Springfield Business Journal_2021-03-29

$2.00 · SBJ.NET MARCH 29-APRIL 4, 2021 · VOL. 41, NO. 36 40 YEARS • YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY Funeral industry contends with demand increase, supply shortage Hemp industry looks to make comeback Producer applications are down slightly from last year’s inaugural growing season by Emily Cole · ecole@sbj.net A year after the World Health Organization de- clared COVID-19 a global pandemic, over half a million Americans have died from the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention es- timates nearly 300,000 “excess deaths,” or those deaths beyond what was expected, between January and October of 2020. Roughly two-thirds of those deaths are attributed to the coronavirus. As the death rates rose, those in the funeral industry have been working to balance CDC safety guidelines and an increase in business while dealing with supply shortages and labor issues. Heather Howell, owner of Gorman-Scharpf Fu- neral Home Inc., said her business recorded a 15% increase in funerals arranged in 2020 compared with the previous year. “I hate to say it, but there was more business be- cause people passed away from COVID,” Howell said, declining to disclose annual revenue. “Toward the end of the year, it was noticeable. As the numbers increased and the deaths increased – it was notice- able.” Locally, 422 Greene County residents died due to by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net After making its debut in 2020, Missouri’s industrial hemp program growth for year two remains a work in progress, officials say. The Missouri Department of Agriculture began accepting program applications last year, allowing residents the chance to produce the plant and sell products derived from its materials. MDA reported 207 producer registrations and 78 agricultural hemp propagule and seed permits were approved in 2020. Additionally, 80 industrial hemp sam- plers were certified to collect compliance samples. Of the more than 200 producers, MDA officials say roughly two-thirds planted last year, covering 811 acres statewide. “For 2020, we really put together a program that was scalable,” said MDA spokesperson Sami Jo Freeman. “We didn’t really have an estimated number of registrations that we were going to have to put out because we sim- ply didn’t know. What we saw for 2020 was pretty strong for the first growing season.” However, she said the number of produc- ers this year points to some uncertainty of how quickly the program will grow. Produc- er registration numbers as of March 23 are down 12% from 2020, with 182 applications received. Of those, 36 are pending renewal. The program marks a comeback in Mis- souri for the plant, which had largely been prohibited since 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Marijuana Tax Act, accord- ing to the Hemp Industries Association. The tax and licensing regula- tions of the act made hemp cultivation difficult for farmers, save for a brief period during World War II, when they were encouraged to grow the plant for the war effort. The 2018 Farm Bill passed by Congress opened the door for indus- trial hemp production nationwide. “It’s the plant literally with 25,000 uses,” said Tom Raffety, presi- dent of the 2-year-old Missouri Hemp Producers Association. Raffety said hemp is extremely versatile because its leaves, roots, seeds, stalks and flowers have potential uses in textiles, fuel, paint, biodegradable plastics, construction materials, organic compost, med- icine and other products. The strong fibers of the plant can even be processed into pulp to make paper. The federal Farm Bill led to the Missouri General Assembly David Buehler expects to recoup $120,000 investment for hemp production this year. See HEMP on page 7 See FUNERAL on page 21 COVID-19 LOOK BACK Pages 14-15 AMANDA MILLER Owner Heather Howell says demand at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home is up 15% in 2020. Death rates lead to strain on casket production