An advocate of hemp farming in Southwest Colorado vows to continue her quest to cultivate a local economic boom on the back of “the devil’s lettuce.”
“I plan on persevering,” said Sharon Stewart, who owns a coffee shop on Cortez’s Main Street.
Although interest has dissipated since launching the Hemp Talks group last fall, Stewart hopes to attract wider support in 2015 via public screenings of “Bringing It Home,” a documentary on the historical, economic and political impacts of industrial hemp. Viewings in Dove Creek, Cortez and Durango are being planned.
Independent candidate for county commissioner Bill Utrup, who lost in last month’s general election, has vowed his continued support. After watching the documentary at a Hemp Talks meeting on Sunday, Utrup was disappointed to learn that the U.S. was the greatest hemp importer while China remained the largest exporter.
“It’s such a sin,” he said.
Industrial hemp farming has caught on globally, but lags in the U.S.
Though commercial products are imported, industrial hemp remains illegal under the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, meaning that seeds are scarce. The ban has frustrated Colorado farmers, including two in Montezuma County, since the state legalized hemp production in 2013.
With greater awareness, Stewart hopes that area farmers can receive free seed cultivars.
“I want to get seed for farmers without it costing them a penny,” she said.
Mancos resident Wally Flavio, a semi-retired graphic designer with clients like Jell-O and Dial, is working to help brand the Hemp Talks movement. Incorporating cannabis leaves embossed on a set of gears, Flavio unveiled his initial concept on Sunday.
Named Best Environmental Film at the Sedona International Film Festival, “Bringing It Home” is a 52-minute documentary filmed in black and white. It was made possible via licensing agreements funded by the Dolores County Development Corp. No dates have been confirmed for the public screenings.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com