Last year, thousands of pounds of hemp crop went up in flames while at an Illinois farm which was hired by a Wisconsin hemp grower to dry the crop.
According to the lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin grower, the fire started on the morning of Thanksgiving. The Chicago federal court lawsuit claims that an ember from the industrial dryer caused the hemp to catch fire, which eventually destroyed nearly 65,000 wet pounds of biomass.
According to the complaint, Lake County Growers delivered to Moest Holdings about 84,000 pounds of wet hemp in October. Moest was hired to dry the hemp using an industrial dryer.
The complaint further claims that about two weeks into the hemp drying operation, the industrial dryer pipes began to smoke and produce embers.
The complaint further alleges that the fire from the industrial dryer destroyed a large chunk of Lake County Growers’ hemp. The majority of the hemp crop was contaminated and damaged by the smoke.
The lawsuit states that the market value of the hemp which was destroyed is about $1.37 million, and through their lawyers, Lake County Growers are asking for damages, attorney fees, as well as other compensation.
Ben Moest from High Plains refused to comment on the lawsuit. The co-founder of Lake County Growers, Maureen Lawrenz, also refused to comment on the suit.
Previously, hemp was banned in the Midwest parts of the U.S., but since the hemp industry is still developing, farmers are now trying their hand at hemp cultivation.
In Illinois, farmers harvested their first hemp crop last fall, and they had challenges when it came to finding space to dry their produce.
Liz Rupel of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance said that some of the farmers had to use their neighbors to hire other people’s barns to dry their plant. Rupel is an organizer of Illinois farmers.
Hemp is popular for its use in foods, fibers, and CBD products. The CBD is extracted once hemp is dried, and can be used to make lotions, caramels, edibles, and other products. People seeking the therapeutic effects of CBD can use those products or smoke the hemp flower. CBD products can also be used for relaxation or to induce sleep or treat other ailments such as depression, cancer, pain, and epilepsy. The cannabinoid can also be extracted from marijuana.
Experts believe that hemp firms like Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) will be hoping that the courts resolve this dispute quickly since it would be disappointing for the farmer to lose their crop in such a way.
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