Cypress Hemp

One CBD Company's Quest for Wellness for Louisianians is Personal

By Abby Meaux Conques

Kristy Hebert of Cypress Hemp out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the true definition of a survivor. In 2012 as a LSU freshman, she survived a drunk driver rolling over her seven times in attempts to flee, shattering her pelvis.

“I spent six months recovering in a rehab hospital and figured out I had a chemical sensitivity to opioids. It got to the point where they were going to implement a feeding tube for me and I simply refused to keep going down that road.“ Hebert began to look into alternative therapies to help with her physical condition, recovery, and mental anxiety/PTSD that she experienced from her horrific accident; it was then that she discovered CBD.

“This was before the time where CBD use was widely accepted. I faced a lot of negative backlash when I was in the rehab hospital. People told me that I should just do what the doctor said I should do. But I was just really getting sick on opioids and they weren’t helping any of my mental anxieties. What attracted me the most to CBD besides the therapeutic effects was that there was no chance of abuse, addiction, or overdose,” Hebert explained.

“After I was able to recover, I had even more of a drive to obtain my formal education in agriculture and biomechanical engineering. Upon graduation I moved to Kentucky, which at the time, was the epicenter for hemp production,” Hebert said.

KRISTY HEBERT

“After I was able to recover, I had even more of a drive to obtain my formal education in agriculture and biomechanical engineering. Upon graduation I moved to Kentucky, which at the time, was the epicenter for hemp production,” Hebert said.

While in Kentucky, Hebert worked For various companies that had ties to the wonderful world of hemp. She worked as an engineer in food processing at Victory Hemp Foods and also researched the efficiency of Hempcrete in the construction industry.

“My eyes were really opened when I worked doing lab testing for CBD products. There were companies selling products that weren’t consistent with what they were labeled as containing,” Hebert said. Hebert had been ingesting CBD oil for years and began to question if what she was putting in her body daily was really what was written on the label. “It wasn’t uncommon to find products that were labeled CBD that weren’t anything more than a bottle full of vitamin E, or worse, just loaded with heavy metals!” she explained.

“That's when I knew there had to be more regulation in this industry and more transparency. I had to do something to help that happen,” she said.

In 2017 Hebert decided to make the move back to Louisiana. “I just felt that I needed to move back to my home state and help do something in this industry.” Hebert’s time in Kentucky showed her how the biggest fight won with the acceptance of this plant was in educating the public.

“I knew very early on that if I were to get involved in this, I also wanted to do my part to educate the public,” she explained.

Hebert explained that the idea for the Cypress Hemp company came when herself and friend Blake Bilger decided to dedicate themselves to pursue the cannabis business. “Blake and I met in engineering school. We’re both problem solvers by nature.” They spent a lot of time contemplating what they wanted to see change in the industry.

One of the things they wanted to see come to fruition in accordance with their brand was the absence of pesticide use. They also concluded that they wanted to utilize organically grown plants, and that their end-product be free of harmful microbes or leftover residuals.

Hebert explains how the business grew organically, and that they continue to rethink solutions to problems that they see. Instead of using any type of chemical pest control, they utilize Mother Nature. Hebert explained enthusiastically, “ladybugs are our form of pest control!” She continued, “The way that we choose to consume products is how we strive to produce our own,” Hebert said.

I asked Hebert her opinion on the state of cannabis as it stands currently in Louisiana. “One thing I do want people to realize is that this is an industrial revolution – it’s an end to an 80 year prohibition, which is a good thing. But on the flipside, we lost a lot of time these last decades; so we’re starting back at square one and the next few years are going to be filled with a lot of research. It’s a chicken and egg situation.”

With the lack of experience as a state in this industry and no complete year of all of the dots being connected from farming to buyer, it’s safe to say we should be prepared for hiccups.

Hebert suggests that if you’re looking to get into the industry, make sure that you have your ducks in a row before you plant; also, be creative. “One thing that I’ve seen in other states is that people planted before they had buyers or before they checked to be sure that their contracts’ i’s were dotted and t‘s crossed; so they were left with many plants in hand because they didn’t have anyone to purchase their product.” The hemp supply chain appears to be already disconnected in our state.

Prior to the passage of the farm bill of 2018, Cypress Hemp was farming in Virginia. “We knew there was no sense to be a Louisiana business paying farming taxes in Virginia,” she said. Today, they’re growing their own plants as well as partnering with several farmers in addition to their farms. “Different parts of Louisiana could absolutely produce differently. Since it’s the first season there are a lot of unknowns,” Hebert explained. There’s a lot of trial and error involved in the inaugural planting season. Some farmers might be planting from clones, which gives a higher assurance that all the plants will act the same. Some farmers are growing various seeds to see which ones will do the best and will then clone at that point; the plants will be genetic replicas of the mother plant.

BLAKE AND KRISTY WITH GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS AT SIGNING OF HB491 JUNE 6, 2019

“Mother nature is very interesting; on paper, one arelooks like it may produce beautifully in a specific region, but then when it comes to the time to plant and harvest, the results can be very different in reality,” Hebert said. The plants are living organisms and will genetically and physically respond if exposed to various stressors.

Hebert and a group of professionals in the same arena started a nonprofit which is a state chapter of a national organization called the Louisiana Hemp Industry Association (LAHIA). The trade organization’s main focus is to gather and connect various parts of the industry from farmer, to seed distributor, to retailer. Hebert acts as President, Bilger is the Vice President, and the other Board of Directors range from farmers, to processors, to couriers, to labs.

“The organization came as a direct response to the lack of communication between seed and sale; we hope to create a place where people can connect,” said Hebert. The organization will be membership-based and you can apply as a supporting member if you’re not associated with the hemp industry in any capacity, or get involved with a business membership. Once public gatherings are able to take place again, there will be monthly meetups throughout Louisiana.

The organization will also sponsor education seminars and give information on various resources. “Many businesses and agencies are utilizing the new open doors of the hemp industry, but at the same time, they’re coming in new to the industry, so there is a lack of communication in many areas. What we’d like to do is explain things that go on in black-and-white and to be able to deliver information in an understandable way while being a major connection hub,” Hebert explained. The organization will also offer lab and farm tours for the public to be able to get a firsthand look into the hemp industry.

I asked Hebert if she has any advice to hemp enthusiasts who would like to get involved with the industry. “Innovation is necessary! Look at the peripheral industries and get creative; if we all look at this from an innovative standpoint, the industry will be way more than CBD.“ One facet of the industry that should be looked at are delivery drivers. Licensed and contracted drivers will be needed to have product exchanged between facilities. “CBD is probably going to be the main crop group, but hemp can be grown for fibers, seeds for food, Hempcrete, and biodegradable abilities,” Hebert explained.

Cypress Hemp always knew that they wanted to run a sustainable business with the least amount of carbon emissions as possible. For every product purchased with them, a tree gets planted. They also use biodegradable, compostable packaging. “We purchase carbon credits and donate to carbon credit charities to offset the release from shipping from one place to the other. We can’t expect people to stop shipping packages, but we can find a solution by other means,” she said.

Hebert believes that if we look at things through an engineer's problem-solving point of view, we can get innovative as consumers. “Another job hemp can do is to be made into biodegradable plastics. Just like we can’t expect people to stop shipping, we can’t expect people to stop using disposable forks, and it’s not feasible to carry a fork around...but by replacing that reusable fork with a biodegradable fork we can make a world of difference.“

“We try to use this amazing plant we have access to in every way possible,” said Hebert. With the passage of House Bill 491, act 164, it recognizes that hemp can have .3% THC. “People are just getting used to talking about CBD right now, but we should really be talking about a complete cannabinoid profile.” That profile includes other cannabinoids like CBN, CBG, CBC & CBD-A. “They can do so much more than simply CBD and THC combined; the body uses the synergy of all of the cannabinoids and Terpenes that work together beautifully.“ Early clinical studies of CBG show the potential that hemp has to aid autoimmune disorders; these studies are in their infancy, and a lot more research needs to be done, but it looks like it’s another positive aspect for the hemp home team.

What’s another way Cypress Hemp utilizes the whole hemp plant? They use Omega-rich hemp seed oil in their tinctures and rolls-ons as opposed to other carrier oils other companies may use. What’s the benefit of this? Hemp seed oil is rich in Omega 3-6-9 in an ideal ratio. It’s often referred to as "nature's most perfect oil." It’s a plant-based, sustainable alternative to fish oil as fish don’t make their own Omegas. They obtain the Omegas from the plankton and algae that they consume. ​ In conclusion, I asked Hebert if there is any final advice she would like to give to our readers. “Your voices matter! Be active in legislation! if a bunch of you speak up, we can share your voices in a well-received way.” She added, “Be excited that prohibition has ended and that the hemp plant is a beautiful plant with so many benefits that we’re just in the infancy of collectively discovering.”