Industrial Hemp and U.S. Production, Great Promise but a Long Way to Go.

Industrial hemp, Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae), has been cultivated for over 4,500 years and used in a number of applications (including fiber, food, and oil, but in the last 100 years cannabis has come to be primarily associated with its role as pharmacological agent based on delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content.  By law, industrial hemp is differentiated from marijuana by the THC content which must be less than 0.3% on a dry weight basis.  Around the world, industrial hemp has been bred for traits such as fiber strength, yield and oil quality; however, the last time industrial hemp was widely grown in the U.S. was 1943.  In 2014, Canada produced 108,000 acres of hemp and a total of about 400 million pounds of hemp products were produced worldwide in 2011.  Current estimates indicate that the value of all hemp-based products including food, body products, auto parts, clothing, etc., created from hemp imported into the U.S. exceeds nearly $581 million dollars.  The Farm Bill of 2014 as amended in 2015 provided that research institutions and state departments of agriculture can grow industrial hemp, as part of an agricultural pilot program, if the program is allowed under state laws where the institution is located. This semi-legalization of industrial hemp is only the first step to developing a new industry; markets must be created to drive demand for the plant. The changing legal environment could lead to new industries and spur economic development in Indiana and elsewhere, but research is needed to clarify field management practices and help in the development of new products and markets.  Currently, the development of field programs and new products is hampered by the legal quagmire that surrounds industrial hemp.  In this presentation we will discuss our experiences with starting up Indiana’s first industrial hemp research program and provide insight into fundamental issues that stand in the way of a successful industrial hemp industry in the U.S.