Spring Hill Farmer Shares His Insights on Hemp Regulations

SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Middle Tennessee farmer is harvesting this year’s hemp produce, but an ongoing lawsuit is challenging Tennessee’s “emergency” hemp cultivation regulations.

The Spring Hill farmer said the hemp industry still has a lot of room to grow.

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“This really is a plant that could save the world,” said Allenbrooke Farms owner Daniel Allen.

Hemp harvest season has begun in Middle Tennessee. At Allenbrooke Farms in Spring Hill, that means growing about 15 to 20 acres of hemp plants that will later be processed into CBD oil.

“We take the whole plant, chop it up and dry it very quickly,” Allen explained. “Then we have another machine that separates the stem. We put them in bags and then ship them off where they can be processed into CBD oil and then further refined into different products.”

While this year’s hemp harvest will generate a six-figure profit for the Allenbrooke family farm, Allen said other farms that may not have the same resources are losing potential revenue opportunities to retailers selling products derived from hemp plants.

“It’s just a little too one-sided for me,” Allen told News 2. “I feel like we’re protecting people’s rights to sell something that’s not even grown or made in the state. That said, it’s either grown illegally in the state or it’s coming from out of state, which is just unfair to farmers.”

This month, the Tennessee Growers Coalition and two other companies filed a lawsuit against the Department of Agriculture for delaying new rules on hemp sales and production. Allen said he has mercy on the department.

“They’ve basically started a cannabis division,” Allen added. “They’re in their infancy and they have limited resources, limited people. They’re having a hard time getting through 19,000 comments.”

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Allen said he believes the legislation, once passed, should help Tennessee’s industry and provide for consumers. But he also believes the industry should be allowed to thrive and consumers should support Tennessee’s small businesses.

“A lot of people have sacrificed a lot to get to where we are today,” Allen said. “A lot of people will continue to lose and sacrifice a lot. Any support you can give to small businesses, retailers and farmers is greatly appreciated and helps the industry thrive.”

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