Hemp Facts
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Hemp cultivation is among the oldest documented crops on the planet. It has been found in pottery over 10,000 years old. It has been noted that hemp is one of the oldest known relics of human industry. Hemp fabrics date back to 8,000 BC. 1,000 BC -1,900 AD.
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Hemp has became the largest agricultural crops in the world, creating vital goods. From 500 AD- 1,900 AD, 90% of all sail cloth was made from hemp canvas.
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The founding fathers of the United States, including Presidents Washington and Jefferson, encouraged the budding republic's farmers to grow hemp as a source of economic vitality. The Declaration of Independence was written on a piece of hemp paper.
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The Hemp plant is defined by current world hemp production standards as containing less than 0.3% THC, the psycho-active ingredient found in the cannabis plant.
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Hemp seed oil contains some the highest and most balanced levels of essential fatty acids (omega-3 ,6 and omega-9) of all oil seed crops farmed. Hemp is also very high in proteins and contains all the essential amino acids.
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The bark of the hemp stalk is called bast fibers, which are among the Earth's longest natural soft fibers. The woody core is very rich in cellulose. The cellulose is in its inner woody core and is called called the hurd. Hemp stalk is not psychoactive. Hemp bio-composites and hemp plastics degrade in our environment at two or three times faster than traditional plastics.
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Hemp can be grown organically. Only eight out of about one hundred known pests cause problems, and hemp is often grown without herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. Hemp is a natural weed suppressor due to the fast growth of the canopy.
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The United States is the #1 consumer of hemp products, but the only industrialized nation in the world not currently growing hemp. The current market for hemp products is over $600 million annually and stands to increase significantly.