In celebration of Greenlife Organics’ product launch, we will be explaining more about the importance of organic hemp farming in the CBD industry.

Since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which federally legalized hemp and broadened the ability to grow, transfer, and sell hemp-derived products across the country, CBD farming has spiked, creating a billion-dollar market that is expected to grow exponentially. Unfortunately, this has also led to an onslaught of cheap, low-quality products and questionable providers trying to capitalize on the recent hemp trends. Recent findings have revealed that hemp plants obtained from uncontrolled or unknown sources may be contaminated with harmful substances intentionally added in order to increase yield, weight or potency.

This is why we are committed to sourcing high-quality products rooted in superior hemp farming practices and extraction procedures. We stress the following when sourcing our vendors:

Organic Growing Conditions

Though hemp can thrive in most environments, the best growing conditions are warm-weather areas with well-drained soil rich in organic material. We ensure our hemp vendors utilize nutrient-rich soil and organic, sustainable farming practices without the use of any pesticides or harmful chemicals.

Quality Extraction Methods

After the hemp is grown and harvested, the next step is to extract the CBD oil from the hemp plant. There are several different extraction processes that vary in time and complexity, but most companies use the following three methods:

1. Solvent

Solvent extraction involves the use of ethanol, butane, propane, isopropyl, or alcohol to extract the CBD. To begin the liquid solvent process, flowers and plant trimmings are put into a container. Then the solvent is soaked or run through the material, stripping it of the cannabinoids. Then the evaporation process leaves the concentrated cannabinoids in an oil form. For more about the solvent process, read about it on the Greenlife Organics website.

2. Olive Oil

The olive oil extraction process is the oldest method of extracting CBD. The process begins with the raw plant materials being decarboxylated (heated) to the desired temperature for a specific amount of time so that the chemicals in the plant are activated. Olive oil and the plant material are combined and heated again. This is when the cannabinoids are extracted. The olive oil isn’t evaporated, so the resulting extract isn’t as concentrated as the other methods.

3. CO2 Extraction

Typically, the CO2 extraction process is done by using a “closed-loop extractor.” The machine contains three chambers. The first one holds pressurized, solid CO2 or dry ice; the second chamber has dried hemp plant material in it; the final chamber separates the resulting product.

From the first chamber, CO2 is pumped into the second chamber, which takes on the form of supercritical CO2 — between a gas and liquid state. The supercritical CO2 then runs through the materials and extracts the cannabinoids. It’s then pumped into the final chamber, where the CO2 rises to the top. This leaves the extract at the bottom and isolated from the CO2.

Third-Party Lab Testing

Many of our vendors, namely Tesera Naturals and Greenlife Organics, work with independent labs across the country to rigorously test their hemp oil to ensure the safest and highest quality product. This final step helps customers trust that they are getting the best product.

As you can see, a lot goes into ensuring our clients get the highest quality hemp products. If you have any questions or want additional information about how we curate our CBD selection, please reach out to one of our experienced staff members. /author box.