PUEBLO COUNTY – Balms, salves, and lotions produced by a Pueblo County hemp farm are now being sold at certain pharmacies, and more retailers appear poised to hop on-board.
Veritas Farms near Wetmore along State Highway 96 is reaping the benefits of full legalization of industrial hemp production in the 2018 Farm Bill. Earlier this spring, CVS and Walgreens announced they would sell cannabidiol (CBD) infused topicals, and already Veritas is distributing to CVS stores. “The opportunity for people to get the benefits of industrial hemp, or CBD, are now available,” said Rianna Meyer, Veritas’ vice president of operations. “Our sales as far as our salves and our lotions and our balms have just skyrocketed.”
CBD is reputed to provide relief for a wide variety of ailments, from pain to anxiety to insomnia. “One of our vendors was telling us that they had shingles not too long ago and they utilized our 1,000-milligram unscented salve and within two days it had cleared up,” Meyer said.
The growth in business means a growth in size. “This year our footprint doubled as far as what we’re planting because of the demand,” Meyer said. Veritas’ roughly 40 employees are mostly local.
Meyer says other major retail chains, and even convenience stores, are planning to sell their product. “There’s a few others that will be coming on very soon,” Meyer said. “I can’t disclose those to you yet, but they’re not far behind.”
