Scott McStacy Is Building A Future On The Past With A Hemp Foundation
A Mission To Educate The World About The Amazing Hemp Plant
In this segment of ‘Time 4 Hemp’, Scott McStacy, founder of Seed to Structure LLC and a leader with the Virginia Industrial Hemp Alliance, discusses his work to expand industrial hemp production and hemp-based construction in Virginia. He explains that his organization is launching a hemp grain cooperative focused on producing hemp seed for nutrition, oil, and livestock feed while building a local supply chain that can eventually support broader hemp processing. McStacy also describes efforts to educate the public through hands-on demonstrations, a mobile classroom, and the development of an online cannabis industry certification program. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes creating regional, farmer-supported economies that keep production, processing, and manufacturing within local communities.
A major focus of the interview is hempcrete, a sustainable building material made from hemp hurd, lime, and water. McStacy discuss hempcrete's advantages, including its carbon-negative properties, energy efficiency, fire and mold resistance, durability, acoustic insulation, and recycle-ability. They explain that while hempcrete is not load-bearing, it serves as an effective wall infill system and has applications ranging from residential homes to commercial buildings and future 3D-printed construction. McStacy notes that advances in manufacturing and construction techniques have made hempcrete increasingly competitive with conventional building methods, particularly when considering its long-term performance and reduced environmental impact.
The discussion also explores the broader history and future of industrial hemp. McStacy recounts hemp's thousands of years of use in agriculture and construction, its historical importance in colonial America, and its renewed role as a sustainable crop. He addresses current regulatory challenges, including strict THC limits and burdensome compliance requirements for hemp farmers, while expressing optimism about bipartisan political support for industrial hemp in Virginia. The conversation concludes with a vision of hemp as a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, green manufacturing, affordable housing, and rural economic development, encouraging greater public awareness and support for the industry's continued growth.
