Jenerate PR Promotes Maui’s First State-Licensed Industrial Hemp Farm
In celebration of Earth Day, and in a continued effort to support sustainable, community-based agriculture and renewable energy, Pacific Biodiesel Technologies (PBT) and its founders Bob and Kelly King announce today the development of Maui’s first state-licensed industrial hemp farm, operating under the Kings’ personal entity, Imua Energy, LLC.
About the operation:
The commercial farming operation will initially produce full-spectrum industrial hemp extract, including CBD. The hemp extract will be manufactured by Imua Energy and distributed by Maiden Hawaii Naturals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Biodiesel and marketed to cosmetic manufacturers. Maiden Hawaii will also incorporate Imua Energy’s premium hemp extract as a featured ingredient in its natural skincare brand, Kuleana® by Maiden Hawaii Naturals.
“We are so honored to have been granted the first industrial hemp commercial farming license on Maui,” said Bob King, President and Founder of Pacific Biodiesel. “The cultivation of industrial hemp offers a wealth of opportunity for our island, from health and wellness and culinary usage to textile and biofuel production. With this expanded farming operation, we are inspired to continue uncovering new ways to further our commitment to agricultural diversity and renewable energy in Hawaii.”
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) granted the license to Imua Energy, LLC (IE) for the purposes of research on the growth, cultivation and marketing of industrial hemp. The 10-acre site located within IE’s 115-acre Biofuel Crop Farm in central Maui will be the first industrial hemp farm in the United States powered 100% by biodiesel. The sustainable farming operation is free of pesticides, herbicides, and GMO crops.
About Maui-grown Hemp
This Maui-grown hemp extract will contain the full spectrum of industrial hemp-derived cannabinoids, including CBD. IE has purchased a supercritical CO2 extractor to allow for production of pure, clean, quality extract with no further heating or distillation required. Premium hemp extract will be blended (per FDA requirements not to exceed 0.3% THC) with Pacific Biodiesel’s locally grown Hawaiian Macadamia and Maui Sunflower oils and will be incorporated this fall into the Kuleana Beauty products.
About Pacific Biodiesel
Founded on Maui in 1995, Pacific Biodiesel is the nation’s longest operating and most experienced biodiesel producer and established the first retail biodiesel pump in America. Today with nearly 100 employees statewide, the company is the only commercial producer of liquid biofuels in Hawaii.
Throughout its history, Pacific Biodiesel’s mission has remained constant: to promote a clean, sustainable energy future through the community-based production of renewable fuels.
With a nameplate production capacity of 5.5 million gallons annually, Pacific Biodiesel’s refinery on Hawaii Island utilizes state-of-the art distillation technology to produce the nation’s highest quality biodiesel. On Earth Day 2016 became the first facility in the world to be certified by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance for its sustainable production and distribution practices.
The company has always focused on recycling with a zero-waste philosophy that incorporates development of value-added coproducts. Its collaborative, community-based “agriculture and energy” production model demonstrates a full-circle system of sustainability and climate change solutions designed to help Hawaii achieve a clean, sustainable energy future. For more information, please visit www.biodiesel.com.
In early 2019, IE assumed all Maui farming operations from PBT, and the Kings continue to personally invest in equipment and personnel to transition from pilot scale to commercial farming of oilseeds and hemp.
Maiden Hawaii Naturals, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Biodiesel, manufactures and distributes natural cosmetic and culinary-grade oils made from locally grown ingredients; the company also manufactures and distributes Kuleana beauty products. Learn more at www.MaidenHawaiiNaturals.com.
Learn more about our beauty and wellness division here.
