A keen nose might turn up clues in Moretown hemp-plant heist
September 12, 2020 | By Lisa Scagliotti
A closeup view of the hemp-plant stalk shows where the plant was cut. Grower Jenna Rossbach in a social media post asking for help solving the case writes: “Being robbed is one of the worst feelings in the world.” Photo courtesy Rossbach and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.
A Moretown hemp grower has lost her entire 2020 crop after some 50 plants were chopped down and hauled off before they could be harvested.
Vermont State Police in Middlesex received word on Monday, Sept. 7, of the theft at Fancy Plants on Pony Farm Road where Jenna Rossbach reported approximately 50 CBD plants stolen from her property.
The theft is believed to have occurred overnight Sunday into Monday, police said, and a large pickup truck likely was used to remove that many plants.
State Agriculture officials said Rossbach is a registered hemp grower and her crop had an estimated value of $6,000.
The plants were marked in their field with a sign indicating the crop was hemp/CBD.
Scott Waterman, spokesman for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, said the heist likely was planned. Hemp plants are substantially tall, growing up to 15 feet. Each one weighs about 10 pounds, so this theft likely required a large vehicle to remove 500 pounds of plants, Waterman said.
“They had to have a plan … tools, and a truck,” he said.
Ironically, the crop was not yet ready for harvest. Rossbach reported that the plants had several more weeks to grow before she expected to cut them down. “They had no value yet,” Waterman said.
Investigators say the public could help with clues to solve the case. The thieves may attempt to pass off the hemp as marijuana -- the two plants are closely related and look similar. Industrial hemp contains much less of the psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis and its concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) eliminates psychoactive effects. Hemp has been grown and processed for centuries and has many uses including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, insulation, biofuel, and animal feed.
Before hemp can be processed, it needs to dry, Waterman said, and that step could lead to clues that the public may notice. “If brought to a farm or someplace to dry, there will be a weird smell,” he said.
Hemp cultivation has been legal in Vermont for several years and hemp farmers have experienced crop theft, according to state officials.
In a news release regarding the Moretown theft, the Agriculture Agency issued a news release in which it emphasized that growers, processors and retailers must register with the state Hemp Program and comply with program rules.
The state does not disclose specific locations of growers, but fields near public roads are visible and state agriculture officials recommend that hemp farmers take steps to protect their crops. Those measures could include installing fencing, motion-activated lights and cameras such as trail cameras, and no-trespassing signs identifying the crop as industrial hemp. “It may also be useful to enlist the watchful eye of helpful neighbors,” the agency statement says.
In a post about the theft, Rossbach said she has cameras trained on her growing field and the activity did not trigger them to record. She surmised the culprits entered the area from “They came in through the back side through the brambles,” she wrote.
State police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying those who may have been involved in this incident. Anyone who witnessed activity at this location during the evening/early morning of Sept. 6-7 or has information since then should contact Trooper Ryan Butler at the Middlesex barracks, 229-9191.