Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1084252
19 farm406 Colby Johnson examines an early-stage flower of the hemp plant. Your Family Resource for Agriculture P.O. Box 2447 • Great Falls, MT 59403 • (406) 452-6406 www.montanafarmersunion.com • Providing youth & adult education & scholarships • Working legislatively for Montana's family farmers, ranchers and rural communities • Supporting producer-owned co-ops This extraction plant will use an ethanol extraction process to pull the oil from the flower and produce the CBD oil. The CBD oil is then processed into isolates, which is a dry powder that can be easily shipped to buyers. "The extraction plant will be completed by February 2019, and it looks a lot like a chemistry lab," said Johnson. "When we are ready to contract with other farmers, having an extraction plant available in Montana's central growing district will provide a nearby location to sell hemp. Then it will be our responsibility to market the powder isolates," said Johnson. If Colby Johnson can't be found in any of the above- mentioned locales, then try Shelby where he is learning to be a pilot. But then again, he might be meeting with the new organized hemp advisory board that will assist in shaping legislation around hemp, bringing in people who will invest in the commodity's various aspects, and setting up a marketing campaign for selling Montana's industrial hemp. Besides initiating a Hemp Advisory Board, the Montana Department of Agriculture and Hemp Genetics International have partnered with Montana Farmers Union to develop a fact sheet and educational workshops held throughout the state to properly inform farmers of current restrictions, the merits, and the problems in raising hemp. In addition to informing farmers, "Montana Farmers Union recognizes that a market is a priority for hemp to become a viable crop for the state's farmers and are working to fill that void," said Justin Loch, Membership and Development Director of Montana Farmers Union. Considering the areas that Colby Johnson has already impacted in agriculture by raising hemp, building an extraction plant, and serving on the advisory boards for both pulse and hemp, he is on the path to making a real difference in Montana's agriculture. Billings, MT | Hastings, NE | Valley City, ND | Yakima, WA Phone: 800-437-9702 | Fax: 800-313-3299 | www.feiinc.com THE PRODUCTS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO SERVE YOUR NEEDS! NEW LIQUID ICE CONTROL EQUIPMENT Built for UTVs and Pickup Trucks Authorized ICE MASTER SYSTEMS Dealer • BAFFLE-BALL™ Surge Control • AUTO-DRAIN™ Sump Base • TIME-SAVER™ Fork Points • POLY-FLEX™ Hose Reel • RUST-ARMOUR™ Stainless Frame • EASY-ADJUST™ Boom Mounts