Hemp/Cannabis as Biomass - and as a Feed Stock
With the capabilities inherent with the Community Bio-Refineries process, the Company would be remiss if it failed to acknowledge and provide for additional source material for processing. Specifically, the organic biomass materials referred to as hemp and cannabis. The Company recognizes that which may or may not be inherent in hemp/cannabis due to the lack of empirical (US) study. Virtually no non-governmental research had been permitted until 2018; therefore, the FDA prohibits any medical claims related to hemp/cannabis or their derivatives. There is, however, a virtual “mountain” of empirical study data from non-US sources. We will not make any medical property claims; however, we will continue to strive to support relevant Research and Development efforts to eventually secure and validate such claims to the satisfaction of the FDA. Until then, CBR /HBR shall focus, at a minimum, on the aspects of food (protein), therapeutic oils, sugars for fermentation, creation of biodegradable plastic, and the elimination of the inherent solid organic waste. The waste issue is currently plaguing processors in the many states where cultivation and processing if hemp/cannabis/marijuana has been approved.
The many uses of hemp/cannabis are well-documented. Tens of thousands of products and derivatives are possible from this single plant source. A magazine article from the mid-1930s articulated very well the potential bounty of products possible, as well as the potential revenues which could be reasonably expected from such products. The love-hate relationship between cannabis/marijuana and the United States harkens back to the Depression-era when self-righteous newspaper editors and politicians spread fear and prejudice among the population. There were even motion pictures made depicting the horrid results to anyone who dared to experiment with cannabis, such as “Reefer Madness.” A special “Marihuana Tax” was imposed on those who cultivated hemp or manufactured related products, which soon found itself at odds with the needs of a wartime military requiring vast amounts of hemp-derived rope. The newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst, made a point of ensuring his newspapers emphasized how horrible marijuana was and what lay in store for those foolish enough to use it. Mr. Hearst maintained a long-held prejudice against all things Mexican, so his warnings made sure Mexican were concurrently demonized since in the 1930s, much of the marijuana came primarily from Mexico in the 1930s. Hearst even changed the plant’s spelling from ‘marihuana’ to ‘marijuana’ to emphasize its Mexican origins.
The Founder of Community Bio-Refineries, LLC, felt strongly that the potential medicinal and other properties of cannabis had not been adequately explored, particularly within the US. His motivation was heightened when he, himself, became afflicted with cancer and experienced, firsthand, the side effects of various medical treatment substances. Right up until the time of his passing, he was in close coordination with the Director of Western States Operations and the CBR Chief Operating Officer to determine how best to apply the CBR process with cannabis as its feedstock/biomass to create the best possible results.
As the two principal CBR officers worked to develop the HBR, a great deal of additional research was performed to ensure our focus was in the right place. They discovered that by using the entire marijuana plant in the process, entirely new products were possible, to include high-quality protein isolates, food-grade oils, and much more. The whole cannabis plant will eventually open even more doors for the HBR, for both hemp processing but other feedstocks and biomass sources.
NOTE: The creation of a ‘Hemp-BioRefinery’ shall not be construed to be a separate business entity or “subsidiary” of Community Bio-Refineries, LLC. The reasons for the different facility distinction are described within the CBR Offering document’s Supplement 1, along with a more considered discussion of the potential benefits to the Company, to potential investors, and the population at large.