Source: Montrose Press
For Delta farmer Richard Munoz, hemp has become a source of income. But not only has hemp helped his income, it has boosted his health as well.
“I could barely move, but when I took two drops from this liquid hemp bottle, I got my energy back,” Munoz said. “Two weeks later I was back working again.”
When Munoz was diagnosed with rheumatic arthritis in his back, his doctor gave him a marijuana license. Then Munoz discovered hemp helped his back pain, and he believed he had more energy.
Now he and his wife Shirley operate Peach Valley Hemp in Delta. They have been growing hemp since 2015.
They entered in the market with some trepidation.
“I didn’t want to plant hemp at first, I didn’t know how to harvest it, had no idea of how to plant and no one around here knew how to plant hemp,” Munoz said.
Since then Richard and Shirley Munoz have become hemp cheerleaders.
“We need people to realize that hemp does a lot of good things,” said Shirley, who credits it for lowering her blood pressure.
The couple not only grows hemp but also manufactures products from the crop. They have made a variety of products with hemp including juices, jams, jellies and even deodorants.
Industrial hemp can be used in different products like plastics, ropes, clothing, construction materials, animal bedding and fuel.
While Richard says he is able to make an income from hemp, he had to pay a steep price to get started. Munoz said he spent $2,500 on a half a pound of hemp seed and also had to pay for a $75 labeling permit.
Munoz also has to inform the federal government about certain times in the growing process. He has to give a month notice before he plants and harvests and has to tell the federal government when he planted the seed.
According to the National Hemp Association, both hemp and marijuana come from the Cannabis sativa plant, but are distant cousins from each other.