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$30M Hemp Processing Plant To Develop In West KY

Courtesy of Keith Taylor

  A California company hopes to develop a $30M  hemp processing plant in western Kentucky.

Kings Royal Biotech of San Diego, California along with an unnamed Chinese partner plan to begin the processing of more than a thousand acres of hemp in Carlisle and Hickman Counties, with the 2018 Hemp harvest.

  “It’s a triple crop for us,” said Kings Royal managing member, Keith Taylor. His family has roots in west Kentucky, but that isn’t the only reason the company plans to process here said Taylor.  

He said the climate, land availability and rich hemp history makes the Commonwealth ideal for their planned 50 thousand square foot facility; that will harvest hemp flowers for pharmaceutical oils, use fiber for clothing and seeds for consumption.

Taylor said local farmer J.T. Workman has been contracted for next years hemp harvest.

Credit Courtesy Keith Tayolor
2016 Hemp Harvest. Left, Keith Taylor. Right, J.T. Workman

  
Carlisle County Judge Executive Greg Terry said “we are excited that our far western kentucky counties are being considered for such innovative use of hemp production.”

Along with contracting workers for growing, the company plans to hire at least 100 workers for storage and processing at the facility and hiring a team for marketing the product.

 

Taylor said Kings Royal does not yet have a processing permit, but will apply November 1st, when the Kentucky Department of Agriculture opens up the application period.

 

Nicole Erwin is a Murray native and started working at WKMS during her time at Murray State University as a Psychology undergraduate student. Nicole left her job as a PTL dispatcher to join the newsroom after she was hired by former News Director Bryan Bartlett. Since, Nicole has completed a Masters in Sustainable Development from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia where she lived for 2 1/2 years.
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