Hemp Grower Taps Into Oklahoma’s History To Thrive In Today’s Industry

A big talking point of the 2018 Farm Bill is the nationwide legalization of hemp. It passed Congress this week, bringing the end of a decades-long prohibition one step closer. 

One research project in Oklahoma has found the link to our past. Hempyre is using the history of Oklahoma’s hemp to research the best products for today’s industry.

A variety of strains are thriving under the roof of Can-Tek Labs, now home to Hempyre Genetics. Some have come from farms and forests around Oklahoma, where they've continued to grow since hemp was banned after World War II.

“We believe we have genetics from all over the world that have been brought here,” says CEO Ryan Early, “and after 80 years of surviving in the wild have adapted to Oklahoma’s climate.”

Early says that is what sets his program apart from the rest. He is working with Northwestern Oklahoma State University, energy groups and farmers on Project Hemp for Victory to identify as many of these plants as possible.

“They’re growing wild all across Oklahoma,” he says, “and we document, test and certify those as Land Race Heirloom Industrial Hemp of Oklahoma.”

The project has produced some interesting results, like a pair of seven-week-old plants that are already covered in CBD-rich flowers.

Eventually, Early aims to cultivate strains ideal for rope and canvas, CBD-based medicine and more.

He says, “We’ve already documented and registered several Oklahoma cultivars with ODAFF, all for their very unique properties.”

The passage of the federal Farm Bill would eliminate the state's current requirement for university partnerships, but Early plans to continue his research for the next two years regardless.

To learn more about this project, follow Hempyre Genetics on social media or visit the website, hempyregenetics.com.