DON enterprises, a non-profit USA based in Newcastle, Pennsylvania has recently announced its plans to set up a hemp fibre decortication facility in the state. The organization confirmed that the factory will serve hemp farmers within a 200-mile radius. Noticeably, this includes those in the Pennsylvania state and neighbouring Ohio.
Chris Lloyd, the organization’s CEO and founder said that hemp fibre gives a real opportunity to the farmers who’ve been facing tough conditions. According to him, DON Enterprises aims to create more jobs for the locals and support the farmers with a fresh alternative in their crop rotation routine.
Last year, DON was engaged in testing four hemp varieties at a farm located in the state’s Enon Valley borough in Lawrence County. This year, four farmers selected from Lawrence county and two others hailing from Tuscarawas and Trumbull Counties in Ohio planted test fields. The farmers received seeds, necessary permits for the project with its cost well covered by the organization.
Lori Daytner, DON’s vice president in charge of the hemp initiative’s program development, reiterated that there is an increased interest in hemp fibre. He said that Pennsylvania and Ohio house a significant number of factories manufacturing plastics. With manufacturers using plastic fibres as a reinforcement component, hemp fibres will have a huge impact.
Daytner also said that non-woven hemp fibre applications are already taking shape and gave an example of the new BMW i3 that is made up of 14% hemp. The motor vehicle was even showcased at the Pennsylvania Farm Show earlier this year.
DON Enterprises supports independent living for the disabled in regards to civil rights principles. The organization is a recipient of $11450 in Pennsylvania Specialty Crop Block Grant that’ll go into boosting its drive to set up hemp fibre facilities in the state.
