Many elected officials and farmers were on hand to cut the ribbon at a new hemp production facility in Cadiz-Trigg County Friday afternoon.
The operation will be run by Vertical, one of the nation’s largest integrated hemp companies, and is part of a $5 million investment to cultivate and manufacture many hemp-based CBD products. They’ve partnered with Kentucky farmer Joseph Kelly, and the ribbon cutting took place in the facility on Rogers Thomas Road with around 100 acres worth of hemp plants drying on the floor.
Vertical President of Distribution, Sales and Marketing Smoke Wallin says hemp has many benefits for consumers and they intend to have products from this facility available for purchase across the country.
Vertical Chief Operations Officer Drew Milburn says at full capacity, the factory will employ approximately 125 employees. He says the crop will change the face of the United States and Kentucky and no part of the plant will go to waste during production.
Congress James Comer says no matter what version of the Farm Bill passes—he hopes by the first week of December—it will include language that regulates and removes hemp from the list of controlled substances.
Cadiz Mayor Todd King presented Wallin with a key to the city at the ceremony. Vertical currently has over a dozen products reaching 227 distribution outlets and this facility will for them to continue expanding and reaching new customers.