Cannabis

Reviving Hemp: Economic Boon or Passing Trend?

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:13:57 GMT

Industrial hemp is gaining more ground in the U.S., according to the 2025 National Hemp Report , released on April 17 by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The report says the total planted area for industrial hemp in the U.S. reached 45,294 acres in 2024 – up 64% from 2023. Likewise, total harvested acres were 32,694 acres last year – up 55% from 2023.

The report was based on a survey of 8,153 producers across the U.S.

(USDA-NASS)

The total value of U.S. hemp production – which includes open (fields) and under protection (such as greenhouses) – totaled $445 million, up 40% from 2023.

Of that $445 million, hemp production in the open was the lion’s share of the value – $417 million – a 46% increase over 2023.

The value of industrial hemp is increasing once again, following a profitability nosedive during the early days of the Covid pandemic.

(USDA-NASS)

What Is Industrial Hemp?
The National Hemp Report is based on the 2025 Hemp Acreage and Production Survey of 8,153 producers. The survey was conducted during February and March 2025.

As defined in the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), the term “hemp” means the plant species Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the plant such as seeds, all derivatives and extracts.

Industrial hemp, whether growing or already processed, is characterized by low THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) content, not exceeding 0.3% on a dry weight basis.

Industrial hemp is an ingredient used in supplements, skin creams, and shampoos, among other products containing Cannabidiol, better known as CBD.

The hemp-derived cannabinoid industry supports over 325,000 jobs and $13.2 billion in wages across the U.S., according to Whitney Economics.

Texas leads the country in hemp production, followed by South Dakota.

Texas leads the country in hemp production.

(USDA-NASS)

Four Facets Of Industrial Hemp
The USDA’s 2025 report addresses four facets of industrial hemp, including floral, grain, fiber and seed production.

Floral hemp made the largest production gains in 2024, with U.S. production totaling 20.8 million pounds – a 159% increase over 2023.

The 37-page National Hemp Report says the area harvested for floral hemp in the open was estimated at 11,827 acres, an increase of 60% from 2023. Average floral hemp yields in 2024 reached 1,757 pounds per acre, a gain of 669 pounds per acre over 2023 yield results.

Seed hemp grown in the open made the most significant gain in value last year, jumping 482% to total $16.9 million. With 2,160 acres of hemp for seed in 2024, that marked a 61% increase over 2023.

Seed hemp has a high protein content with a balanced amino acid profile and is used in human dietary supplements. The seed oil is also used in the food, pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetic industries.

The Domestic Hemp Production Program, which allows for the cultivation of hemp under certain conditions, was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

Hemp Seed Livestock Meal Receives Green Lights On Way to Federal Approval

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 21:18:57 GMT

After years of work and regulatory paperwork, the The Hemp Feed Coalition announces Hemp Seed Meal for laying hens has been recommended by FDA-Center for Veterinary Medicine and voted by AAFCO into their Ingredient Definition Committee for the final step in the approval pathway.

The definition allows hemp seed meal up to 20% into feed mixes for laying hens. This marks the first hemp feed ingredient to get federal recommendation and uptake by AAFCO.

Wendy Mosher, CEO at New West Genetics and vice president of Hemp Feed Coalition, says this is something that has been in the works for at least four years.

“There’s a lengthy process for any new crop to get ingredient approval, but it’s worth it, you can’t have commodity crop without a feed opportunity for that crop,” Mosher says. “Federal approval gives us a leg up into adoption and scale.”

Mosher says before deregulation in 2014, hemp acres were zero, then by 2020, climbed to a peak of around 400,000 acres. Today, total U.S. hemp acres are reported around 55,000.

“I think this is a positive thing—it shows with the right incentives crops can be expanded rapidly, and that those participants with long term vision are still here, and are building the markets in a sustainable fashion. Hemp is a great opportunity for the crop rotation as well as soil health” Mosher says. “Hempseed meal as a feed ingredient contributes to the risk mitigation of planting the crop—it’s another place for the crop to go.”

As a feed ingredient, the coalition cites hemp grain providing essential vitamins, minerals, healthy oils, and a complete protein profile. For egg production, this can lead to a value-added product with higher omega 3 content. It has been verified that any potential cannabinoid contaminants do not transfer into the egg product.

With the regulatory obstacles starting to be removed, Mosher is optimistic about the educational opportunities for the market to increase in size.

“Hemp can serve the same basic protein and oil markets that currently use soybeans or canola,” she says. “Feed manufacturers are seeing success, including Wenger Feeds in Pennsylvania who make hemp feed for Kreider Farms’ eggs. In the next year we hope to get some additional adoption by some larger players.”

Mosher highlights her company, New West Genetics, has been developing improved hemp varieties to double grain yield.

“We’ve got momentum in hemp as we are providing high yielding and adapted genetics for hemp production in the U.S., and the industry is also near the finish line on this feed approval,” she says. “It’s a moment we’ve been waiting on for 10 years. In the not so distant future, we hope to see hemp on the million acre scale.”

Hemp Goes Mobile As Farmers Seek Opportunity

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 05:02:25 GMT

Want to grow hemp? Help is literally rolling toward fields in 20 states as a mobile unit capable of processing 10 tons of hemp per hour will set up HempHub farmers markets in the Midwest, Northeast and West in 2018.

Producers stuck on the hemp sidelines may be able to take advantage of HempHub USA , a push by two companies to transport a decortication machine into states with legal hemp programs. Essentially, the processing machinery will leapfrog perpetual infrastructure roadblocks and enable farmers to bring crops to market.

U.S. producers remain frustrated by a lack of opportunity because an approximate $700-million per year U.S. retail market for hemp products is dominated by imported grain and fiber. In 2017, the entire U.S. domestic hemp tally was a mere 25,541 acres, according to Vote Hemp . (However, the 2017 tally was a significant increase from 9,770 hemp acres in 2016.) Legal hoops, transport costs, marketing barriers and a lack of processing have accounted for a near-impenetrable financial tangle for many growers. HempLogic, based in Moses Lake, Wash., offers potential producers a range of services, including seed, consulting, harvest and processing. HempHub USA , at the heart of HempLogic’s push, is a mobile processing system designed to offer farmers an open door into the hemp market.

“We’re doing this because farmers are standing around in every state wanting to grow hemp, but until now they’ve been stuck with a simple question: ‘What are we going to do with it?’” says Cory Sharp, CEO of HempLogic . “If you are in a state without hemp processing infrastructure, we can help.”

Sharp’s mobile processor is a decorticator, which separates fiber (outer bark) from hurd (woodier core). The decorticator is built by Colorado-based Power Zone Agriculture . For growers seeking fiber or hurd contracts, equipment has been a missing puzzle piece, but Corbett Hefner, vice president of research and development for Power Zone, says mobile decorticators are ideal for hemp grower needs: “If a hemp buyer is making automotive parts, or cordage or sound abatement panels, they’re not interested in hurd. Other hemp buyers are making hempcrete, hemp blocks or using it as animal bedding, and they’re not interested in the fiber. The mobile HempHub farmers market system allows for different hemp buyer needs and we’ll package the first mill-processed hemp according to those needs.”

Generally, hemp-specific machinery is limited and many growers use modified equipment. Power Zone designs industrial hemp machinery for handling hemp grain, fiber, hurd and flower material. Power Zone’s pull-behind Grasshopper is the largest chaff cart ever built (45 cubic meter holding capacity), according to Hefner : “If a grower harvests grain for food consumption or oil pressing, he can collect the flower material kicked out of the combine for a second revenue stream. Then he can come back later to cut the stalks and run the material through a decorticator for a possible third stream.”

For first-time hemp growers, Sharp recommends 50 to 100 acres to get comfortable with the learning curve. “You don’t want to grow 500 or 1,000 acres as a hemp pioneer. It’s a fairly easy crop, but for the first year, the goal is to just get hemp seed in the ground in 2018 to learn from that experience and then increase acres in 2019,” he says.

Power Zone Agriculture designs industrial hemp machinery for handling hemp grain, fiber, hurd and flower material.

© PZ

Sharp consistently fields calls from growers requesting decortication for sitting hemp stalk bales. HempHub USA will enable growers to haul in their hemp bales to given HempHub market locations inside their own state, he explains: “We’re giving farmers an option. We’ll decorticate and find out what they’ve got depending on variety and condition of the stalk. Then depending on the farmers’ end goals we can work together to get them access to the many different hemp varieties available and then they’ll have a clearer plan on how to move forward to 2019.”

“When hemp farmers realize there is a mobile decortication unit running around the country that will come to them to process their hemp, and have a marketplace to sell their products, they’re going to take advantage of that opportunity,” Sharp adds. “We’re innovating and doing this the American way.”

Andy Follett, owner of Follett Health Solutions , based in Pennsylvania, will steer the HempHub USA effort in the Northeast. He’ll start in New York and make his way south, following the harvest. The biggest hemp limitations are processing and market entry, according to Follett, both of which are directly targeted by HempHub USA. If needed, the system will provide seed, harvest and take the farmers product to market, emphasizes Follett: “I’m consistently asked how much money can be made growing hemp. We’re talking about one plant and 50 different industries. I advise farmers to figure out what market they want to put their product into and focus on it. Before you plant, make sure you’ve got a solid supply chain in hand.”

Despite legislative barriers and certified seed issues, Follett says although acreage numbers must steadily climb, the market is ready for hemp as a standard crop: “One hundred guys with 10 acres won’t satisfy a buyer who demands 10 containers of product. For example, if you pull 70,000 lb. of grain off of 300 acres, that won’t even fill two containers for export.”

“Growers are excited about hemp, but they just don’t know where to turn. Everyone with a farm is looking to increase revenue and for a lot of guys, it comes back to hemp,” he adds. “There’s so much hemp history in my area and this ground is still prime for hemp.”

For more information, see hemphubsusa.com .

Could Trump Build Border Wall From Hemp?

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:11:57 GMT

One million acres of hemp builds Trump’s wall and $700 million buys the hemp, a pittance compared to overall construction estimates ranging from $15 billion to $70 billion.

A southern hemp wall is far from reality, but the concept reflects the remarkable promise of a once-maligned crop emerging in the marketplace. After roughly 90 years of dormancy, a sleeping hemp giant is awakening, and the numbers involved in a southern hempcrete wall reveal a crop with a phenomenal range of utility.

If a 30’ tall and 2’ wide hempcrete (a mixture of hydrated lime and hurd, hemp’s woody core) wall was built for 1,954 miles along the southern border, the structure would translate to 619,027,200 cubic feet of space. Each cubic foot would require 17 lb. of hempcrete, extrapolated to a total output of 5,261,731 tons of hempcrete for the entire structure, according to Richard Rose , a long-time U.S. hemp pioneer and industry advocate: “The hempcrete could be poured into a form to make tilt panels, which would be trucked to the site and literally put in place, just like regular concrete panels.”

Hempcrete is typically composed of 45% hemp hurd. At a yield rate of 4 hemp tons per acre (2 tons of hemp fiber per acre), 2,367,779 total tons would be required, Rose estimates, thereby necessitating 986,575 acres of hemp. At 15 cents per pound, the cost of hemp hurd for the wall would be $710,333,712, Rose projects. Granted, hempcrete would only be one facet of overall wall expense, but with current estimates ranging from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s $15-billion total to Senate Democrat’s $70 billion projection, hempcrete dollars would only be a sliver of the total expenditure. “In theory, you could dual-crop and lower the costs further,” Rose explains. “Hempcrete is less finicky about fiber than making textiles and it likely could be done.”

Beyond theory, would a hemp wall be genuinely possible? “It’s feasible in terms of the botany, technology and processing,” Rose explains, “but this is less a proposal and more a way to teach about hempcrete because most people just don’t know about what hemp can do for the economy.”

Andy Follett, owner of Follett Health Solutions , based in Pennsylvania, says the timing of Rose’s estimates comes at a contradictory moment: “Richard’s been at the forefront of hemp for so long. He put these wall numbers together and it seems ironic at a time when farmers need to farm, other crop markets are down, but hemp is still restricted by politics.”

“Hempcrete is kind of like light limestone and looks similar to adobe,” Follett adds. “When hemp and lime are combined, the mix turns to stone and basically petrifies.”

Colorado-based builder John Patterson, owner of Tiny Hemp Houses , works with hempcrete and conducts hemp educational seminars across the country. Hempcrete is ideal for housing, he describes, and used as a replacement for drywall, insulation, exterior boarding, house wrap, siding and caulk: “Hempcrete performs so well as a healthy alternative to toxic materials. It’s fire-resistant and its use as a thermal wall system saves on utilities by the month. I would rather build affordable, healthy hemp houses with those resources, instead of a wall.”

“More and more farmers want to grow hemp,” Patterson continues. “Beyond clothing, food, and housing purposes, scientists and engineers are working on a high-tech hemp market for medicine and petroleum product replacement.”

In 2017, the entire U.S. domestic hemp tally was a mere 25,541 acres, according to Vote Hemp , and even China, the global hemp powerhouse, isn’t anywhere near 1 million acres. However, Rose believes 1 million U.S. hemp acres could be a reality in the future. “If we hit 1 million hemp acres, it would disrupt 15% of food soy, such as for vegetarian foods, as opposed to fodder for animals, which is far larger. Hempseed can be consumed raw, is slightly higher in protein than soy, and is still eaten by a billion people every week in China.”

“Most people still don’t know about hemp products,” Rose concludes. “As with all things hemp, the greatest hurdle is politics.”

Hemp Profit Gets Real

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:11:47 GMT

Giles Shell was racing against rain when opportunity climbed the Kentucky hilltop where he and a 12-man crew were setting tobacco. Escorted by his father, Gary, a small cadre of agricultural entrepreneurs from California and Colorado had come to probe possibilities for a crop resurrection. With a benched crew on the clock, Shell sat frustrated at the periphery of the gathering with his arms folded in defiance as the parley began. Shell didn’t find a hemp opportunity in May of 2014; it found him.

While he listened to the western visitors and stared down at empty rows of light brown silty loam, Shell was forced to reckon with the tight margins of tobacco production. Curiosity raged beneath his stubborn exterior and triggered an exhaustive online search for more information. He was hooked by hemp’s potential. With a nod from Gary, Shell took the hemp reins and drove hard, jumping into production in the summer of 2014. Three years later, Shell’s venture is paying dividends for his farm in Garrard County, and he hopes the entire state of Kentucky .

In June 2014, Shell began experimenting with greenhouse propagation and health maintenance of hemp plants sourced from GenCanna Global , a hemp company with the largest processing facility in Kentucky. The company has contracted with six growers to farm hemp exclusively for cannabidiol (CBD)—hemp’s chemical component used for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes.

In 2015, Shell concentrated on field production and planted 40 acres that yielded almost 80,000 lb. of dried industrial hemp. In 2016, he focused on commercially propagating hemp on a large efficient scale, and successfully cloned 200,000 plants in seven days, planting them on 65 acres. He next intends to propagate enough hemp plants to populate 550 acres in 2017.

Greenhouse propagation is necessary because Shell, 32, only allows female plants in the field. Female plants produce flowers, the main source of CBD. In short, there’s no money in males on the CBD side of the hemp industry. The flower houses 17% to 20% of total CBD, but the entire plant contains CBD, making overall yield critical to profit. In 2017, Shell aims for 3,000 lb. per acre of dried hemp in powder form, a sizable jump from 2,000 lb. per acre in 2015.

If Shell was growing hemp exclusively for building products, the male-female issue would be irrelevant. If a hemp belt develops in the U.S., there will be expected industry use variability in operations based on fiber, seed and floral purposes. “We’re trying to commercialize a plant with no genuine documented history,” Shell says.

Giles, right, and father Gary Shell intend to propagate enough hemp plants to populate 550 acres in 2017.

© GenCanna

Industrial hemp is on a slow-burn toward titan crop status and will be the fastest growing segment of agricultural crops during the next 15 years, believes Matty Mangone-Miranda, GenCanna’s president and CEO. “What is hemp’s U.S. future? Just look at the facts,” he says. “It’s used in everything. Right now, CBD gets the press, but there are almost 30,000 industrial products made from hemp.”

Mangone-Miranda predicts millions of future hemp acres derived solely from CBD and food industry demands. “Add acreage for industrial uses and the U.S. numbers get crazy,” he says.

The sheer size of the hemp market is staggering. The total domestic value of hemp retail products sold in 2015 was $573 million, according to the Hemp Industries Association. In addition, the U.S. annually imports $500 million of hemp and hemp-related products, adds Alex Green, GenCanna’s head of media and communications. The nutraceutical active ingredient global market is $20 billion per year, while the pharmaceutical active ingredient global market is $13 billion per year.

Shell’s method of hemp farming doesn’t come with a manual. He mimics commercial vegetable production by planting with a cucumber setter on top of raised beds, and runs drip tape beneath plastic mulching. Annual rye is sown just before hemp planting to curb erosion and control weeds in the 72" middles.

From greenhouse to harvest, the highest input cost is labor—triple all other inputs, Shell estimates. He has learned on the fly for three years, pocketing every management lesson for a crop with no chemical labels. He fertigates through drip tape, although the nitrogen requirement is relatively low. “Forget soil sampling, we’re chasing the sweet spot for nitrogen and still experimenting,” he says. “Water it and keep away the weeds, and hemp can be really hearty.”

There is no standard harvesting equipment for Shell’s style of hemp production. He’s forced to use tree trimming lockers and cut down the whole plant just above the plastic line. Harvested hemp is loaded onto trailers and shipped to GenCanna’s processing facility in Winchester. Once cut, hemp quality deteriorates quickly, so Shell harvests no more than what can be shipped in the same day.

Giles Shell’s harvested hemp is loaded onto trailers and processed in Winchester, Ky.

© GenCanna

After harvest, Shell rolls up the plastic and comes back in with a drag, usually a railroad tie. He disks the ground and seeds wheat as a cover crop if it’s early enough in the fall or plows and lets winter take control if it’s too late.

The patchwork planting, growing and harvesting techniques are a hallmark of a crop industry in its infancy. Shell is a pioneer on the floral side of hemp production, and his efforts are creating reference points for other producers. “Our main industry goal is not to make bucket loads of money right now,” he says. “We are setting the table for long-term hemp success.”

Due to legal hurdles, U.S. farmers are forced to leave money on the table because hemp industry demand is filled by foreign imports. Green says domestically grown and processed hemp will beat imports in quality and price. “We want a U.S. product to distribute globally and not vice versa. The current setup is not in the interest of our farmers or our country.”

“The foreign market is scared because they know we’re going to create a hemp industry and U.S. hemp can be the gold standard,” Mangone-Miranda echoes. Although CBD use is the merited driver of hemp potential, he says the biggest hemp sectors will develop in building materials, textiles and food. As a multiple-use product, no crop compares with hemp’s footprint, despite playing catch-up in genetics, processing, infrastructure and regulatory navigation.

Shell has fought hard for each precious hemp lesson over three years, peeling away layers of ignorance while creating a roadmap of management techniques. Kentuckians are known for bourbon, horses and tobacco, but Shell wants industrial hemp on the list: “If we don’t keep learning in quick fashion, another state will claim the top spot.”

Once unsure of genuine profit possibility, Shell has consistently fended off interest from fellow farmers. Those days are over, and hesitancy has ceded ground to excitement. “I can now put a production portfolio in front of farmers and let them make up their own minds,” he says. “The potential for hemp profit is very real.”

For more, see:

Living the Dream: Honoring A Fallen Farmer

Blood And Dirt: A Farmer’s 30-Year Fight With The Feds

Agriculture’s Darkest Fraud Hidden Under Dirt and Lies

Pigs Don’t Fly: Feral Hog Spread Is A Man-Made Mess

Cover Crop Bandwagon Frustrates Farmers

Frog or Foul: SCOTUS Weighs Historic ESA Case

Corn’s Carbon Cowboy Busts Outstanding Yields

Jimmy Frederick Booms 163 Bu. Soybeans

Bald Eagles a Farmer’s Nightmare

Who Killed the Finest Soybean Soil in the World?

When a Farmer Punches Back at the Feds

The Secret Life of Farmland Marbles

Death and Burial on an American Farm

Hemp Profit Gets Real

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:11:47 GMT

Kentucky producer pioneers floral side of hemp production

In the farm’s greenhouse, four generations of the Shell farming family stand surrounded by hemp potential. From left, Gary, Giles, Braeden and G.B. Shell.

In June 2014, Shell began experimenting with greenhouse propagation and health maintenance of hemp plants sourced from GenCanna Global, a hemp company with the largest processing facility in Kentucky. The company has contracted with six growers to farm hemp exclusively for cannabidiol (CBD)—hemp’s chemical component used for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes.

In 2015, Shell concentrated on field production and planted 40 acres that yielded almost 80,000 lb. of dried industrial hemp. In 2016, he focused on commercially propagating hemp on a large efficient scale, and successfully cloned 200,000 plants in seven days, planting them on 65 acres. He next intends to propagate enough hemp plants to populate 550 acres in 2017.

Greenhouse propagation is necessary because Shell, 32, only allows female plants in the field. Female plants produce flowers, the main source of CBD. In short, there’s no money in males on the CBD side of the hemp industry. The flower houses 17% to 20% of total CBD, but the entire plant contains CBD, making overall yield critical to profit. In 2017, Shell aims for 3,000 lb. per acre of dried hemp in powder form, a sizable jump from 2,000 lb. per acre in 2015.

If Shell was growing hemp exclusively for building products, the male-female issue would be irrelevant. If a hemp belt develops in the U.S., there will be expected industry use variability in operations based on fiber, seed and floral purposes. “We’re trying to commercialize a plant with no genuine documented history,” Shell says.

Industrial hemp is on a slow-burn toward titan crop status and will be the fastest growing segment of agricultural crops during the next 15 years, believes Matty Mangone-Miranda, GenCanna’s president and CEO. “What is hemp’s U.S. future? Just look at the facts,” he says. “It’s used in everything. Right now, CBD gets the press, but there are almost 30,000 industrial products made from hemp.”

Mangone-Miranda predicts millions of future hemp acres derived solely from CBD and food industry demands. “Add acreage for industrial uses and the U.S. numbers get crazy,” he says.

Once harvested, Giles Shell’s hemp is hauled to Winchester, Ky., for same-day processing.

The sheer size of the hemp market is staggering. The total domestic value of hemp retail products sold in 2015 was $573 million, according to the Hemp Industries Association. In addition, the U.S. annually imports $500 million of hemp and hemp-related products, adds Alex Green, GenCanna’s head of media and communications. The nutraceutical active ingredient global market is $20 billion per year, while the pharmaceutical active ingredient global market is $13 billion per year.

Shell’s method of hemp farming doesn’t come with a manual. He mimics commercial vegetable production by planting with a cucumber setter on top of raised beds, and runs drip tape beneath plastic mulching. Annual rye is sown just before hemp planting to curb erosion and control weeds in the 72" middles.

From greenhouse to harvest, the highest input cost is labor—triple all other inputs, Shell estimates. He has learned on the fly for three years, pocketing every management lesson for a crop with no chemical labels. He fertigates through drip tape, although the nitrogen requirement is relatively low. “Forget soil sampling, we’re chasing the sweet spot for nitrogen and still experimenting,” he says. “Water it and keep away the weeds, and hemp can be really hearty.”

There is no standard harvesting equipment for Shell’s style of hemp production. He’s forced to use tree trimming lockers and cut down the whole plant just above the plastic line. Harvested hemp is loaded onto trailers and shipped to GenCanna’s processing facility in Winchester. Once cut, hemp quality deteriorates quickly, so Shell harvests no more than what can be shipped in the same day.

After harvest, Shell rolls up the plastic and comes back in with a drag, usually a railroad tie. He disks the ground and seeds wheat as a cover crop if it’s early enough in the fall or plows and lets winter take control if it’s too late.

The patchwork planting, growing and harvesting techniques are a hallmark of a crop industry in its infancy. Shell is a pioneer on the floral side of hemp production, and his efforts are creating reference points for other producers. “Our main industry goal is not to make bucket loads of money right now,” he says. “We are setting the table for long-term hemp success.”

Due to legal hurdles, U.S. farmers are forced to leave money on the table because hemp industry demand is filled by foreign imports. Green says domestically grown and processed hemp will beat imports in quality and price. “We want a U.S. product to distribute globally and not vice versa. The current setup is not in the interest of our farmers or our country.”

“The foreign market is scared because they know we’re going to create a hemp industry and U.S. hemp can be the gold standard,” Mangone-Miranda echoes. Although CBD use is the merited driver of hemp potential, he says the biggest hemp sectors will develop in building materials, textiles and food. As a multiple-use product, no crop compares with hemp’s footprint, despite playing catch-up in genetics, processing, infrastructure and regulatory navigation.

Once unsure of genuine profit possibility, Shell has consistently fended off interest from fellow farmers. Those days are over, and hesitancy has ceded ground to excitement. “I can now put a production portfolio in front of farmers and let them make up their own minds,” he says. “The potential for hemp profit is very real.”

For more, see:

Living the Dream: Honoring A Fallen Farmer

Blood And Dirt: A Farmer’s 30-Year Fight With The Feds

Agriculture’s Darkest Fraud Hidden Under Dirt and Lies

Pigs Don’t Fly: Feral Hog Spread Is A Man-Made Mess

Cover Crop Bandwagon Frustrates Farmers

Frog or Foul: SCOTUS Weighs Historic ESA Case

Corn’s Carbon Cowboy Busts Outstanding Yields

Jimmy Frederick Booms 163 Bu. Soybeans

Bald Eagles a Farmer’s Nightmare

Who Killed the Finest Soybean Soil in the World?

When a Farmer Punches Back at the Feds

The Secret Life of Farmland Marbles

Death and Burial on an American Farm

Maverick Farmer Grows Hemp Today, Marijuana Tomorrow

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:11:26 GMT

Hemp today, marijuana tomorrow, Chris Adams is not waiting for the farming rush. The 30-year-old maverick producer has picked the cannabis horse as a strong runner for agriculture and he’s hopping on right out of the gate.

Adams punched 300 acres of hemp ground in 2017 and hopes to start indoor production of marijuana in 2018. Along with sugar beets, hard red spring wheat, soybeans, six varieties of dry beans, bean processing and an export venture, Adams has grabbed the reins of a 9,000-acre farming legacy and is driving hard across the level land of the Red River Valley.

Sixty miles from the Canadian border, in Grand Forks, N.D., Adams farms a flat landscape of checkerboard ground, dotted with mile markers and clearly cut squares. “The topography is so flat; you can watch your dog run away forever,” Adams describes.

Two miles west of the Red River, Adams’ topsoil is a rock-free, Eden-quality mix of silty loams: Pick up a moist handful and the soil crumbles regardless of water content. Adams’ 1’-deep topsoil is a generous host to multiple crops and in 2017, it held 10% of North Dakota’s total hemp acreage. Part of a state pilot program, Adams was one of 36 North Dakota hemp growers in 2017, and he was anxious to scratch ground with a brand new crop: “Hemp possibilities really pulled me in,” Adams says. “I don’t mind doing things different than everyone else.”

Only one processor in North Dakota is licensed to handle hemp seed. Adams drove to Healthy Oilseeds LLC in Carrington and picked up a supply of Canadian-imported seed from president and owner Roger Gussiaas. “Chris is intelligent, a driver and one of the best farmers around. There are few farmers that consider as many options as he does,” Gussiaas says.

Lindsey Warner , director of Marketing & Events for the North Dakota Trade Office ( NDTO ), has worked with Adams on crop export efforts, and describes him as a unique producer. “Chris is young, but he’s a true go-getter. He decides what he wants to do, takes the necessary steps and does it in quick fashion. It’s very impressive, particularly for his age.”

Prior to planting, Adams fertilized with 130 lb. per acre of nitrogen (a similar rate to his wheat production). On May 21, he used a John Deere air seeder to drop 25 lb. to 30 lb. of seed per acre on 7.5”-rows. “It’s a tiny seed and we treated it the same as grain, but just turned the blower way down and used lighter rollers,” he describes.

Adams’ young brother-in-law, Bobby Fletcher, looks out from the hemp canopy.

© Adams Family Farm

Bun in the oven, Adams shut the door. Essentially, he walked away with fertilization and planting complete. A 102-107 day maturity range pointed to the first days of September, and Adams wouldn’t touch the 300 acres of hemp again until harvest.

Yield Boom

He typically fights herbicide-resistant kochia and ragweed, but was unsure about what level of weed pressure to expect in his hemp rows. However, the hemp jumped at a quick pace and the canopy was shuttered in three weeks, putting a chokehold on weed presence. Once the stand reached 18”-24”, Adam’s 100% dryland hemp began climbing a phenomenal 3” per day.

When September arrived, Adams rolled in at 14% moisture (dried in bins to 9% moisture) with a flex draper, treating the hemp like a wheat crop with one key difference: He kept the header almost as high as the mechanics allowed. “The only combine adjustment we made was to put in wide bar concaves. We also placed some rubber belting around the front drives and then on the sides where the steps are so nothing could get to the blowers,” he explains.

Adams was shooting for 1,500 lb. of hemp seed per acre, but the final tally was significantly higher: “The average yield is 800-1000 lb. per acre in Canada, but we came closer to 1,800 lb.”

“By any standard, Chris’ hemp volume was very high. He’s always looking farther down the road for what may be coming next,” Gussiaas adds.

And the biomass left behind? The fiber and stalks can either be burned or baled. Adams baled the biomass and says he’ll leave the remainder in storage in hopes of market opportunity within two to three years. “My sources say it can be stored for seven to eight years and only lose a few inches off the end,” Adams notes. “The quality is high enough for animal bedding, paper, plastic, and hempcrete.”

Adams baled leftover hemp fibers and will leave the remainder in storage in hopes of market opportunity within two to three years.

© Adams Family Farm

Once taken off the field and dried in bins, the seed is loaded onto trailers bound for processing in Carrington. (Healthy Oilseeds LLC offers market contracts for Canadian buyers.) Currently, hemp marketing is restricted to a tight dance floor and few partners. Classified as a Schedule 1 drug, hemp remains highly regulated by the federal government. Domestically, there is essentially no market for hemp seed. Canadian companies buy U.S. hemp seed, turn it into oil, and send it back across the border for U.S. consumers.

Profit Potential?

What profit margins are possible? Adams paid roughly $50 per acre for seed, combined with a state hemp registration fee of 25$ per acre. Additionally, nitrogen costs were approximately $100 per acre. (Crop insurance wasn’t a factor; no availability for hemp.) Pared down, the bulk of expense was concentrated in fertilizer, seed and registration. Adams planted on ground he owned and dealt with no rent factors. Average land rent in the region is close to $200 per acre, according to Adams. Even if he’d planted on rented ground, his total hemp costs would have been about $400 per acre plus harvest expense.

“Going into the season hemp seed was at $1 per pound, but we didn’t have any contracts. It dropped during the season to 55 cents per pound. As things stand now, we’re looking at anywhere from $250-$350 per acre net. Nobody is going to complain about that,” Adams says.

Adams was shooting for 1,500 lb. of hemp seed per acre, but the final tally was significantly higher: “The average yield is 800-1000 lb. per acre in Canada, but we came closer to 1,800 lb.”

© Adams Family Farm

For 2018, Adams projects similar regulatory conditions in North Dakota. He expects state officials may try to double production, but warns of oversupply pitfalls. “Opening the floodgates with limited processing would be a real problem. This crop is so good and I want it to succeed, but allowing too many acres too early will hurt hemp right from the start.”

Marijuana Next?

North Dakota has given the nod to medical marijuana and Adams is keenly watching regulatory developments unfold. Initially, state officials will open a tiny market space: two growers and eight dispensaries. In July 2017, the North Dakota Department of Health requested letters of intent from interested growers and dispensaries: Adams and 96 other applicants turned in intent forms.

The next official step will be an application accompanied with a requisite, non-refundable $5,000 fee just to get a foot in the door. As always, Adams isn’t staring quietly at new opportunity: “We’re going for it. They’re using a point scale to make determinations and we know we’ve got as good a chance as anyone. This would be for indoor marijuana production at a secured spot on our farm. Each grower will be allowed to have 1,000 plants at one time.”

“I know not everyone is going to do it,” Adams adds, “but I don’t mind being at the forefront of something new.”

Colorado Farmer Shatters Hemp's Fiber Ceiling

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:10:21 GMT

Ryan Loflin bet the farm in 2013 and did what no U.S. producer had done for 70 years.

The Springfield, Colo., grower ordered hemp seed by mail from Europe and stockpiled his supply bit by precious bit. When the cache climbed to 1,500 lbs., Loflin, 43, stepped into agriculture’s terra incognita and dotted 60 acres of flat ground in extreme southeastern Colorado with hemp seed. And then he waited for Uncle Sam to come knocking.

No cease and desist letter. No phone call from the feds. No DEA raid. Loflin shattered a fiber ceiling to become the first U.S. farmer since the 1940s to plant and harvest industrial hemp .

Particularly in an agricultural economy with anemic commodity prices, hemp is beckoning to U.S. farmers. Federal prohibition remains in place, but states are moving forward with legalization. Despite a storied crop history lasting until 1937 (Hemp briefly returned to U.S. fields during World War ll ), industrial hemp production was banned partly due to marijuana association. Both are part of the Cannabis sativa family, yet hemp is marijuana’s non-intoxicating cousin – distinct in chemical and genetic makeup.

Hemp and hypocrisy are tight bedfellows of U.S. policy: Process, buy, manufacture, or even eat hemp products, but don’t dare to grow. As hemp industries in more than 30 countries benefit from the U.S. agriculture market, American farmers have watched from the sidelines as foreign product boosted the U.S.’s position as the world’s top consumer market for hemp goods. The hemp void is filled by farmers from Canada, China and Europe.

The Hemp Apostle

As a child of the 1980s, Loflin was left with a bitter farming taste from a dire decade of agricultural economics. He left farming for construction, but began researching hemp after reading about big returns gained by producers in Canada. “We made $40 per acre off wheat, but I saw Canadian farmers pulling in $300 per acre from hemp, and it blew me away,” he explains. “I studied it and learned all I could.”

Loflin leased the family farm from his father prior to 2013, pulled back in by the potential of hemp and the promises of diversification. “The family farm is where the blood meets the soil. Americans don’t realize the sacrifices and commitment farmers make to put food on their tables. Industrial hemp farming allows the family farmer to reap more benefits from an extremely dangerous and very different occupation,” he describes.

There was no crying in the wilderness for Loflin. He seized the mantle as a hemp apostle and went straight to the halls of legislation at both the state and federal levels as a hemp farming advocate. Colorado legalized recreational marijuana use with passage of Amendment 64 in 2013, and although cultivation of industrial hemp was included in the last line of the bill, regulatory rules were absent. In essence, hemp farming was almost legal in Colorado, but still illegal at a federal level. Regardless, the door was opened wide enough for Loflin.

For more, see Maverick Farmer Grows Hemp Today, Marijuana Tomorrow

From his initial 60 acres, he kept the seed for stock and sold some of the cannabinoids for medicine. He believes the pharmaceutical market will become a major income generator for hemp production. In 2016, Loflin ramped up to 520 acres: 120 for seed and 400 for medicine. He hopes for 600-1,000 lbs. of seed per acre, contingent on cultivar. “Farmers are very curious and want to know the returns from hemp. There’s good money in seed and you can pull $300 per acre right now at a minimum, but the potential is there for $1,800 per acre and even higher,” Loflin says.

From the hemp base to the tip of the leaves, all of the plant has harvest purposes due to its fibrous nature. The seeds can be eaten or pressed for oil extraction. The stalk fiber is used in a multitude of ways: paper, textiles, clothing, construction, health products and much more. Even the root can be processed and ground up as a lotion ingredient. In addition to meeting market demands, hemp is an excellent phytoremediation crop – cleaning soils that have been polluted. “Hemp makes a great rotational crop and may be a great fit between corn and wheat,” he adds. “It also grows tremendously well behind alfalfa from all the nitrogen in the soil.”

Regulatory Logjam

Twenty-nine states have passed legislation allowing hemp cultivation for research or pilot programs. However, political wheels invariably turn slowly, and hemp lacks a federal green light. Eric Steenstra, executive director of the Hemp Industries Association , believes once hemp receives the full legal nod, it will emerge as a niche crop and mature into a major earner for producers. “The hemp seed industry already has momentum. The food and body care markets have grown to several hundred million dollars, entirely based on imports. Manufacturing potential will jump when growers can supply domestic hemp and bypass imports. Add the fiber component and the potential leaps to millions of acres in just 20 years.”

Producers consistently ask Steenstra why hemp cultivation is still illegal in so many states. “It makes no sense to farmers and I tell them to call or send emails to their senators and reps. Online, they can go to votehemp.com and get involved,” he says.

Hemp potential covers the entire corn and soybean region. As a summer annual, it fits very well with corn-soy rotations for hemp purposes, or with corn-soy-wheat as another grain crop, says David Williams , a professor of agronomy with the University of Kentucky.

Producers choose hemp for one of three purposes: seed, fiber, or medicine. With fiber, hemp should bring a minimum yield of 6,000 lbs. per acre, but Williams shoots for 5 tons per acre. He says 5 tons per acre of hemp fiber yield will definitely compete with corn and soybean profits. “Hemp is a great rotation alternative and a producer won’t lose money. For seed and fiber, it’s always going to be competitive with other crops.”

Hemp produces cannabinoid molecules (nicotine from tobacco; cannabinoids from hemp) with strong potential for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical applications. The economics of fiber and seed are relatively firm with established industries in Europe and Canada. On the flip side, the economics of cannabinoids are very poorly understood, Williams says. “Regulation is under evaluation by the federal government. Lots of companies want to market cannabinoids, but that avenue is yet to widen and the potential market is hanging.”

Farming veterans are taking a long look at hemp in Kentucky, Williams says. When he holds educational meetings on hemp, the venues are typically packed with 50 to 150 farmers, regardless of county. And grower interest is not necessarily from the younger generation. In the 1940s, many farmers with large scale corn farms grew hemp as part of the Hemp for Victory campaign during World War ll, according to Williams. Some older growers still remember their grandfathers growing hemp. “I don’t expect hemp to absolutely transform the ag economy. Yet, it definitely has potential as a rotation crop, and the medicinal aspect may bring further opportunity,” he says.

Open-door Crop

In addition to hemp , Loflin farms alfalfa, triticale and grain sorghum on dark, sandy loam across 1,000 acres of level land set against the endless vista of Baca County , a 1930s Dust Bowl epicenter where the mountains have turned to plains. He calls hemp an “open-door” crop, with multiple avenues of opportunity. “It’s a complete economic and agronomic hand-in-hand crop. I think hemp will take off with processing plants. When farmers have a place to go with their hemp, it’s going to make a difference and it will grow almost anywhere. It sounds cliché, but it’s the perfect agriculture time for hemp to arrive.”

In 2013, Loflin planted in the shadow of history, but he’s confident the initial 60 hemp acres will spur a long-term harvest well into the future. “The hemp industry is running a marathon, not a sprint,” Loflin adds. “Hemp is a solution to many long-term problems we face in farming’s future. With time, hemp will be a driving force in agribusiness.”

Answers to Hemp Questions

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:35 GMT

Interested in growing hemp? Mark your calendar to join the U.S. Hemp Growers Association (USHGA) for an informational meeting at the 2020 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.

“This is an exciting time for hemp growers,” says Caren Wilcox, executive director of the association. “USHGA knows this new crop will add to America’s agricultural strengths. We look forward to this event at Commodity Classic and the opportunity to present an overview of the important information we have been sharing at Hemp Colleges across the country.”

The meeting will be held Friday, Feb. 28, in room 006A at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

During the meeting, farmers will learn about the opportunities and challenges to grow hemp in the U.S. and hear an overview of the newly formed USHGA.

In addition, the association will provide a summary of the 2020 hemp planting intentions study, conducted along with Farm Journal.

Can’t make it to the meeting? USHGA will have a booth at the Commodity Classic trade show. Stop by to learn more about the organization and how it can benefit your hemp farming operation.

Informational Meeting
2020 Commodity Classic
San Antonio, Texas
Friday, Feb. 28
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention
Center, Room 006A

Farm Journal is hosting several one-day events focused on hemp production. Register at AgWeb.com/events

Gov. Noem says South Dakota won't legalize industrial hemp

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:30 GMT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has reiterated her opposition to legalizing industrial hemp production in South Dakota, even in the face of new federal rules allowing the cash crop.

Hemp is seen as a possible boon by many farmers, but Noem said in a statement Tuesday that legalizing it would hamper enforcement of marijuana laws.

But the governor also says South Dakota will allow the crop to be transported across the state. Last month, South Dakota police arrested a Colorado man for carrying large bags of what he claims was hemp in his SUV.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a new regulatory framework for hemp production last week, saying it will provide new economic opportunities for farmers and pave the way for new products and markets.

High Stakes, High Rewards on Hemp Gamble

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:30 GMT

It’s a sticky situation. As various agencies weave the framework for the booming hemp marketplace, many farmers watch from the sidelines, pondering the potential pitfalls and the unprecedented opportunities this crop offers. And some are even choosing to put up stakes on a hemp gamble.

“Hemp has a very promising outlook for farmers as a rotational cash crop that can be very viable,” says Dion Oakes, a farmer with Wright-Oakes LLC in Colorado.

In 2020, only four states—Idaho, South Dakota, Mississippi and New Hampshire—have not acted to make it legal to grow hemp. Caren Wilcox, executive director of the U.S. Hemp Growers Association, expects to move toward legalization of the crop in the next year in those four states.

The 2019 U.S. Hemp License Report by Vote Hemp reported 511,442 acres licensed in 2019, with 16,877 grower licenses issued in 34 states. That’s an increase of more than 455% versus 2018 licensed acreage. Vote Hemp predicts the numbers might be closer to 230,000 acres planted and 115,000 to 138,000 harvested.

“We need to realize that because hemp was illegal for about 70 years, farmers lost their experience in growing it,” Wilcox says. “One of the things we [U.S. Hemp Growers Association] will be working on is to increase agronomic information and communication between our growers and people who want to buy and expand their product line.”

Caren Wilcox offers these four tips for farmers looking to bankroll their first hemp crop in 2020:

1. Get smart. You need advice and counsel from those with growing experience. Farm Journal Hemp College is a great place to start.

2. Source your seed.

3. Know your state regulations.

4. Have a customer lined up before you plant.

“Many of us have been saying to growers that they should identify their customer and hopefully have a contractual relationship before they put in a large crop,” Wilcox says.

Michael Bowman, co-founder of First Crop, a public benefit company that supports farmers who cultivate hemp, expects to see the hemp industry further evolve in 2020. “This industry is maturing a little, just like an awkward teenager growing into an adult, where we did some crazy things that nobody understood this past year,” he says. “People didn’t have take-off agreements, they didn’t have supply chain agreements. There’s pain right now for those who weren’t treating this crop as we would any other crop in agriculture.”

He sees 2020 as a wake-up call for many in the industry. “We’re going to see banking come into play this year, which is going to make things easier for a more traditional farmer. We will see an insurance product that is far from perfect. But it’s a first step in this next three- to five-year period where we get a legitimate, federal insurance product in place.”

How to source seed

A large number of people applied for licenses, and fewer actually doubled down and planted a crop. Wilcox says one of the reasons might have been the limited supply of certified, stable seed and clones. Bad farming conditions, including flooding and drought, might have also played a role.

The question of critical importance: Will there be enough seed in 2020?

There will be plenty of seed, but it’s hard to say the quality of what’s on the market as suppliers and growers alike have made rash decisions, says Tom Dermody, vice president of strategic development with International Hemp Solutions.

“In the last three months we’ve seen a significant increase in the public-facing resources concerning seed and nursery product inputs coming from the state departments of agriculture, and it’s critical people understand where the potential risks lie if they don’t use these resources effectively.”

If you’re looking to source seed in 2020, start by asking the right questions. Who grew the seed? What is its performance record? Is it right for my environment and climate? Dermody says you should ask suppliers where and under what conditions they’re attaining their yields.

“Farmers made some risky decisions on account of market immaturity this year, but the regulatory impacts are significant come 2021,” Dermody says. “This type of information is critical for farmers to have access to when assessing potential suppliers.”

Hemp’s Future: Boom or Bust?

Expect 2020 to be a transitional year, Wilcox says. “I’m optimistic the amount of product will increase.”

As a farmer who’s been in the industry, Oakes says he looks forward to 2020 because reliable, trustworthy people are starting to get into the industry and more credible universities and associations are getting involved. “This is needed, because we strongly need research and validated studies behind this crop for new farmers wanting to get into the industry and even farmers who’ve been growing hemp,” he says.

An essential part of hemp’s growth will be whether FDA will drop its poker face on regulations and bring clarity in 2020. Bowman says many consumer product groups and large beverage and food companies stand ready to incorporate hemp into their products.

“This is something the consumer clearly wants, and we all want to grow and deliver to the marketplace, a safe product,” he says.

CBD will likely still be the belle of the hemp ball for now, but expect the penny antes in grain to signal growth. “The predominant product likely in 2020 is still going to be the full-spectrum extract market,” Bowman says. “But I do think we’re seeing a lot of interest across the board in grain in particular.”

The challenge, he says, is building out the infrastructure to support harvest and conditioning. It’s happening on a small scale now, but investment and commitments from the industry are still needed.

By 2025, Wilcox has high hopes hemp will be used in rotation by many farmers and be on the path to a mainstream crop.

“That’s ambitious, but I know if we can build up the processing market, which we should be able to do, then we can make products like hempcrete [a biocomposite material made of hemp hurds and lime, used for construction], dresses, t-shirts, biofuel, paper—it’s like a magical plant. There’s a reason that humans have apparently been using and cultivating this crop for millennia.

Interested in learning more about growing hemp? Join us at Hemp College. Click here to see the list of upcoming events.

USHGA is a nonprofit trade organization that provides data, research and educational resources to help farmers be successful from planting to harvest to marketing. Learn more about the U.S. Hemp Growers Association at UShempGA.org .

Related articles

The Top 10 Hemp Stories From 2019

Hemp Industry Now Has Trade Group

Find complete coverage and the latest updates on hemp at AgWeb.com/cannabis

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests?

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:26 GMT

Hemp could be considered the “green gold of agriculture” amongst farmers eager for its market opportunities. However, even gold can become scratched, or in hemp’s case … eaten. How familiar are you with hemp’s insect pests? Take a minute to see if you could spot these pests in your hemp field with this fun, short quiz.

Start quiz >>>

If you’re interested in learning more about growing hemp on your farm, click here to see future Hemp College dates. Additionally, insect facts used in this Pop Quiz are from Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences.

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests? Question 3

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:26 GMT

From the options on the left, which insect is this? Answer >>>

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests? Question 1

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:26 GMT

From the options on the left, which insect is this? >>> Answer

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests? Question 6

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:22 GMT

From the options on the left, which insect is this? Answer >>>

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests? Question 5

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:22 GMT

From the options on the left, which insect is this? Next question >>>

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests? Answer 5

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:22 GMT

Next question >>>

Pop Quiz! Can You Identify These Hemp Pests? Question 4

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:22 GMT

From the options on the left, which insect is this? Next question >>>

Record Rain Hurting Kansas' First Try At Growing Hemp

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:18 GMT

PLEVNA, Kansas — P.J. Sneed walks through his small greenhouse in central Kansas checking on rows and rows of small hemp plants just waiting to be put into the ground.

The plants inside the greenhouse near Plevna look rather healthy. Problematically, they look better than the plants in the few acres he’s already planted just outside of the greenhouse.

“Day One, we planted an acre and a half,” he said. “Huge storm came through and it blew probably half the plants just over or out of the ground.”

But looks can be deceiving. The roots of the hemp plants sitting indoors have run out of room in the small plastic containers they sit in, the same kind of containers you’d find flowers sitting in at a nursery.

That’s because these plants should have been planted a few weeks ago. But like farmers of more traditional crops, Sneed’s been delayed by the wet weather that’s kept him from planting hemp in his fields.

Interested in learning more about hemp? Join us at Hemp College.
Find upcoming dates and locations here: agweb.com/events/hemp-college

People who signed up for an industrial hemp test program got licenses based on research proposals. But this year’s unusual weather could skew the results of the studies, impacting the kind of information the state has to gauge the prospect of growing hemp in Kansas.

State officials want to better understand the potential for the specialty oilseed crop, colloquially known as industrial hemp. The scientific name for the plant is cannabis sativa, and it’s the same plant that marijuana comes from.

The difference between whether or not the product of the plant is considered marijuana or industrial hemp is the amount of the psychoactive chemical THC that’s present.

Lawmakers approved the pilot program last year. Each grower licensed to participate in the program is studying some aspect of hemp cultivation.

Some are looking into how much water is needed to grow hemp, while others are investigating how industrial hemp fits into regenerative agriculture practices such as using it as a cover crop or how it impacts soil health. Growers are also providing detailed planting and harvesting information to the state.

So far this year, the state has received 392 applications and issued 248 — 192 of those approved licenses are for growers.

In total, 5,200 acres in 71 counties have been approved for growing hemp, even though it’s likely total planted acres won’t be close to that.

As of July 1, 680 acres of hemp have been planted in the state. That number is expected to grow significantly in the next few weeks as the ground across the state begins to dry out enough for planting that first planned to happen weeks earlier.

The state will issue a report at the end of the year analyzing the data gathered from all the projects. While the extraordinary weather will likely impact results, it’s too early to know how much.

“Here in Kansas … we kind of have extremes from one season to another season, and, at this point, precipitation plays a large factor,” said Braden Hoch, a hemp specialist for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Rain has delayed planting for some farmers, but the variety of hemp, and what the grower hopes to use it for, will also play a large role in how successful this year could be.

Hemp plants are generally grown for one of three things — its seed and grain, its fiber, or its floral material.

CBD oil typically comes from the floral material. Varieties grown for their floral material typically only need a 90-day period from planting to harvest, meaning there’s still time to get those plants in the ground and still have a good chance at a successful harvest.

Hoch said the state is ultimately trying to gather data to show whether or not hemp is a viable alternative crop for Kansas farmers, and this year’s trial could help build that case.

But even with the optimism, some hemp farmers, such as Sneed, still worry plenty about how the wet weather stunted the growth of their plants.

“This year’s crop, as wet as we are, will be affected across the board,” Sneed said. “Whether it’s CBD level or fiber level.”

Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter @briangrimmett or email him at grimmett (at) kmuw (dot) org. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.

Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org .

Hemp Continues Return, Acreage Doubles in 2017

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:13 GMT

Hemp continues down the road of return as a standard U.S. row crop, with 23,343 acres in 2017, despite federal prohibition. The 2017 U.S. Hemp Crop Report documents the ongoing hemp march: Acreage more than doubled from 2016, and state licenses were issued to 1,424 producers.

Farmers in 19 states grew hemp in 2017 and 32 universities conducted hemp research. Produced by Vote Hemp , the 2017 U.S. Hemp Crop Report records state-by-state progress of hemp legislation passed in 2017, acreage totals and states with pilot programs.

For more on hemp, see Maverick Farmer Grows Hemp Today, Marijuana Tomorrow

Even with the advances, hemp growers remain frustrated by infrastructure barricades supported by the federal prohibition, despite the introduction of The Industrial Hemp Farming Act in Congress. Legal issues remain a constant burden for growers, according the report: “… hemp farmers face logistical and legislative hurdles that yet hinder the full scale commercial cultivation of hemp to supply American consumers: farmers rely on imported certified hemp seed from countries such as Canada and Italy; the DEA has obstructed interstate commerce of U.S. grown and manufactured hempseed oil and protein powder.”

The U.S. hemp retail market was valued at $688 million in 2016, of which 19% ($130 million) was attributable to hemp-derived CBD or cannabidiol products. The CBD dietary supplement is the fastest growing hemp-related market sector, states the report.

As 2017 closes, 33 states have removed barriers to hemp production. “We’ve seen hemp cultivation significantly expand in the U.S. in 2017, with over double the number of acres planted in hemp compared to last year and the addition of four more states with hemp pilot programs,” says Eric Steenstra, president of Vote Hemp. “The majority of states have implemented hemp farming laws, in clear support of this crop and its role in diversifying and making more sustainable our agricultural economy. It’s imperative that we pass the Industrial Hemp Farming Act in Congress, so that we can grant farmers full federally legal rights to commercially cultivate hemp to supply the growing global market for hemp products.”

Visit votehemp.com/cropreport to see the complete report.

Q&A: The Future of Certified Hemp Seed

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:08 GMT

Read more about Navigating the Hemp Gold Rush here.

We asked Tom Dermody, vice president of operations for Bija Hemp in Denver, Colo., some pressing questions about hemp seed regulation and availability:

Q: What are the steps that need to happen to get enough certified seed in the U.S.?

A: Under the 2014 Farm Bill, the Association of Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) didn’t believe there was enough commercial interest to convene the Variety Review Board. Following the 2018 Farm Bill, the process has begun, and we are eagerly awaiting updates and opportunities on this fundamental aspect of establishing the trials and certification process.

Meanwhile, land grant institutions need to start running variety trials so that seed breeders will feel comfortable with legal entitlement to breed. Once there’s demonstrated efficacy to a specific variety and region, seed can be scaled into a certified variety, like any other crop commodity.

Also, there needs to be a coordinated effort to align existing supply chain means with specific varieties of hemp. For example, fiber hemp varieties have more value in the south because there are abundant fiber outlets, whereas in the Midwest, grain will have a higher value because of existing grain processors.

Q: From a regulatory standpoint, where are we and where do we need to be?

A: Now that hemp has been defined as an agricultural commodity at the federal level, it should have access to the same services as any other commodity crop. However, the rulemaking process assigned to that statutory declaration is not yet finalized, which creates frictions and related risk.

Also read:

Hemp: Resources to Know Before You Grow

Growing Hemp for CBD, Seed or Fiber

USDA To Release Hemp Regulations In Time For 2020 Planting

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:08 GMT

The 2018 Farm Bill includes new guidelines for growing hemp. Notably, it moves hemp under the Title 1 commodity program. Early this year, USDA issued a Notice to Trade, stating they are in the process of gathering information to initiate rulemaking necessary to implement this program. USDA’s goal is to issue regulations in fall 2019 to accommodate the 2020 planting season, the agency said in a recent release.

“During the 2019 planting season, the 2018 Farm Bill directs that states, tribes and institutions of higher education may continue operating under authorities of the 2014 Farm Bill until 12 months after USDA establishes the plan and regulations required under the 2018 Farm Bill,” they said in the release.

While USDA works out the regulatory details, farmers can up their smarts on hemp production at Farm Journal Hemp College . During this one-day event, held June 19 in Lexington, Ky., industry experts will discuss the best agronomic practices for hemp production and will also touch upon marketing, legal considerations and policy news.

Educational sessions offered during this one-day event will address:

How to source high-quality seed
Hemp nutrient needs from A to Z
Pest, weed and disease management
In-season management and harvest practices
Steps to developing a marketing plan
Legal considerations for hemp production
The registration cost for the Hemp College is $149 and includes a continental breakfast and full lunch.

Get more details and register here: https://www.regonline.com/hempcollege

State, Federal Laws Now Allow Arizona farmers to Grow Hemp

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:08 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona farmers will soon begin planting hemp as its byproduct - CBD oil - is exploding in popularity, with some supporters saying it could overtake a traditional crop in the state because there’s more money in the cannabis plant than cotton.

The emerging market for hemp, which contains ultra-low levels of the THC that creates a high in marijuana, will be focused in Arizona on producing flowers and seeds that can be used to make CBD oils, said Randy Pullen, a former state Republican Party chairman and hemp processing company investor who helped set up a state chapter of the Hemp Industries Association.

CBD oils are increasingly being used in foods and as pain relievers, as well as for other medical conditions. In April, however, the Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to companies for making unapproved health claims about CBD products.

Farmers can see a big profit boost over standard Arizona crops like cotton or alfalfa, Pullen said, netting $600 per acre compared with about $100 for standard crops like cotton.

“Economically it’s much more profitable to plant and harvest hemp than it is to plant and harvest cotton or alfalfa,” Pullen said in an interview Tuesday.

That estimate can vary widely though, based on federal studies of the crop done before the recent CDB oil craze.

And farmers, a notoriously careful lot, will be cautious about switching to a crop without an established market and buyers stepping up to contract for crops, said Kevin Rogers, executive vice president with the Arizona Cotton Growers Association.

“These guys have investments in land, in machinery, in everything that it takes to keep their farms going year after year,’ Rogers said of cotton farmers. “A guy may try five acres of it, but it’s way pre-mature. It’s great that there’s a new crop that we can look at, but it’s in the infancy stage for us.”

The 2018 state law allowing industrial hemp farming and processing was to take effect in August after state agriculture officials set up a licensing and certification program. But state lawmakers moved up the effective date of the state law to May 31 after the federal Farm Bill passed in December and legalized industrial hemp nationwide.

Brian McGrew runs the program for the department and said it is now reviewing applications and expects to begin issuing licenses this week. Seeds could be in the ground by mid-month.

About 200 applications, mainly for growers and processors, had been filed after the official window opened on Friday. He said Wednesday that 35 of those are complete, including the fingerprint clearance card, and the number is rising daily.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says more than 40 states have established industrial hemp cultivation programs.

The cannabis targeted for Arizona isn’t the same variety as used to make hemp rope, but instead is a strain optimized to produce the most flowers and seeds to process into CBD oils and powders. After the flowers and their seeds are removed and processed, the remaining fiber can be used for animal feed, as a concrete strengthener or as insulation, among other uses, Pullen said.

Farmers and others involved with hemp, including those who harvest, transport and process it, must hold state licenses issued by Arizona Department of Agriculture and get fingerprint clearance cards. Licenses start at $150 for harvesters and transporters and go to $1,500 for a grower and $3,000 for a processor. Fees per acre or per ton of processed material plus testing fees are added on and licenses can be renewed annually.

The department does not know how many acres may be planted in hemp this year because a farmer may show his entire holdings as a potential growing area. Once planted, the plots will be marked with signs showing it is industrial hemp.

Pullen said he won’t be surprised to see hemp displace some of the cotton grown in Arizona if the market takes off as some studies have suggested. The state saw about 175,000 acres planted in 2017, federal figures show.

“Probably half of that will be hemp in a few years,” he said.

Rogers, the cotton association official, said that’s not likely unless and until the market matures.

“Obviously the price of (cannabis) oil is outrageously priced, so everyone’s looking at that and thinking they’re going to make tens of thousands of dollars,” rogers said. “And you know, I hope somebody does. But our guys are going to want to have good contracts and make sure it’s going to work.”

One concern for growers is pushback from medicinal marijuana producers who worry that hemp will cross-pollinate with their marijuana strains. Arizona medicinal marijuana is grown in greenhouses, but any hemp plant within 10 miles could threaten the industry.

“They are very worried about that,” Pullen said. “We’ve seen that across the country.”

There are no state rules on how close hemp can be grown to greenhouses where medical marijuana is farmed, McGrew said.

Boycotting Bud Light? Cannabis Beer Is Here

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:02 GMT

Following an infamous Super Bowl ad, farmers across the country are boycotting Bud Light. Meanwhile, beer infused with cannabis is gaining momentum in the marketplace.

“It’s kind of the birth and the start of this whole area,” Keith Villa, former brewmaster for Miller Coors and founder of Ceria Brewing Co., told Wine Enthusiast magazine. “It’s a situation that comes around once in a lifetime.”

Hops, a common beer ingredient, and cannabis are cousins in the Cannabaceae plant family. While they have similar fragrances, cannabis contains THC and therefore has been illegal to use in brewing beer until now.

As recreational cannabis is allowed in more states, however, brewers have started to merge the plants, Wine Enthusiast reports.

Here’s a list of cannabis-infused beers currently on the market:

420 Series G13 IPA, SweetWater Brewing Co., GA

George Washington’s Secret Stash, Dad & Dude’s Breweria, CO

Grainwave Belgian-Style White Ale, Ceria Brewing Co., CO

The Hemperor HPA, New Belgium Brewing, CO

The Waldos’ Special Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Co., CA

Hemp: Hopes and Headaches Ahead, p2

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:02 GMT

>>>Continued from page 1

Seed: Limited Processing Options Hurt Profits

In the rolling hills of North Dakota’s Grant County, Clarence Laub grows 2,400 dryland acres of corn, hemp, soybeans, sunflowers and wheat on predominantly sandy loam soil, alongside a 300-head commercial Angus operation. Laub, 25, gathered what little information he could find and grew 10 acres of hemp for seed in 2016. In 2017, he ramped up to 240 acres, but after dealing with the whims of a capricious market, dropped to 60 acres in 2018.

Weather permitting, Laub plants hemp at the tail-end of corn, around May 20 to June 1. He used an air drill in 2016 on 10" rows, but experienced seed cracking and seed depth irregularity beyond his ½" target. In 2017, he switched to a no-till box drill on 6" rows that “worked great and provided accurate seeding depth.”

The tighter 6" rows were an improvement, particularly on a crop without herbicide options. “The close rows make it canopy so much faster and avoid weed issues,” Laub says. “My planting population is six to 12 plants in a square foot—dense. That is really thick when you’ve got a 7' crop a few inches apart.”

Laub hasn’t experienced disease or insect issues, and with few management angles, the stand is the story. “You need to try and get perfect planting. There are no chemicals to rely on, so what you’ve got is what you’ve got,” he says. “In my experience, getting a good stand is the hardest part.”

In 2018, Laub planted a relatively small (5' or 7') Canadian variety, Hemp Genetics International CRS-1. “There was no blowover in the wind even with some 80 mph gusts. The stalks are seriously strong, kind of like fl ax on steroids,” he says. “Once the field is harvested, you don’t dare jump down from the combine into the hard stalks without being careful.”

Laub harvests at the beginning of September when the plants are fairly green with the same equipment he uses for small grains: a draper head and a standard combine. In 2016 and 2017, Laub used a shredder and vertical tillage to take care of postharvest biomass. However, he used a haybine in 2018 to cut biomass for baling, storage—and a market down the road.

Hemp seed prices have subsided, a downward trend Laub hopes will reverse. Seed brought $1 per pound in 2016, he recalls; 50¢ in 2017, 40¢ early in 2018, but 30¢ closer to harvest. Laub’s seed yields averaged 1,500 lb. to 1,600 lb. per acre. “I know the Canadians are getting 1,800 lb. to 2,000 lb. per acre,” he says.

Cutting is best at 18% to 20% moisture, according to Laub; lower moisture carries the risk of plants dropping seed. Hemp seed is problematic for storage. “You can store at 9%, but 6% to 7% is even better. A grain dryer is an investment to consider if you go with significant acreage,” he says.

Laub doesn’t have many options for processing, and his best bet is contracting with the Canadians. “Right now, hemp for seed is not a highly profitable crop, but it could be a great income source with infrastructure,” he says. “For anyone starting, just go 20 acres or less and get to learning. When processing arrives, you’ll be ready for large acreage.”

Fiber: The Easiest Hemp?

Twenty miles northeast of Louisville, Ky., Steve Rutledge operates Professional Land Management and oversees a variety of crops on numerous operations. In the past three years, four clients have grown hemp for CBD, seed or fi ber. Through trial and error, Rutledge has learned the ins-and-outs of fi ber production, the “easiest form of hemp farming,” he says.

Rutledge’s preplanting protocol is light tillage behind soybeans from the previous fall. He prefers no soil disturbance, but says seeds fare better after preparation with a light disk because they don’t like compaction.

After dropping 75 lb. of NPK, he uses a no-till drill on 8" rows to plant at an eighth of an inch. With a 50 lb. to 60 lb. per acre seeding rate, the soil shades quickly and weed suppression is not an issue, according to Rutledge.

Although he targets May 5 to 10, he’s never been able to plant before May 25 due to seed availability and import logistics. “It’s paperwork heavy and takes time. You need the right variety at the right time, and there’s lots of room for error dealing with foreign countries,” Rutledge adds.

Seed quality can be fi lled with trapdoors. In 2017, Rutledge purchased seed advertised as 75% certified, but after testing, discovered the rate was only 60%. “These things are a reality growers must consider,” he says.

In his first year of hemp for fiber, Rutledge paid $7 per pound for seed, which doesn’t allow for profit. “Seed costs have gone down, and I’m hoping they settle at $2 per pound,” he says.

About 60 days after planting, the hemp for fiber is ready to harvest. As soon as flowering starts, preferably before forming seed, the hemp needs to be cut, Rutledge explains. After officials from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture test and ensure the THC level is below 0.3%, harvest kicks off.

Rutledge says the tough, fibrous nature of hemp makes it a harvest beast. “Use machinery with rotation, pickup heads or rolling bearings, and hemp can wrap to the point you have to cut or burn it out,” he warns.

After trying a haybine and a disk mower with no success, he found a solution by cutting hemp with a sickle bar mower, leaving it on the ground to dry for 30 days, which allows the fiber to separate easier, and flipping it with a rotary rake. A round baler with knives in the chamber prepares the hemp for storage, prior to shipping to a processor via flatbed trailers.

Due to seed availability issues and weather vagaries, Rutledge has hit yields between 1 ton and 2.5 tons per acre. “There have been test trials with 5-ton yields, but we don’t have access to those proprietary varieties,” he says.

Hemp for fiber brings 7¢ to 11¢ per pound, or sometimes a minimum guarantee per acre, whichever is larger, Rutledge says. “You can try to negotiate a deal with your processor to share in seed costs. Another thing we believe we’re seeing is a yield response in grains behind hemp, but we need more time for data to pile up,” he adds.

Rutledge urges caution whether planting hemp for CBD, seed or fiber: “There is so much misinformation out there. Hemp farming of any kind is trial, error and observation—classic learning on the go.”

Read more about cannabis here:

Five Fast Facts About Cannabis

What’s the Farmer’s Role in Growing Hemp?

> From Bovine Veterinarian:

Cannabis in Veterinary Medicine

> From Farm Journal’s PORK:

Could Cannabis Improve Pork Flavor? Weed-Fed Pigs Creating a Stir

The Bank Secrecy Act Makes Growing Hemp A Risky Business

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:02 GMT

When President Donald Trump signed the 2018 farm bill, industrial hemp became a commodity crop. Still, the intricacies around growing cannabis and the lack of guidance from federal bank regulators means growing it can put your business at risk.

A Farm Journal survey of 950 farmers shows definite interest in growing the crop most commonly known for marijuana. In fact, 47% of those surveyed said they were interested in growing cannabis. More than 55% said if growing cannabis was 10 times as profitable as growing soybeans, they’d be interested. While 34% of farmers say they have financing options available, bankers caution it’s not that easy.

Under the Bank Secrecy Act, which was put in place to prevent money-laundering, anytime a banker transacts what they believe to be a suspicious activity with a borrower, they are required to complete a suspicious activity report.

“It’s still unclear whether or not growing hemp falls under the Bank Secrecy Act,” says Curt Covington, executive vice president and chief credit officer at Farmer Mac.

Furthermore, hemp is still considered a drug, notes Alan Hoskins, president of American Farm Mortgage & Financial Services. Therefore, lenders are bound by regulations. While Covington says federal regulators are not likely to give much detailed guidance anytime soon, farmers and bankers need to analyze several business complexities.

Growing hemp isn’t legal every- where. Only 41 states allow for industrial hemp to be grown on a commercial scale. Without a change on the federal level, the state laws will continue to be different, says Keith Knudsen, president and CEO of Security Bank. If it’s legal in your state, you must obtain licensing and permits to provide to your banker.

Even where legal, farmers growing hemp face restrictions. Hemp, per the farm bill, can’t contain more than 0.3% of the psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which produces a high. “This isn’t a deal where your lender just grants you a loan and hopes for the best,” Covington cautions. “This requires regular inspection to the facilities to ensure the THC levels are legal, and that this hasn’t overtly or inadvertently gone from a hemp-growing facility to a cannabis-growing facility.”

Farmers should regularly test their crop to ensure proper THC levels and maintain documentation to prove as much, Covington advises, as the consequences of not doing so are drastic. “The authorities will come in and test the THC of that crop, and if they find it to be higher than what it’s supposed to be for hemp, you will have the pleasure of watching your collateral go up in smoke—pun intended,” he says. “They will demand that you destroy the entire crop immediately.”

Be careful with self-financing. A lot of growers are looking to credit cards and cash to self-finance their hemp enterprises, Covington says. But, if you have other enterprises financed at the bank, you could be putting your entire farm at risk. “Your banker will argue the cash you have actually came off the crops they finance because they have a collateral interest in all of your assets, cash, receivables, crop inventory, land, equipment and buildings,” he says.

Understand cannabis laws are constantly changing. “We have to continually watch what’s changing in the regulations,” Knudsen says. “As laws are changed they’ll come out with their new regulations, but that doesn’t happen overnight.”

Farmers should talk to their lender first before diving into this venture, Hoskins says. “Look at what the impact is going to be for your farm,” he says. “When you have revenue, are you going to be able to legally deposit it in the bank? Have a discussion with your lender and your institution’s deposit person.”

Hemp: Hopes and Headaches Ahead

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:47:02 GMT

The year of hemp jubilee has arrived, roughly 80 years after Uncle Sam locked the maligned cannabis variety in the federal attic. U.S. farmers can officially play the hemp game, so says the 2018 farm bill, and as of January 2019, 41 states have given hemp a green fl ag. The spectrum of legal leeway is noteworthy, with Colorado at full commercialization, Kentucky running a close second, Minnesota allowing a relatively progressive policy and a host of other states permitting various levels of production or research.

Over time, Michael Bowman, chairman of the National Hemp Association, thinks U.S. hemp production will surpass 1 million acres, which is quite the increase from the mere 75,000 acres planted in 2018 and basically zero in 2013. Standing in the way is seed availability, genetics, infrastructure and education.

For prospective growers facing a litany of hemp management questions, answers are found in fellow farmers’ fields. Whether cannabidiol (CBD), seed or fiber, hemp growers are all learning on the go.Here’s what you said:

CBD: Darling of the Day

“Everybody wants to know how to farm hemp,” says Joseph Sisk, “but they don’t realize everyone already growing hemp does it differently.”

Located in Kentucky’s Christian County, Sisk, 45, grows 5,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat. For the past three years, alongside his farming partner, Todd Harton, Sisk has grown hemp for CBD, a highly desired cannabis compound that accounts for 40% of the plant’s extract.

The duo grew 200 acres of hemp for CBD in 2018, and typically apply 125 lb. to 200 lb. of nitrogen, spread prior to planting and through an over-the-top application in July. “So far, we’ve seen hemp’s fertilizer needs parallel corn,” Sisk says.

Planting typically falls between the third week of May and into the first week of June. Hemp clones are provided by an in-state processor (each season begins with an established processor contract) and transplanted into 40" rows on fl at ground with multiple four-row tobacco setters spread over a 10-day period. Planting population varies between 1,500 and 4,000 plants per acre, contingent on the variety requested by the processor.

After planting, Sisk and Harton make sure the hemp has adequate moisture to set roots. They used drip irrigation their first hemp season, but rodent issues required daily labor to walk lines and fi x holes.

“When you’re pod-building in beans or finishing corn, moisture in soil is good, but that’s not the case with hemp,” Sisk notes. “We only add water if the dirt really gets depleted. Hemp likes sunny, hot weather.”

Initially, Sisk believed hemp for CBD was conducive to any soil, even marginal ground. Multiple years of experience have taught him it responds to better soils like any crop. In general, the plants grow at an incredibly fast rate for the first 60 days. By the beginning of August,
the varieties show distinct phenotype differences from short and squatty (3' wide x 3' tall) to tall and fat (6' tall x 5' wide).

Chopping crews combat weed presence. From pillar to post, hemp for CBD requires considerable labor, Sisk says: “Across an entire season, this is incredibly labor intensive, even more so than tobacco.”

When the hemp reaches sexual maturity, vigilance is required to check fields for male plants. CBD production is strictly a no-males allowed proposition. Even a few males in a hemp field can pollinate an entire crop, triggering seed production in females, diminished flower set and a drop in CBD concentration.

“We have to pay attention and make sure there are no males with pollen sacs,” Sisk says. “We pull them up immediately when we find them and get them out of the field.”

After 100 to 120 days, Sisk and Harton hope for a field of female plants heavy with CBD content stored in flowers and biomass, yet below the 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level to prevent regulatory violations.

“There are so many different opinions about when to harvest according to maturity, but we rely on our processor to tell us when it’s finally ready,” he says. “The state department of ag pulls tissue tests to make sure the hemp is below 0.3%, and then we harvest.”

Harvest crews need roughly five weeks to bring in 200 acres, and Sisk estimates one man for every five acres. He equates hemp harvest to killing snakes: just go do it.

Sisk and Harton have built and experimented with several harvesting machines, but their labor crews hand-cut plants at ground-level with tobacco knives or shears. The plants are dragged down the rows to wagons or trailers and hauled indoors for drying. Drying operations are diverse: Warehouse floors, dehumidifiers, fans, tobacco barns, sheds, greenhouse heat, racks, direct to processor and mechanical dryers. Sisk believes mechanical drying will prevail as the method of choice.

When weather cooperates and provides strong heat, plants are dried on racks in two weeks. After drying, plants are stripped of all green material and run through a hammer mill.

“Most processors want 10%-plus raw CBD oil,” Sisk says. “If you introduce the whole plant then your CBD percent drops.”

The size and variety of the plants make yield a tricky proposition. “A lot of people hope the entire plant weighs in excess of 1 lb.,” he explains. “Processors usually pay by CBD content, plant material, whole plant or pounds of oil.”

Like crop and livestock commodities, prices are volatile. “Marketing is done a thousand different ways. Some people buy their own genetics and find a buyer at the end, but most people are connected with a specific processor,” Sisk says.

The 2018 farm bill opened the door for crop insurance, but the details are yet to surface. Sisk emphasizes the risks of growing hemp for CBD: “You better look it right in the eye and know there is no guarantee financially. Your biggest consideration is finding someone reliable to work with on the processing end. If you’re the kind of farmer who can grow high-quality crops and actively manage labor, then you can get a leg up on hemp.”

Sisk urges prospective growers to avoid business-altering acreage. “Begin with tiny acres and get an idea of scalability and processor reliability,” he says. “Can you tolerate financial hiccups? In most ways, you’re going to be on your own.”

No Males Allowed: CBD Requires All-Female Production

Chris Adams, 31, farms a diverse crop roster on 9,000 acres straddling the North Dakota–Minnesota line in the fertile Red River Valley. He was an early adopter of seed hemp in 2017, growing 300 acres. In 2018, he increased seed hemp to 750 acres, and made a test run with CBD hemp on 3½ acres.

Adams purchased clones in Colorado and ahead of planting, spread 100 lb. of nitrogen per acre and laid down 4'-wide plastic mulch strips every 6'. Spaced 5' to 6' apart in each row, Adams’ crew hand-deposited roughly 1,500 plants per acre in early June. “We then came back with a tank and hose, and watered twice daily for four days in a row. Then we left them alone to grow.”

By mid-September, as the flowering plants reached 6' to 7' high with 2" to 3" diameter stalks, Adams found 2,000 impostors carrying pollen sacs in the field. His clone purchase in Colorado was fraudulent because half his crop was male—an absolute disaster in CBD hemp, which requires all-female production. He lost an entire crop. In addition, the CBD level of the plants was 1.5%, drastically lower than Adam’s minimal target of 15%.

“I had 4,000 plants ready to harvest,” he says. “Just say each plant produces a half-pound of fl ower material that’s 18% to 20% CBD. That gives you 2,000 lb. of biomass. Sold at $100 per pound, that totals $200,000. Basically, my potential to sell went from $200,000 to zero.”

Undaunted, Adams intends to buy planting machinery in 2019 and plant legitimate clones on 20 acres.

Click on the next page to learn more about hemp seeds and processing.

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Interested in learning more about hemp? Join us at Hemp College.Find upcoming dates and locations here: agweb.com/events/hemp-college

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Hemp: Hopes and Headaches Ahead, p2

Seed: Limited Processing Options Hurt Profits

Fiber: The Easiest Hemp?

The Bank Secrecy Act Makes Growing Hemp A Risky Business

Hemp: Hopes and Headaches Ahead

CBD: Darling of the Day

No Males Allowed: CBD Requires All-Female Production

Interested in learning more about hemp? Join us at Hemp College.
Find upcoming dates and locations here: agweb.com/events/hemp-college