Former Baseball All-Star Shane Victorino Enters CBD Industry
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]F[/dropcap]ormer Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Shane Victorino is partnering with Arcadia Biosciences and Legacy Ventures Hawaii to grow, develop and extract hemp-derived CBD products.
According to an Aug. 6 press release, the companies will grow, extract and sell sun-grown hemp in Hawaii. A new partnership called Archipelago™ Ventures combines Arcadia’s resources with Legacy’s experience in hemp extraction and sales. Vapen CBD, Legacy’s partner, will help to conduct product formulation and sales of cannabis oils and distillate products.
“We believe hemp has the potential to transform Hawaii’s economy—and the lives of its farmers and local communities—by creating an entirely new agricultural segment based on bringing innovation, scientific integrity and investment to the islands,” Victorino stated. The player was a former All-Star selection, a Gold Glove winner and World Series champion, along with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.
Couldn’t be more excited for my first post baseball venture!!! ?????? #LegacyVenturesHI #Archipelago
Arcadia Biosciences Announces Joint Venture with Legacy Ventures Hawaii To Grow, Extract and Sell Superior Hemp Products https://t.co/XCdm233XsH
— Shane Victorino (@ShaneVictorino) August 6, 2019
According to the press release, Hawaii’s unique geographic and climate provides an advantage for growing and harvesting hemp year-round, something that the majority of Hawaii’s mainland cultivators and producers cannot achieve.
‘‘Our new partnership with Legacy not only positions us to lead the rapidly evolving market in producing superior hemp from seed to extract but to quickly scale our operations following key regulatory approvals,’’ said Matt Plavan, who serves as chief financial officer for Arcadia Biosciences.
The 2018 Farm Bill opened the door to companies that grow and sell hemp-derived CBD products. According to The Boston Globe, Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture granted Arcadia a permit last March, allowing the company to cultivate hemp for research at a 10-acre plot on Molokai.
Under the MLB’s current Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, major league players are not subject to random drug tests for drugs of abuse, including cannabis. Furthermore, the MLB has taken a much more lenient stance on cannabis and CBD, dating back to 2002.
