What Regenerative Agriculture Means to First Crop
As one of our product pillars, First Crop is rooted in Regenerative Agriculture practices. At its core, regenerative agriculture practices are aimed at promoting soil health by restoring soil’s organic carbon. Practices such as no-till farming, the use of cover crops and crop rotations, and organic farming practices which prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers revitalize soil health, increase water retention, and promote biodiversity.
All of First Crop’s ™ CBD products are made from USDA-certified organic CBD oil extracted from hemp grown using strict organic and regenerative farming practices. As one of the few National Organic Program (NOP) certified hemp producers in the country, we never use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, use only non-GMO genetics, and follow a strict “seed to shelf” supply chain to ensure the highest quality hemp that provides the oil that goes into our retail products.
Our commitment to producing the highest quality products begins with the partnership with our farmers. Our farmers are selected based on their location, soil health, and their commitment to our mission and regenerative practices. All our FC farmers are raising our hemp biomass on land that has never been exposed to chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and their fields are subject to annual 3rd party organic certification audits which provide us with confidence in the farms ongoing organic integrity.
Next, we carefully select the CBD genetics that are best suited for our farmers’ bioregion and exhibit the desired characteristics that will produce the therapeutic benefits we strive to achieve in our product formulations. Once the seed is planted, Nature’s magic begins! Small plants germinate and emerge, and the taproot begins to go deeper into the soil. It’s amazing to see these tiny little plants in the field, realizing that by the end of their short growing season, approximately 100 days, they will be 6-8 feet tall and full of beautiful organic hemp flowers. And much is happening below the soil as well…
As our plants grow, so does its taproot system. During its short life cycle, hemp sequesters CO2 from the atmosphere and through its taproots replenishes the soil with CO2 and other nutrients. A reciprocal relationship that benefits the soil and helps to reduce greenhouse gases. Cooperation is demonstrated by our taproots’ relationship with water and soil. Taproots also better absorb the available micronutrients and better retain available water. Increased water retention results in hemp requiring only a fraction of the water needed to grow relative to other common field crops, another coveted natural resource. And finally, the taproot creates resiliency and durability in our plants which is especially beneficial during this time of extraordinary weather conditions.
By supporting regenerative agriculture practices, we have created a dynamic circulation of resources. When the soil is happy, the plants are happy, our farmers achieve higher yields and are also happy. Happy and prosperous farmers help foster stronger and more resilient farming communities. We believe this wheel of reciprocity is essential to the long-term health of our nation’s farmland, and directly supports the health and wellness of each of us, and our planet.
~ David Hill, First Crop Co-Founder & Head of Regenerative Agriculture and Education.
