We are all aware that the natural resources on our planet are finite. Sustainable agriculture has become more important than ever as a result. Luckily, hemp is inherently sustainable both economically and environmentally.
Here are five of the ways that hemp is an excellent sustainable crop.
Hemp Is Versatile
Hemp is used to make thousands of products including oils, soap and paper. There are even hemp building materials such as hempcrete.
Hemp Requires Less Water
Industrial hemp requires one-third of the water for a successful grow compared to cotton and many other crops. This puts less strain on natural resources, especially in areas where droughts are more common.
Hemp Retains More Nutrients
During the retting process, hemp retains a high-percentage of nutrients back to the ground. This results in healthier soils that benefits farm lands for longer periods of time. It also reduces the chance of soil degradation, which can damage the health and productivity of food crops.
It Can Help Address Deforestation
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that we are losing nearly 19 million acres of rainforest annually. Hemp can slow down agricultural deforestation because it grows in small spaces. It also has a higher cellulose concentration than trees and creates paper that is sturdier.
Hemp Is Extremely Resilient
Hemp is naturally resistant to fungi, pests and diseases that can all harm our environment. This means farmers don’t need to use large amounts of chemicals on their crops.
All Lazarus Naturals products are free from chemicals and solvents. We also third-party test our products for heavy metals and pesticides.
Our Hemp Growing Process
We water and feed our crop with a subsurface drip irrigation system that draws from an irrigation ditch and delivers just the right amount of water. Click here to learn more from Evan Skandalis, our VP of Farm Operations, about the hemp grown on our farm in Central Oregon.