On a small scale, in 2017, we began farming and processing hemp. Our team farmed just over an acre of land in Underhill, Vermont and began processing our hemp with a small scale lipid based extraction method. From there we tested various blends of topical and tincture products with a wide variety of flavor and scent profiles. Through trial and error, we gained invaluable knowledge in all aspects of farming, harvesting and the nuances of the plant genetics. Equipped with this new knowledge, we knew to scale our extraction capabilities for the coming season.
In 2018, we began building out our extraction facility while simultaneously scaling our farming effort, cultivating over 20 acres on three different plots of land. With the harvested inventory of biomass, we began large scale extraction in the fall and winter of 2018. As the industry developed and more businesses entered the space, our model transitioned away from farming. We focused on toll processing and distribution of wholesale hemp extracts as raw ingredients for other product manufacturers. We developed our own thorough internal batch-tracking system which can be used to verify and connect our lot numbers to potency, cleanliness, and seed to sale traceability for all products and extracts. Our system was developed to provide farmers total transparency through each step of our
toll processing extraction service.
At the start of 2020 we became a USDA Certified Organic Hemp Processor utilizing our state of the art ethanol based extraction technology. Sterling Hemp labs opened a new processing plant and headquarters in Lewiston, Maine in the summer of 2020. We are the first USDA Organic certified hemp processor in the state of Maine and were one of the first to complete the process as well in Vermont. Our knowledge and hands-on approach with farming and extraction allows us to ensure ingredient quality, traceability, and transparency for our customers. Sterling Hemp product formulas contain beneficial essential oils and other organic plant compounds to deliver the greatest efficacy to our clients. Our goal is to provide premium quality products infused with hemp-derived cannabinoids at fair, accessible pricing. Sterling Hemp products are thoroughly tested by ISO 9000 accredited 3rd party labs. We verify that every batch of our extracts and product formulas have accurate cannabinoid content, and are free of heavy metals, pesticides, microbial content, and mycotoxins.