On 19th November 2019, the Colorado Department of Agriculture added two new seed varieties developed by Enecta to the list of hemp types allowed for production. 

These seeds are Enectarol, genetics with a high content of cannabigerol (CBG) and CarmaEnecta, a variety with a strong cannabidiol content (CBD). These two newly registered Enecta genetics are an addition to the thirteen Enecta varieties of industrial hemp already registered in Europe.

Why in Colorado?

The choice to register these two genetic varieties of industrial hemp at the Colorado Department of Agriculture was made with a specific objective in mind.

This is the continuation of Enecta's path of commitment and research, which in this case is part of the Hemp Seed Certification program, promoted and coordinated by the Colorado Department of Agriculture along with The Colorado State University Agricutlure Experimental Station and the Colorado Seed Growers Association.

The North American state benefits from a climate, latitude and overall environmental conditions that are very similar to those of our hemp fields in the Abbruzzo region cultivated by our agricultural partner, GreenValley, who is therefore able to guarantee the adaptability and reliability of these genetics.

Green Valley cultivates Cannabis aimed at extracting CBD and other non-psychotropic active ingredients and also conducts a research project on the optimization of agronomic techniques for the cultivation of Cannabis sativa L. together with the CREA-CI. The favorable climatic conditions of Colorado also come with a marked pioneering spirit in the Cannabis sector.

As of today, it has 3,000 commercial licenses and more than 40,000 people working in the industry: it is therefore one of the states that will benefit most from the Farm Bill, a law passed by the Congress that, along with other agribusiness norms, regulates industrial hemp and its cultivation, substantially differentiating it from Cannabis with a THC content higher than 0.3%, thus opening up different scenarios for the cultivation, production and distribution of its derivatives.

The certification of Enectarol and CarmaEnecta

The certification was a two-step process. First, Enecta's request to register two new genetics was presented to the Variety Review Board (VRB), in charge of checking the breeding history, and the Colorado Seed Growers Association for the conformity of the description submitted. Once we got the approval of both institutions, we moved on to practical checks.

Cultivation tests have been carried out in different places around Colorado, showing the genetics ability to adapt to the state's different microclimates (especially Fort Collins, Otis, Rocky Ford, Center and Fruita Colorado) without revealing any significant parameters variations.

In each test area, during the plant maturity phase, several inflorescence samples were taken from the top 5 centimeters of the plant, for a test aimed at evaluating its content of THC. Once these tests were passed, Enectarol and CarmaEnecta officially entered the register of genetic varieties allowed in the state.

This is a success rewarding Enecta's commitment to its research on industrial hemp varieties.

Cannabis, business and social commitment: the case of Colorado

In 2018, the federal bill (valid throughout the United States) on agriculture (the infamous Farm Bill) officially registered hemp as a common commodity. It triggered a sort of hemp cultivation frenzy in Colorado, also because it holds an advantageous position.

The American state has historically been one of the first to cultivate hemp and today, the farmers already have a fertile soil, figuratively speaking. From 2014, when Colorado legalized cannabis, it has generated more than $ 1 billion in state revenues and estimated total proceeds of approximately 6 billion dollars since this new and ever-expanding hemp industry was born. From this wealth came great social achievements for the citizens of Colorado.

Just consider the money paid to the state by the hemp industry that is also invested in social projects and initiatives. Cannabis significantly increased the number of scholarships issued for various levels of education, including university. This is how hundreds of students who would have never had access to university were able to study, thanks to the new funds available.

Uncountable social projects and investments were made possible by cannabis tax money, such as the Aurora Day Center that the county of Aurora was able to fund. This welcoming place or refuge for people in need is part of a 1.5 million dollars investment to fight poverty. In 2018, for the third year in a row, Pueblo County used $ 634,000 of cannabis tax money to fund 563 student scholarships.

This is how a virtuous circle was set up within a relatively short time-period of hemp industrial activity, opening up new investment opportunities, generating funds for public institutions and allowing the development of high social impact projects.