hemp is non-psychoactive with very low THC; its name is “cannabis sativa plant.” It is a sustainable resource that can be used for thousands of products, such as textiles, construction, personal care and food products. The United States reportedly imports just less than $600 million worth of industrial hemp-related products from Canada and China.
Legacy Hemp is America’s first provider of hemp seeds and an infrastructure to bring hemp into developing markets. The company’s mission is to establish an entirely domestic, vertical operation, providing organic hemp seeds and hemp oils to manufacturers, ensuring prosperity and security for American farmers.
Anderson shared information that focused on the emerging markets for grain production with industrial hemp and to promote the opportunity for innovative product development. While in Viroqua, Anderson and business partner Neil Reiten, a North Dakota industrial hemp farmer, met with businesses representatives, bankers, entrepreneurs, product innovators and farmers from across the region.
Anderson and Reiten repeatedly stated their company’s commitment to soil health, plant health, and human health in connection with industrial hemp and producing top-quality products. To ensure quality, Legacy Hemp hand picks farm partners to produce premium organic hemp grain for its food-grade markets.
Legacy Hemp has identified four Wisconsin regions as potential places to build a $4.5 million wholesale industrial hemp grain processing plant, which is projected to bring 16 full-time jobs to the area. Employment opportunities include agronomy research, grain handling, mechanical engineering, administration, and sales.
“The Coulee Region is currently our top choice for Legacy Hemp’s first industrial hemp grain processing plant,” Anderson said.
A decision on location is expected by the end of January while the company “continues discussions regarding economic development incentives with Vernon Economic Development Association, municipalities, financial institutions, utilities and community partners.”
