A Brief History of Industrial Hemp
The history of hemp, which is long and storied. In May of 2019, Vegetation History and Archaeobotany published an article tracing the emergence of the plant species back to the Tibetan Plateau 28 Million years ago.
Not only has hemp been present on the planet for a long time, but it’s been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. Hemp was likely one of the earliest fiber-producing plants cultivated for textiles, dating back to 8,000 B.C.E. Industrial hemp has historically been widely used throughout Asia and Europe.
In the early English settlement in the Americas, many farmers grew hemp for use in rope, sailcloth, and clothing. It’s believed that hemp seed was, in fact, one of the critical resources snuck out of Europe and brought to the new world.
Industrial hemp was also grown by America’s founding fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Hemp has also been used for its rich protein and high hutritional content.
Until the mid-1900s, industrial hemp flourished in the United States. In 1942, Henry Ford demonstrated the practicality of industrial hemp by building an experimental car body made from hemp fiber, which is 10 times stronger than steel. Less than a year after Popular Mechanics published an article calling hemp the next “billion-dollar crop,” the Marijuana Tax Act passed effectively outlawing hemp production.
In 2014, President Obama signed the Farm Bill which allowed research institutions to begin piloting industrial hemp programs. On December 20th, 2018, President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law which finally legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp.
While it’s important to look back on the history of hemp, what excites us at International Hemp is what the future holds for this agricultural commodity. Industrial hemp is one of the most valuable sustainable resources on the planet for food, fiber, fuel, and much more. We know this plant has limitless potential, but we can only harness it if we work together. Come grow with us.