May 2, 2020 will be the date for the Industrial Hemp Awareness Fair in Columbia, Pennsylvania. The fair will seek to demonstrate the many uses of the crop, from car parts, to hempcrete, to even pretzels.
The fair will be held at Locust Street park. It has been conditionally approved by the Parks and Recreation committee and is pending approval by the Old Columbia Public Grounds Co and funding in next year’s budget.
“We’d like to continue to educate. We need to make the distinction of what industrial hemp can bring to a community like ours,” Susan Love, the event organizer, told the press.
The event will be free to the public, with the costs of the event being covered by vendor fees and sponsors.
The fair will welcome industrial hemp to the state, along with the new processing facility that will open in Columbia. Colorado company Floyd’s of Leadville has been approved to process hemp at 185 N. Front St. They will be processing hemp grown from the dozens of Lancaster County farmers who grew the crop this year.
Around 50 farmers grew hemp specifically for Floyd’s of Leadville. This years crop has already been harvested, and they were hopeful that the crops would start being extracted in about two weeks.
Even though just a few weeks off the ground, the fair already has 30 businesses and organizations interested in participating.
One of those interested is Shawn House. House is a long time resident, advocate for industrial hemp, and creator of Hempzels, pretzels made from hemp.
The town is generally enthusiastic about the possibilities for this new industry.
