HUMBOLDT, Calif., Feb. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Humboldt’s Finest, the leader in craft cannabis production, is setting the standard for sustainable cannabis cultivation with advanced “sun grown” and “rain grown” farming techniques. With cannabis production expanding rapidly in California, the water use and carbon footprint of the industry is becoming a real concern. Humboldt’s Finest is leading by example in showing that cannabis farming can protect local watersheds and combat global climate change with sustainable practices.
Most cannabis farming today is done indoors with electricity-powered lights. In total, the cannabis industry uses 1% of the nation’s electricity and over 70 gallons of oil are needed to provide energy to grow just one cannabis plant, according to a 2012 study. Sun grown cannabis is grown primarily with sun, reducing the energy needs substantially.
“As the demand for cannabis grows, the industry needs to meet that demand with sun grown cannabis to reduce the load on the electrical grid and the resulting carbon emissions,” says Joseph Shepp, Humboldt’s Finest CEO, “At Humboldt’s Finest, all of our products are sun grown because it’s sustainable and our patients prefer cannabis grown by the natural sun.”
As cannabis cultivation on the North Coast has increased over the past decade, so has the amount of groundwater being used for cannabis production, directly impacting local watersheds and their native fish populations. Cool stream water that is intended to flow into the rivers is often diverted by farmers for cannabis cultivation, resulting in the dewatering of local rivers and creating additional challenges for the region’s already struggling salmon populations.
Humboldt’s Finest is directly addressing this issue with their advanced “rain grown” cultivation technique, says Mr. Shepp: “By collecting rainwater and storm runoff, we are able to fill our ponds and water storage tanks during the winter, allowing us to sustain our crops though the dry summer without diverting precious groundwater from the local watersheds. We like to call this rain grown cannabis.”
Humboldt’s Finest farms are all PFC Verified (Patient Focused Certification), ensuring regulatory compliance and high quality product safety standards are adhered to. The multi-generational farmers of Humboldt’s Finest have adopted their defining ethos as “take care of the land and it will take care of you.”
“Our sun grown cannabis reflects the craft spirit of Humboldt County,” said Humboldt’s Finest CEO, Joseph Shepp. “Humboldt has a reputation for the best cannabis in the world, not just because of our ideal climate, but also because of our long history in environmental preservation and sustainable living. These authentic Humboldt values are reflected in every product we produce.”
