Basics of Industrial Hemp Production in Kentucky D.W. Williams Agronomist, UK Department of Plant and Soil Sciences Rich Mundell Agronomist and Research Specialist, KTRDC

History of industrial hemp Native to and cultivated in central Asia for thousands of years. Was the main textile fiber of the world until the mid-19 th century. Between the Civil War and WWI, nearly all U.S. hemp was grown in Kentucky. After the federal Marijuana Tax Act was enacted in 1938, nearly all hemp production ceased. (except for a brief revival during WWII).

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History of industrial hemp Native to and cultivated in central Asia for thousands of years. Was the main textile fiber of the world until the mid-19 th century. Between the Civil War and WWI, nearly all U.S. hemp was grown in Kentucky. After the federal Marijuana Tax Act was enacted in 1938, nearly all hemp production ceased. (except for a brief revival during WWII). Since then, general fiber needs have been met by other commodities.

Hemp Botany Cannabis sativa Summer annual Photosensitive Mostly dioecious

Hemp for fiber…

Bast and hurd fibers What will make hemp fiber profitable? ‘Cool’ factor—this is definitely short-term. New applications—no need for hemp rope. Green revolution—new products replacing wood. Bottom line: needs to be either unique or cheaper relative to existing technologies, or contribute significantly to a greener culture.

Hemp for grain Hemp Seed Oil Veggie Green Cap Hulled Hemp Seeds Toasted Hemp Seed Hemp Protein Hemp Flour Coarse Hemp Powder Hemp Coffee

Hemp for Cannabinoids Charlotte’s Web… High potential for pharmaceutical applications. Reasonable potential for profits equal/exceeding tobacco. Current thinking supports a tobacco production model.

Hemp for CBD

2014 Trials at UK Variety Trials—13 Varieties planted on 29 May One full trial for fiber production (60#/A) One full trial for grain (seed) production (20#/A) One full trial for cannabinoid production (60#/A) Same trials planted by UK at WKU in Bowling Green and EKU in Richmond.

Planted 29 May 2014

43 days after seeding

126 days after seeding

From: hemplady.cahemplady.ca

Hemp for Cannabinoids Harvested by hand at UK in 2014; maybe forever. All cannabinoid production today is indoors and hand harvested. Field-scale curing/processing protocols still unknown. No data yet from 2014 UK plots, but all entries were fiber varieties.

2014—Fresh weights (1kg/m 2 = ~4.5 tons/A) kg/m 2 Historical DM fiber yields in America averaged 5 tons/A and typically ranged from 2 to 12.5 tons/A.

Fresh weights Versus Germination Rates at UK % germination kg/m 2

Grain (seed) Yield versus Germination kg/m 2 % germination 875#/A Historical grain yields averaged 600 pounds/A and ranged from pounds/A.

Today: industrial-scale processing capabilities do not exist, nor is there a direct market for hemp fibers in Kentucky. There is deep and broad interest from both the corporate and scientific communities in establishing a hemp fiber industry in Kentucky.

Economic Considerations UK’s Publication: Economic Considerations for Growing Industrial Hemp: Implications for Kentucky’s Farmers and Agricultural Economy Includes the proposal of many questions regarding economic viability. There is so much that is still yet unknown and unanswerable today. One major conclusion: it appears that by evaluation of the current global market and the hypothetical U.S. market that hemp grain production could compete with conventional grains. Fiber production would be significantly less profitable in today’s economic climate. The UK document does not address the economics of Cannabinoids.

Potential Returns Hemp Returns/Acre (does not include land cost) Seed Production Only Seed Price/lb Low Prod (100 bu corn) Medium-Low Prod (125 bu corn) Medium-High Prod(150 bu corn) High Prod (175 bu corn) $0.50 -$2 $66 $134 $202 $0.60 $58 $141 $224 $307 $0.70 $118 $216 $314 $412 $0.80 $178 $291 $404 $517 Corn-Soybean Rotation $121 $206 $289 $369 ($5/bu Corn/$11.25/bu Soybeans) Notes: Costs include labor and depreciation/overhead but not land costs. $3.50/gal fuel; N, P, and K at $.50/unit; 50 miles one-way trucking to market. From: Economic Considerations for Growing Industrial Hemp: Implications for Kentucky’s Farmers and Agricultural Economy Assumes 650#/A hemp grain yields

Next year and beyond at UK… Standard variety trials—F, G, and C. The effects of fertility on cannabinoids Comparisons of planting methods: Transplanting (cannabinoids only) Conventional tillage No-till Transformation potential/protocols Bioenergy research Herbicide efficacy/tolerance Harvest/retting methodologies

Acknowledgements Kentucky Department of Agriculture: Commissioner Comer, Adam Watson, Doris Hamilton, et al. Todd Pfeiffer, Chair, UK Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences Orlando Chambers, Director, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center John Settimi, Bruce Pratt: EKU Paul Woosley, Todd Willian: WKU Rich Mundell