Saluna launches hemp research in Southeast Missouri
SIKESTON, Mo.(KBSI) – A St. Louis based startup agriculture company called Saluna is focused on advancing hemp as a sustainable alternative to farmers in the Midwest.
In a move that could reshape agriculture opportunities in the Midwest Saluna is researching the growth of hemp throughout Southeast Missouri.
Michael Gerau is the Chief Technology Officer of Saluna. Currently the company is partnering with Southeast Missouri State University’s Sikeston Campus and local farmers to conduct field trials on hemp in the Southeast Missouri area.
“To think about it, before prohibition hemp was incredibly important to the United States both as fiber fuel and feed and we think that what we’ll be able to do by introducing hemp is provide a more sustainable crop for oil production” says Gerau. “We don’t think we are going to replace petroleum, but we might be able to find some markets where the oil from hemp can replace the oil from fossil fuels. We’re not getting any more fossil fuels, we’re always going to rely on a lot of fossil fuels, but what we can do is we can begin to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and make that more sustainable.”
The hemp crop does not contain THC or CBD of any kind.
“We are developing new varieties of hemp seed that can be used in a rotation much similar to corn and soy, but our product isn’t THC, it isn’t CBD we are hemp derived products. We believe that hemp is going to be a crop that can be used for oil production, renewable fuels, biodiesel and can also be used as a supplement in livestock feed so it’s got some really good attributes in terms of its profile and nutritional value” says Gerau.
Today Saluna held a field day and Saluna and its partners discussed what their field trials reveal so far and the progress of growth in the area. Local farmer Jeff Limbaugh has land is Sikeston and is partnering with Saluna in the growth of hemp on his land. He shares that the crop seems to grow very well in Southeast Missouri.
“Saluna has actually been researching a bunch for the last couple years. They’re doing a lot of it in some of their testing labs and everything but now their bringing it out to the field so like I said they’ve came to me, they’re working with SEMO University and were putting some test plots together” says Limbaugh. “Right here we’ve got 20 different variety’s, their doing cross breeding, they’re doing some genetic enhancement. They’re trying to make the hemp seed a much more productive crop.”
Federal legalization of industrial hemp wasn’t approved until 2018 under the Farm Bill. So, lack of data and consistent market demand have brought challenges but through research, field trials and testing Saluna and its partners hope to diversify crop production and more.
“Saluna seed company, Semo University and a bunch of us farmers in the area are participating really well with some of these programs so I hope they continue with it” says Limbaugh. “It looks like with what they’re doing and the success they’re having that I think it should be something pretty promising for Southeast Missouri.”
