By Danny Federico Riverbend News
Green Point Research (GPR), a vertically integrated hemp phytocannabinoid-rich biomass originator and processor, celebrated the opening of its 32-acre Cannabis Center of Excellence, located at 6986 US-129 in Jasper, on Monday, Feb. 1, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. According to GPR's press release, the event was held in partnership with the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners (HCBCC), the Hamilton County Economic Development Authority (EDA) and North Florida Economic Development Partnership. Guest speakers included: Josh Smith, HCBCC District 2 representative; Chadd Mathis, Executive Director of the Hamilton County EDA; Holly Bell, Director of Cannabis for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and Deborah Tannenbaum, Florida's Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture.
The new campus is already serving as a logistics and drying hub for the company, with over 150,000 pounds of hemp biomass being shipped from the facility to customers across the Southeast, primarily throughout Florida, in December. While the campus still has a way to go before being completely up and running, GPR has already installed their hemp dryer, which is able to dry over four tons of hemp per hour.
"Our goal has always been to serve farmers by providing them with the hemp services they need to be successful," said David Hasenauer, CEO of GPR, in the press release. "The newly-installed dryer and infrastructure additions will help provide farmers with the scale, accessibility and expertise needed to more productively and profitably farm hemp. We could not be more pleased to be cultivating a better future in Hamilton County, one of the top producing agriculture counties in the country."
After his opening speech, Hasenauer introduced Smith, who welcomed GPR. "I knew in my heart that the board had made a lucrative offer to Green Point," Smith said. "Your work and your effort has gotten you here today."
Smith then introduced Mathis, who said opportunities within the agricultural bioscience sector are exciting for him. "Bringing Green Point here was almost a necessity," said Mathis. "This is one of the targeted industries that I wanted to bring in here when I did my marketing research plan."
"We continue to be impressed with David Hasenauer's vision for GPR and the impact the company will bring to our region," Mathis said in GPR's press release. "As a result of this investment, we expect the agriculture and manufacturing interest in this area will continue for decades to come."
Up next was Bell, who provided context on the growth of the hemp industry and the opportunities for the county. "Florida has over 23,000 acres approved for cultivation, yet in 2020 only 293 acres were planted," she said in the press release. "Over a third of the acres successfully planted in the state in 2020 were in Hamilton County with GPR and local farms. Hamilton County has demonstrated its capacity for agriculture excellence and we look forward to continued progress with Green Point's newly expanded capabilities."
Bell then introduced Tannenbaum, who shared some statistics of the industry's impact on the state. "This is a huge opportunity for this area," she said. "With tourism down 34 percent and agriculture remaining the top economic driver, we continue to do everything we can to support it. Currently, Florida has over 22,078 licensed acres of hemp cultivation over seven months." Tannenbaum says, at the current acreage, the total economic impact is estimated to be around $270,225,240 just within the first full year. "Florida's reputation as an agricultural and economic powerhouse is driven by its superior environmental conditions such as abundant sunlight and rich soil and a culture of growth and innovation," said Tannenbaum in GPR's press release. "Congratulations to Green Point Research and Hamilton County on the significant progress with this facility and for the agriculture industry."
In GPR's press release, Randy Ogburn, Chairman of the HCBCC, said, "Hamilton County's friendly business climate and superior environmental conditions make it an ideal location for agriculture activity. We are very excited to see the progress GPR has already made in its infrastructure and facility build out."
GPR has successfully yielded two hemp harvests within the last year, including one that was deemed the largest legal hemp harvest in Florida's history. Currently, GPR is gearing up for a busy hemp planting season this spring, as many farmers will be looking for expertise and services as they prepare to expand current hemp farming acreage or add hemp to their existing crop rotations.
Focusing on a cultivating and processing system which yields higher quality hemp biomass in a socially responsible manner is one of GPR's goals. To accomplish this, The Green Point MethodTM was developed. The Green Point MethodTM ensures GPR delivers the best possible financial and socially equitable returns, focusing on the three pillars of benign emissions, renewable energy and closing the loop in order to strive for a carbon negative operation.
A few of GPR's products include seeds, crude oil, full spectrum distillate, broad spectrum distillate, isolate and terpenes. For more information, please visit www.greenpointresearch.com or contact them at (954) 500-HEMP to learn more about The Green Point MethodTM and how to purchase seeds, seed starts or clones.