After a failed attempt to sell their crops to a Louisville, Kentucky-based fiber processor last year, two local farmers decided to take matters into their own hands, creating the Heartland Hemp Cooperative (HHC).
The co-op intends to serve fiber farmers in southern Indiana, northern Kentucky, and parts of western Ohio.
Co-founders Michael Morrow and Marty Mahan said they hope to bring the majority of previous Sunstrand growers onboard, with a goal to expand to 20 members for the 2021 season.
“I had been trying to generate interest in a cooperative for several years,” said Morrow, vice president of the member-owned co-op.
Mahan, HHC’s president, said the idea turned into a mission as he and Morrow heard more and more tales of broken contracts last year among farmers in Indiana’s fledgling hemp industry.
“We started with the goal of solving a problem that many hemp farmers are facing – that the industry as a whole is underdeveloped – especially for farmers who are growing fiber varieties,” Morrow said. “Our goal is to help shape the industry as it grows and to ensure that farmers are keeping the largest possible percentage of their market dollar.”
Read the full article at hemptoday.net