5 questions to ask your hemp farmer before purchasing for your business
With the hemp farming industry expanding every day, buying hemp for cannabidiol (CBD) products can be a difficult process. Knowing where to start is key but asking the right questions can be beneficial to the growth of your business’s products. Here are five questions you should ask to get started!
Do you have legal documentation?
Because certain states have yet to legalize the use of all CBD products it is important to ask for certifications and legal documents to authenticate lawful products. Most patrons would like to know that the products you source from are in compliance with your state's law and regulations. Legal documentation to produce or sell CBD products most often takes the form of a producer's license, processor’s licenses, or other license to sell consumable hemp products. Legal documentation for a CBD product commonly takes the form of a Certificate of Analysis (COA). A COA is a verified document provided by a laboratory that shows the analytical test results for a CBD product. Even though the CBD industry isn’t yet regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or other legal agencies, there are strict guidelines and requirements set forth by the Farm Bill drafted in 2018. For example, all products must contain no more than 0.3% THC; anything over that regulated amount can cause some serious legal issues.
What are your farming practices?
With an increase of patrons wanting to know the specificities of their everyday products, you absolutely want to know how the CBD source crop is being farmed. Is the hemp being grown in a greenhouse or outdoors? Which is better for your overall purpose? Is the hemp organically grown? Which pesticides or herbicides were used during the farming of hemp? It’s important to ask yourself these questions before you purchase from a seller. It’s also important to have basic knowledge of hemp farming practices and the extraction process. High quality CBD starts with quality farming practices, so you want to pay special attention to where it’s being grown and the organic practices.
How do you test your product(s)?
Although testing is a part of farming procedures, it is also important to understand how the seller is testing. Looking for a seller that doesn’t use pesticides and other compounds can be tricky, as some of these keep the plant safe and growing healthy. But if that’s something to consider, ask for the COA to certify the ingredients that they claim to use. You should always ask if a seller has done full panel testing on their product. This is testing that not only tests for CBD and THC content, but also pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and residual solvents. Finding out a farmer's testing procedures could significantly help you narrow down your buying selections. This part is all about quality so find a farm that aligns with your best practices.
Is there wholesale pricing available?
Wholesale prices obviously differ between business needs, (i.e. edibles and oil), however, it is important to note that you don't want to purchase from a super low budget farm just as you don’t want to choose from a high budget one. Look for premium market farmers as they tend to grow high-quality hemp resulting in high-quality products.
What makes you different?
This is when you really want to understand what a company is about. Question them about their mission and purpose for growing; what truly makes them different from any of the other farmers? Finding out their story can differentiate them from their competitors and help align your needs in a CBD farm and ultimately find the best one for your products.
Websites
“Hemp Production Program Questions and Answers.” Hemp Production Program Questions and Answers | Agricultural Marketing Service, 25 Apr. 2022, https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/hemp/questions-and-answers.
Hemp, Cultivarias. “Top 7 Questions to Ask before You Buy Hemp Genetics.” Cultivaris Hemp, 14 May 2020, https://cultivarishemp.com/top-7-questions-to-ask-before-you-buy-hemp-genetics/.
Rouse, Aleah. “Top 4 Things to Look for in a Hemp Seed Oil Supplier.” Top 4 Things to Look for in a Hemp Seed Oil Supplier, 24 Aug. 2022, https://blog.victoryhempfoods.com/hemp-seed-oil-wholesale-supplier.
Sparks, Brian. “Five Questions to Ask before Buying Cannabis Cuttings from a Young Plant Supplier.” Greenhouse Grower, 14 July 2022, https://www.greenhousegrower.com/crops/five-questions-to-ask-before-buying-cannabis-cuttings-from-a-young-plant-supplier/.
Ten Questions to Ask before Growing Hemp in 2020 - OISC. 2022, https://oisc.purdue.edu/hemp/pdf/Ten%20Questions%20to%20Ask%20Before%20Growing%20Hemp%20in%202020.pdf.
Vivek, Vishal. “Top Questions to Ask a Hemp Company.” Hemp Foundation, Hempfoundation, 15 Dec. 2021, https://hempfoundation.net/top-questions-to-ask-a-hemp-company/.
