Hemp Processing (Post-Harvest Processing): A Complete Guide
Post-harvest processing is the critical stage where wet and dried hemp material is prepared for industrial, food, or medical use. Whether it’s for CBD extraction or industrial purposes like fibre and seed production, efficient and high-quality post-harvest handling is essential for product consistency and safety.
At Rhizo Sciences, we ensure all stages of hemp processing adhere to the highest quality standards, enabling optimal results in CBD extraction and product manufacturing.
Why Post-Harvest Handling is Crucial for CBD Manufacturing
The hemp industry is still maturing, and many operators lack the necessary infrastructure and systems for effective post-harvest processing. However, hemp post-harvest handling facilities are essential to ensuring the quality and efficacy of CBD products, including CBD distillate and CBD isolate.
Proper post-harvest handling maintains the integrity of cannabinoids and terpenes, ensuring high-quality extracts for medical and consumer products.
Industrial Hemp vs. High-CBD Medical Hemp
While high-CBD medical hemp is a type of industrial hemp, it is cultivated differently, primarily for the production of high-CBD, low-THC resin. Industrial hemp is often grown for fibre and seed, but high-CBD strains are grown for resin extraction, used in CBD manufacturing.
Despite both belonging to the same species (Cannabis sativa), the processing and cultivation practices for industrial and medical hemp vary significantly.
Industrial Hemp Cultivation
Industrial hemp is grown densely to maximize seed and fibre production. Plants are spaced closely to encourage tall, straight stems and maximum yield. The primary focus here is on male plants to boost seed formation, which is also beneficial for fibre production.
High-CBD Hemp Cultivation
High-CBD hemp, however, is grown with specific genetics to maximize flower and resin production. These drug-type genetics, low in THC, are cultivated under controlled conditions to ensure the highest quality CBD-rich resin. The cultivation practices are more akin to medical cannabis cultivation, requiring detailed attention to plant health, spacing, and flowering time.
Post-Harvest Hemp Processing: Key Stages
Hemp Drying
Drying hemp is one of the most critical steps in post-harvest handling. Proper drying methods preserve cannabinoids and terpenes while preventing mold, fungi, and contamination. The drying process typically occurs in barns, drying chambers, or other specialized equipment to ensure cleanliness and product integrity.
Using advanced hemp drying equipment can speed up the process and maintain quality, especially when processing large volumes of hemp flower and biomass.
Storage and Distribution
Once dried, hemp must be stored in climate-controlled facilities to maintain its potency, purity, and quality. Temperature, humidity, and cleanliness are essential factors in proper hemp storage. Batches must be labeled and separated to prevent cross-contamination.
For distribution, products must be stored under controlled conditions to ensure they maintain their quality throughout transit and handling.
Comparing Industrial Hemp and Medical Hemp Processing
The processing standards for medical hemp (for CBD extraction) differ significantly from industrial hemp processing. While industrial hemp is often harvested mechanically for fibre and seed, medical hemp typically requires manual harvesting to protect the valuable flower heads.
For example, medical hemp may be harvested by hand to ensure trichomes remain intact, while industrial hemp is more likely to be harvested using combine harvesters. This difference in handling plays a vital role in the final product’s quality, particularly for CBD extraction.
High-CBD Hemp Genetics and Cultivars
The success of CBD extraction depends on using the right high-CBD hemp cultivars. These cultivars have been specially bred for their cannabinoid profile, ensuring high yields of CBD-rich resin with low THC levels. Ideal medical hemp cultivars produce abundant flower heads with good resin production while remaining resistant to various weather conditions.
Additionally, high-CBD genetics are important in ensuring consistency and quality across different batches of harvested plants. This helps meet GMP standards, ensuring the quality required for medical CBD products.
Hemp Processing for CBD Extraction
After drying and curing, the hemp is ready for CBD extraction. The CBD-rich oil is extracted from the hemp flower or biomass using various methods, including distillation, filtration, and isolation. The resulting products include CBD oil, CBD distillate, and CBD isolate, which are sold to manufacturers for the production of consumer products.
High-CBD Hemp for Medical Use
High-CBD hemp requires specialized handling to ensure maximum resin production and high-quality CBD extraction. This is particularly important in regions where testing is required to ensure THC levels remain below legal limits. Medical hemp is often harvested before full maturity to prevent THC levels from exceeding regulatory thresholds.
Ensuring Compliance
Medical hemp requires strict adherence to legal guidelines, particularly when it comes to THC testing. In many regions, strains must be tested for THC levels during cultivation to ensure compliance with local laws. Strains exceeding the legal THC limit (typically 0.3%) must be destroyed.
Hemp Processing Services
At Rhizo Sciences, we offer a full range of toll processing services for hemp farmers, including drying, extraction, distillation, and isolation. Our network of processing facilities is equipped to handle large volumes of hemp biomass while maintaining the highest quality standards.
Interested in processing your hemp into CBD oil or isolate? Contact us today to learn more about our processing services.
