LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Generational work spanning more than three decades – that’s what can be seen at Caprock Family Farms in Lubbock.
Owner and operator Ann Gauger says when lawmakers legalized purchasing, possessing and selling of hemp products in 2019, it changed everything.
“When a farmer’s thinking 20, 30 years down the road, then you’re going to have to diversify,” Ann said. “Our family took a chance and learned about a plant we didn’t know anything about.”
Ann’s two sons, Brett and Zach, help grow and sell the product. The Gaugers say it takes a village to run such a large operation.
State Senate Bill 3, which calls for a total ban of THC products, would significantly alter that operation.
“The plants you see, the delta-9 percentage would be too high,” Ann said. “That means you would have no delta-9, any trace of it.”
The farm grows nearly 200 acres of CBD biomass outside. Ann and the rest of the Gaugers were worried about the bill’s wording, because CBD biomass has traces of delta-9 in it, meaning it could stop their operation in the outdoor field as well.
“We needed a lawmaker to give us an answer, a yes or no, can we plant CBD biomass outside without becoming felons on Sept. 1,” Ann said. “We can’t wrap our minds around the fact that my family could be arrested for growing a commodity that we’ve grown for six years. We appreciated them taking a portion of that conference to reassure ag producers.”
Ann says the farm does have a contingency plan in place should the ban go into effect. Others, however, won’t be so lucky.
“What is disheartening to us is a lot of people in this industry don’t have a second plan, something to fall back on,” she said.
As the bill heads to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk, Ann has this message for lawmakers who support the bill.
“This plant helps a lot of people and there are bad actors, but it’s just a few minimal people,” she said,” so those people need to be put in jail. If you’re selling to kids, you need to be in jail. The rest of the hemp industry that helps so many people shouldn’t be punished for some bad actors.”
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Ann Gauger of Caprock Family Farms says a total ban of THC would significantly alter their operations and put many people’s livelihoods in limbo. Read More
