INTERVIEW: Robbin Pott is co-founder and managing member of Pott Farms, L3C, a Michigan, USA-based regenerative hemp operation. Her work spans living soil systems, regenerative crop production, and community-based workforce development. Trained in law and public policy, Pott brings a systems-level perspective to agriculture, with a focus on ecological restoration, farmer education and durable rural enterprises.
HempToday: What first drew you to regenerative farming?
Robbin Pott: When I decided to transition into farming, I wanted to use practices that supported both the land and the people working it. With no farming background, I started from scratch. In 2019, our first hemp-growing year, we leased a fallow field and used the best compost available, achieving amazing results. That success led me to pursue making our own high-quality compost, where I discovered Dr. Elaine Ingham’s soil food web work and began a years-long deep dive into the science of healthy, living soil.
HT: How did hemp become part of that journey?
RP: From the beginning, I knew I wanted to be a cannabis farmer. In 2015, Michigan was on the cusp of launching a commercial marijuana industry. As I was winding down my academic career, the legislature was finalizing a bill to make that possible, and by the time I left, it had been signed into law. After many months and a significant investment, Pott Farms submitted an application for a medical marijuana license. The same month we received pre-approval, the state began offering hemp cultivation licenses. Within four days, and for $100, I had one in hand. We decided to grow hemp while working out the details of building our marijuana operation. Our first season was successful—it was exhilarating to be part of hemp’s return to the U.S. The costs and regulations were minimal compared to marijuana, and we chose to focus entirely on hemp for the foreseeable future.
HT: For several years, CBD was a central part of your commercial model. Where does CBD sit today within Pott Farms’ overall strategy?
RP: It’s in flux right now for us. We love growing hemp for its flower, but it’s unclear whether it will remain a viable product. A near-total national ban on consumable hemp is scheduled to take effect this fall if nothing changes. Meanwhile, our state is working to fold consumable hemp into its marijuana regulatory framework, but the proposed rules are also highly restrictive. As a result, we will likely focus more heavily on our CBD topicals to keep cannabinoid production part of our operation.
Read the rest of this interview at Hemp Today
