A Chattanooga company breaking new ground in the fast-growing hemp industry will supply extract for a CBD line backed by three-time football World Champion Rob Gronkowski.
"This partnership not only validates our preeminence as a leader in our own right, it showcases our strength as an innovation-centered and solutions-based company that guides new and existing brands with their hemp-related product development needs," said Landrace Bioscience CEO John DeMoss.
A hemp processor with operations just off Amnicola Highway, Landrace is pioneering new ways to extract CBD from hemp for uses in a range of products. The company was founded in Chattanooga just before congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which cleared the way nationally for the growing, processing and sale of hemp.
The number of hemp farmers in Tennessee has grown from a couple hundred in 2018 to 3,800 producers licensed to grow as much as 51,000 acres of hemp statewide, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Through their partnership with Abacus Health Products, Landrace will immediately begin supplying hemp extracts for Abacus' over-the-counter topical brands, CBDMEDIC and CBDCLINIC. Landrace will also work with Abacus to develop new products for former professional football champion and Abacus spokesperson Rob Gronkowski.
"The opportunity to develop new product offerings for Gronkowski's CBD line showcases our product development expertise," DeMoss said. "As the wellness properties of hemp extracts containing CBD are enjoying increased acceptance and heightened demand from consumers, we are proud to pair with such an established partner like Abacus and to create safe and effective products alongside a world-class athlete whose story can inspire millions to balance their active lifestyles with a healthy recovery."
CBD is a cannabinoid within the hemp plant believed to have calming and relaxing effects on users, as well as potential medical benefits. CBD is not a psycho-active cannabinoid, such as its counterpart, THC, and has no mind-altering properties, but is instead used primarily to treat pain and relieve stress.
Gronkowski, who retired in March, said CBD effectively treated pain caused by a decade in professional football. "I was blown away with how well it worked," Gronkowski said at a news conference in August.
More Info
Hemp vs. marijuanaHemp and marijuana are the same species of plant, but hemp contains very low levels of THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. The passage of the federal Farm Bill at the end of 2018 cleared the way for industrial hemp farming across the country.
Contact Mary Fortune at mfortune@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow her on Twitter at @maryfortune.