Federal agriculture regulators gave the green light to state hemp production plans for both Oregon and Connecticut, allowing them to move forward with regulating hemp and registering producers for the 2022 season.

Hemp production throughout the U.S. must now comply with the final regulations developed for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Domestic Hemp Production Program under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Registered hemp producers in those states must reapply under the new program to produce hemp this year.

Some key changes under the federal rules to both states’ hemp programs included requirements for participants to:

• Submit a criminal history.
• Report location and acreage of hemp planted.
• Collect hemp samples for testing 30 days before harvest.
• Register with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture, which regulated its hemp program under the 2014 Farm Bill’s pilot research program, did not report its acreage or number of licensed producers to Hemp Industry Daily, though the state has been an early leader in hemp production since the pilot program was created.

In September, more than 100 licensed hemp producers in the region were found to be growing marijuana illegally, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, the state’s marijuana regulators, who started inspecting hemp grows in August to root out illegal cannabis growers.

Comparatively, Connecticut is the third smallest state with little farmland, and in 2021 licensed 98 producers who planted 85 acres outdoors and around 10 acres of indoor production.

Still, the Connecticut state agriculture department, which also ran its 2021 hemp production season under the 2014 pilot program, finds value in keeping the state program.

“USDA’s approval of our state plan for hemp production allows us to align our program with their final rule,” Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said in a statement.

“This offers the opportunity for continued growth and diversification necessary for farm sustainability and we look forward to working with producers to administer the program.”

With USDA’s approval of state hemp programs in Connecticut, Oregon, nearly every state will move forward with a state plan, aside from states that have opted to let the USDA oversee their growers including Hawaii, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Mississippi and Wisconsin.

Aligned federal regulations could offer additional stability for the U.S. hemp industry compared to past years with programs operating under a patchwork of state regulations.

The globe’s sputtering supply-chain logistics are challenging for all businesses right now. But for cannabis, those challenges can be an absolute nightmare.

When hemp cultivation became legal in all 50 states in 2018, under a Farm Bill that guaranteed that hemp products could cross state lines but gave no guidelines for moving them, Kevin Schultz knew there was a serious business need.

The founder of Illinois-based The 357 Co.’s experience with the Illinois marijuana industry help him see the need for specialty logistics support for these operators.

Hemp, he said, can be trickier to move than marijuana. That’s for two reasons:

• The hemp supply chain frequently crosses state lines.
• Hemp products don’t require track-and-trace technology the way marijuana products usually do.

Hemp Industry Daily caught up with Schultz to find out more about how the global logistics mess is playing out in hemp. His answers have been edited for length and clarity.

How are hemp logistics different than logistics for other regulated products, such as alcohol or tobacco?

With alcohol and tobacco, you have some standardization and you have some guidance. You then have to play within that framework to make sure you’re doing things legally.

Where I saw the glaring hole for the hemp supply chain was after the Farm Bill in 2018 came out. You now have the golden ticket that the cannabis industry wants to bring things over state lines. But they gave you no idea on how to do it.

And I said to myself, without proper tracking and tracing and seed-to-sale and all the stuff I was used to when I was in cannabis, the supply chain is going to need a friend in that logistics component to be able to navigate through this and keep us all out of trouble. …

It’s not like tobacco or alcohol. There’s really no way that we’re being told exactly how to do it. And there’s no standardization across all the states.

How would standardization help?

It’s not like we’re taking this new product that we know for sure is always under 0.3% (THC). There’s always that worry that someone’s going to misinterpret what it is. And I don’t think you have that with tobacco and alcohol.

With alcohol, they’re able to take unprocessed alcohol over state lines to a processor. And I believe that’s one of the biggest bottlenecks in our industry right now. It’s a gray area.

I don’t see anything that says where you can take product that is testing over 0.3% THC from your processor in Kentucky to my processor in Tennessee. I don’t see how that’s not committing a crime.

I believe that’s going to have to come from the USDA. … I don’t know how the supply chain can truly ever scale to the level we all want it to until that opens up.

What’s your advice for going through different states?

We pretend as if we’re in court already. We try to make sure we have everything that driver needs to show law enforcement. We call law enforcement in advance to really get ahead, to say, “We’re coming through your state.”

And our operations team has relationships with many of the departments of ag in states we come through most often.

We always say to plan for when we get pulled over, not if we get pulled over. …

One example, we learned this lesson in the state of Florida. We reached out to the Florida Department of Ag and we asked, “What do you want us to do with it? Tell us exactly what you want us to do.”

And they had some rules with bringing in dirt or soil into Florida. It’s a big no-no. And there is a checkpoint when you go in. They want you to stop and check in.

Something that simple, but most folks I believe are blowing right past it. And they’re just hoping they’re not going to get caught.

Question about fiber logistics. Are you seeing more hemp decorticators and processing sites popping up? The scarcity of decortication facilities has historically been a big gap in the hemp supply chain.

I wish I had good news on decorticators. I still think there’s a ways to go there.

I think you’re starting to see more start to come online, just not as many as we need to cover what’s eventually going to be just an explosive side of this industry.

We keep hearing about this enormous truck-driver shortage. How is that affecting your business?

It’s been challenging for us to build a network simply because some folks won’t ship hemp. Some drivers will not take it, so we spend a lot of time educating our drivers on the rules and regulations on why it’s okay to ship it.

Ultimately, the driver does not have to. Sometimes they get cold feet and say they don’t want to play in that area. They’d rather ship other freight that we have.

If you look at logistics and transportation as a whole, driver shortages mean your capacity shrinks.

I think of some drivers that typically would go on the road are now delivering for last-mile companies, doing the front-of-the-doorstep type shipments. They’re not going to long trips cross country as much anymore.

And there’s a significant amount of drivers that are retiring.

What’s your forecast for how automation will affect cannabis logistics? Will robots and drones be making hemp deliveries?

I think where you’re going to see this from the early adopters is going to be inside the pick, pack and ship locations. Putting orders together inside a factory inside distribution centers.

The last-mile stuff, that’s a different story. When it comes to a product like cannabis and hemp, that’s not going to be here as soon as people think.

They’re underestimating the importance and the role that those drivers play, whether it’s a 21-and-older age verification or the handling of the product from the truck to the doorstep. Our drivers really play a really big role.

I do feel like the world’s going in that direction. But I think you’re gonna see that inside the distribution centers before you actually see (robot delivery) out on the streets.

Kristen Nichols can be reached at kristen.nichols@hempindustrydaily.com

As research broke over the past two weeks that cannabis products including CBD, cannabinoid acids and even synthetic cannabis compounds may prevent or treat COVID-19 infections, excitement among hemp entrepreneurs spread.

Interest in the seemingly stagnant hemp biomass, CBD and CBG markets soared to highs not seen in three years. Prices are on the rise again and hemp producers are fielding calls from a slew of interested parties hoping to cash in on the news.

Considering the ups and downs the hemp industry has struggled through since it became a legal commodity in December 2018, it’s easy to understand the enthusiasm.

It’s good to see positive COVID-19 headlines for once, especially when they are about cannabis.

But is it too early for hemp entrepreneurs to profit from research that hasn’t yet been tested in human clinical trials?

And what are the compliance and legal risks for cannabinoid product makers peddling products as COVID cures?

Researchers and industry leaders have urged caution among consumers and industry alike.

“Science is not the result of one or two studies. It’s a long process based on peer review and the opportunity for replication of results,” said Hemp Industries Association executive director Jody McGinness.

“As much as we are encouraged by studies that open up people’s eyes to the possibilities, we want to caution anybody against extrapolating from the results of early studies to any type of claims about the efficacy of cannabinoids.”

Industry ramping up anyway

For Bend, Oregon-based hemp producer Wesley Ray, Oregon State University’s study showing cannabinoid acids can prevent COVID-19 from entering human cells has validated his own work growing and processing CBDA and CBGA over the past few years.

Since news broke about the research, Ray and his partner Shannon Little have been inundated with calls and emails from retailers, formulators, distributors, recreational marijuana businesses, and even government entities, looking for raw material, crumble and tinctures to produce white label products and more.

“And then you have the bigger companies that are wanting to do some pretty crazy numbers (like) 25 kilos every two weeks,” Ray said.

He’s selling CBGa and CBDa crumbles in bulk for $2,900 per kilo or $5,000 per single kilo.

“The prices on that are obviously up. And if farmers are smart, they would hold back their biomass and not just liquidate it,” Ray said.

“I would put $20 a pound on my CBG biomass right now, just because I know how many pounds are going to go in to make a kilo and I know the input costs, and I don’t think the lab should be the only one making margins.”

Prices haven’t seemed to go up across the board yet in response to recent research results, but it’s still early and the interest is clear, according to Julie Lerner, the founder and CEO of Denver-based commodity selling platform PanXchange.

“There is no doubt that demand and inquiries are picking up for several processors in the country, but so far activity has been mostly directed toward CBDA and CBGA products,” Lerner told Hemp Industry Daily in an email.

“Demand has not yet picked up in biomass; our January prices are on par with December. However, a late-month rally pushed winterized crude prices up $5/kg this month.”

Compliance matters

The research findings supporting the role of cannabis in human health “moves the scientific conversation forward” and show the industry is one step closer to “unlocking the many benefits of cannabis,” said Asa Waldstein, principal of Boulder, Colorado-based Supplement Advisory Group, which advises herbal products and cannabis entrepreneurs on federal compliance.

That said, “it is a prohibited act to promote non-drug products as a cure for any disease or virus,” Waldstein cautioned in an email to Hemp Industry Daily.

“I urge companies to fight the urge to exploit this news to sell products.”

As has been the case with all other claims that have prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to sanction cannabis product manufacturers, anything on a commercial website or social media is considered marketing, he pointed out.

“Although unadvisable, if a company must risk posting about (cannabinoid and COVID research), they should ensure there is no mention of their product or company in the post or blog,” Waldstein said.

“This includes removing any shopping cart-linked call to actions and product pictures.”

Waldstein added that FDA and FTC authorities consider the “reasonable consumer takeaway,” which means if consumers think a company’s blog or post is about its products, the authorities do, too.

“I asked a top FTC official about ‘educational’ blogs on commercial websites. He responded, ‘What is the purpose of posting an educational blog on a commercial website, if not to sell products?’” Waldstein said.

“This further demonstrates the authority’s position when posting about disease therapies on a supplement site.”

And with the number of “cringe-worthy product claims” aiming to cash in on scientists’ research, companies promoting COVID research with links to products should consider FDA and FTC enforcement “a given,” Waldstein said.

Waldstein pointed to 25 COVID-related warning letters that the FTC sent earlier this month, showing the regulator’s “renewed dedication” to stopping companies from making misleading claims.

“The FDA/FTC makes examples of companies not following the rules, especially in areas they want to highlight,” he explained in an email.

“I predict we should see a batch of CBDA and COVID warning letters coming out in the next couple of months.”

Universities could push back, too

It’s not just government compliance companies need to consider.

Cannabis entrepreneurs that are openly promoting products in the name of university research may also be violating intellectual property laws provided to researchers, said Jay Noller, director of the Global Hemp Innovation Center at Oregon State University.

“There’s this presumption that because it was published, it’s theirs to use,” Noller told Hemp Industry Daily.

“International and U.S. patent law is such that to not check in with the publisher or that institution, we’ve seen that in other industries where the presumption leads to downstream reaches for violation of that IP.”

Even in cases of publicly financed research, scientists and universities have IP rights on findings that can produce results such as inventions, scholarly publications, new plant varieties, confidential information and more – even if they are proof-of-concept or laboratory-scale prototypes that require additional research and development before they can be commercialized.

Hemp entrepreneurs therefore need to do due diligence that they aren’t violating prior IP, Noller said.

Perhaps because the makers of the only CBD drug sanctioned by the FDA, Epidiolex, aren’t in headlines suing over-the-counter CBD makers, some cannabis operators may assume they are safe to market their own CBD products.

But that’s a risky assumption, Noller said, pointing out that such cases can take years to build, as in the seven-year patent battle over smart phones between Apple and Samsung.

Further, cannabis companies should consider that investment in research could yield faster industry development than investments in marketing, Noller said.

“We saw that for three years: branding, marketing. And then you have one science paper come out on a very, very limited budget. …That’s how it’s going to work.”

“So I think we’ve we’ve been able to demonstrate, if not shame, the industry into its disproportionate attention to fantasy versus reality, and that’s truth in science.”

Laura Drotleff can be reached at laura.drotleff@hempindustrydaily.com

Federal agriculture regulators continue to approve hemp production plans for state and tribal programs following the Jan. 1 deadline when pilot programs were due to expire and the final rules under the 2018 Farm Bill were set to take effect.

Most recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved hemp production programs for Alaska, Arizona and Montana.

All current hemp license holders in these states must apply for new licenses.

According to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, with approval to comes eligibility to USDA crop insurance, loan and conservation programs for hemp producers including:

• Whole-Farm Revenue Protection.
• Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
• NRCS-administered conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Regional Conservation Partnership Program, and Agricultural Conservation.
• Easement Program Farm loans, including operating, ownership, beginning farmer, and farm storage facility.

Arizona’s newly approved hemp production plan allows producers to grow and sell new products such as hemp baby greens commercially, according to Robert Masson, an agriculture extension specialist for the University of Arizona’s Yuma County Extension.

“Baby leaf hemp can be grown in Arizona and shipped nationwide,” Masson told KYMA and KECY Yuma TV stations.

There have already been several trials done in edible hemp greens, he said.

“Moving forward, I think the big win for us will be the leafy green production,” Masson said.

“I think that will go great in a salad blend. I think that consumers will really get behind it. We’ve done some initial nutritionals and it’s very healthy.”

Fiber and grain hemp have been shown to be of higher interest now than CBD, according to Masson.

In Alaska, the state agriculture division director David Schade said hemp holds economic promise for the state, which produced the crop on 70 outdoor acres and in 14,000 square feet of indoor space.

“We have clean water, clean soil, clear air, so we can, in the right regions, grow great plants,” Schade told Alaska Public Media.

Schade said that harvest will likely grow under the new USDA approved plan.

“The goal is diversification of Alaska’s economy with the addition of a new crop for our farmers,” he said in a press release.

“Industrial hemp is one crop where Alaska is not years behind the Lower 48 in development.”

Montana, which has been one of the largest hemp production states since the hemp pilot program began under the 2014 Farm Bill passed, licensed 37 producers who planted 2,540 acres in 2021.

According to the state hemp program, the majority of the planted acres were for grain (1,700 acres), followed by fiber (590 acres) and CBD (250 acres).

About 2,000 acres of hemp were produced on tribal lands in Montana.

Applications for Montana outdoor producers are due to the Montana Department of Agriculture by May 30.

Hemp was lauded as a climate-smart commodity for its use as a construction material by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week as he highlighted new funding opportunities for farmers.

Speaking at a university in Missouri, Vilsack pointed to hemp Monday when he announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $1 billion in climate-smart commodities.

The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities fund will go to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who use climate-smart practices, Vilsack said.

“For far too long in rural America, we’ve taken products of the land and from the land, we’ve shipped them someplace else, where opportunity is created someplace else, where wealth is created someplace else,” Vilsack said.

“With this opportunity, we now have a chance to change it from an extraction effort to a circular effort. The ability to essentially create climate-smart commodities, the opportunity to convert waste into wide variety of bio-based materials. I saw some of them today – hemp in construction material, for example.”

“Those processing facilities can be located right where the crops are being grown.

“They can be sustainably produced; they can be a higher value; they can create jobs in rural communities; they can increase farm income; they can expand population centers in rural places, taking pressure off our urban centers; they can restore life and vitality in our small towns.

“That’s the opportunity side of this – we just need to understand the opportunity we have, and we need to fully seize it.”

The USDA defines a climate-smart commodity as a commodity crop produced using practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon.

The USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation will be used to fund pilot projects to provide incentives to:

• Implement climate-smart production practices, activities and systems on working lands.
• Measure or quantify, monitor and verify the carbon and greenhouse-gas benefits associated with those practices.
• Develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.

Applications will be taken in two groups, sorted by the size of the proposals. Deadlines are:

• April 8 for the first funding pool (proposals from $5 million to $100 million).
• May 27 for the second funding pool (proposals from $250,000 to $4,999,999).

Learn more about eligibility and how to apply here.

Editor’s note: This week Hemp Industry Daily is highlighting stories and analysis on the delta-8 THC phenomenon. Today, a look at delta-8 THC sales trends in marijuana dispensaries. Read more in the special D-8 February issue of MJBizMagazine.

Plant-touching companies weren’t the only businesses surprised by the sudden and explosive growth of delta-8 THC in 2020. Sales of the novel cannabinoid surprised trade associations and ancillary companies as well.

Seattle-based cannabis analytics firm Headset compiled delta-8 sales numbers for MJBizMagazine, and they show the rapid rise in popularity of products that contain “delta-8” in their names.

Cooper Ashley, senior data analyst at Headset, cautioned that the figures are based on point-of-sale data and are susceptible to errors made by retail workers at checkout.

Still, the numbers paint a picture of the rapid increase in delta-8 popularity as well as the actions taken by regulators in markets where the data was collected: Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state.

We caught up with Ashley to learn about the D-8 phenomenon’s effect on retail cannabis sales. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

The explosion of D-8 sales in the third and fourth quarters of 2020 coincided with a dip in the total cannabis market. Do you think the two are related?

You have to remember that growth in the second and third quarters of 2020—after the initial (COVID-19) lockdown and through the summer—was some of the biggest growth we’ve seen in the cannabis market in a very long time, including in more established markets like Washington and Colorado.

Q4 2020 was a return to normal after unexpected growth in spring and summer sales.

That’s also the time when people started to hear about (delta-8 THC) as an option, especially in the world of CBD and gray-market cannabis. That’s when it exploded in name recognition and popularity.

We can see that delta-8 sales exploded in late 2020 and continued to grow through Q2 of 2021.

Have you ever seen a cannabinoid rocket to popularity like this?

The only thing I can think of is CBD itself. It is reminiscent, but I definitely don’t think it’s as widespread or common as CBD was when it was gaining popularity.

Still, that quick rate of growth and adoption was similar to when CBD really took the country by storm a few years back.

The edibles category for delta-8 products is incredibly robust. Is that the case for other lab-made cannabinoids as well?

Tinctures, capsules, edibles and topical categories seem to cater a little bit more to a wellness-type customer.

We see a lot of CBN in the edibles category as well as ingestibles like tinctures and capsules. CBN, especially, is seen as more of a wellness-type cannabinoid. Customers are potentially looking more to treat symptoms/get better sleep (with CBN), and that tends to translate to noninhalable categories.

Edibles may be more approachable for new (cannabis) users or those looking to treat insomnia or treat pain.

What do you think caused the rapid decline in D-8 sales starting in 2021?

We can see that delta-8 sales exploded in late 2020 and continued to grow through Q2 of 2021, but in Q3 (they took) a pretty significant nosedive.

There were a few quarters when (D-8) growth was quick—probably because it was gaining popularity, and also it was quite unregulated.

Since it gained popularity, state governments have been forced to try to deal with it—and some have banned it. Now that it is more regulated, I think that level of growth has been naturally curtailed.

It had a moment of explosive growth, and I think that moment appears to be passing.

How does the price of delta-8 products compare with the other items you track?

It appears that customers who are looking for delta-8 products will have to shell out a bit more cash to get them.

Over the previous 90 days, the average item price of a delta-8 edible product was about 24% higher than a non-delta-8 THC edible.

Coming tomorrow: A look at consumer confusion about delta-8 THC.

All hemp products are dependent on one thing: the ability to grow a reliable and quality crop.

Growers need to pick plants that will deliver the characteristics they need and provide inputs that support the end goals.

But where to begin?

In this report, some of the industry’s most experienced and innovative cultivators share their advice for getting a grow off to a strong start, whether your crop is farmed indoors or outdoors.

This includes tips on:

• Site selection.
• Soil testing.
• Breeding genetics.
• Grow-cycle planning.
• Technology use.
• Contract negotiation.

Click here to download this exclusive report.

Santa Fe Farms of New Mexico has bought a Colorado hemp-genetics firm to establish a line of propietary genetics.

High Grade Hemp Seed of Longmont, Colorado, will retain its name and location but will become a subsidiary of Santa Fe Farms, which grows hemp on about 200 acres but does not have its own line of genetics.

The companies said in a statement that they’ll prioritize developing hemp varieties “that will adapt to climate change,” in addition to looking for market opportunities.

Both firms are privately held, and terms of the acquisition were not announced.

No part of the global economy has escaped the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 2.5 million lives around the world and sickened countless more.

But few industries were in the kind of infancy the hemp industry was in when the World Health Organization declared the virus a global pandemic on March 11, 2020.

The resulting lockdowns, travel bans, economic collapse and distancing requirements hit just as many farmers were about to plant their first-ever legal hemp crops. Hemp acreage plummeted.

Nascent extractors and hemp processors saw equipment delayed by manufacturing shutdowns. Those that managed to find equipment couldn’t open for business because of mandatory stay-at-home orders.

And while many marijuana retailers were deemed “essential” businesses, depending on the state, hemp-specific retailers were generally closed.

CBD brands that had scrambled to get on shelves of mass-market retailers such as department stores had to immediately pivot to online-only sales.

Market analysts at the Brightfield Group, a Chicago-based data research firm, declared 2020 an “extinction event” for CBD brands, with 50% or more of an estimated 3,000 brands closing.

But the hemp industry didn’t fold up shop because of the challenges. Some companies successfully adapted business plans; others made new ones to adapt.

Hemp Industry Daily caught up (virtually, natch) with some hemp entrepreneurs to reflect on how the industry has reacted to the pandemic and get their predictions for what’s next.

Time to focus

The shutdowns and disease challenged all businesses, of course.

But some hemp entrepreneurs say the unexpected halt to business gave them time to breathe and refine business plans in a go-go young industry.

“It gave me an opportunity to pause,” said Larisa Bolivar, founder and CEO of Colorado-based Bolivar Hemp Co.

She developed a cosmetics line, bought property in Oklahoma to start a new cultivation site and even finished a book she had been working on for years.

“We were all feeling that same rush – you know,  we’ve got to get to market, we’ve got to be No. 1,” she said. “But that’s not always good for launching a business.

“You really have to be strategic. Now, we have room to grow and we have plenty of time. I think COVID kind of reset that clock for everyone.”

One entrepreneur even started a new business, with locations on two continents.

Wendi Young set up an extraction company with locations in Colorado and Belfast, Ireland, while overcoming closed borders and shutdowns across jurisdictions.

Young said she was inspired in part by having to take time off to care for a sick relative.

“There was just a lot of time to really start thinking about, you know, what you want (and) what you want to accomplish,” she said.

Other entrepreneurs found new resilience from their own employees.

“We really saw our team come together in a very big way. Just looking at seeing how people are taking care of each other – I think that was such a big, monumental outcome of COVID,” said Priyanka Sharma, co-CEO of Kazmira, a hemp-derived cannabinoid extraction company based in Colorado.

“It was nice to be able to step back from your own process, see what could be changed with what you were doing over time. … When you’re so in the weeds, you don’t get to step back and see where you can make changes.”

Next normal

So, which changes from the COVID-19 pandemic will stick with the hemp industry?

Andrew Bish, chief operating officer of Bish Enterprises, a harvest-equipment manufacturer in Nebraska, said the pandemic has sparked market attention on non-flower uses for the plant.

“We’re seeing a dramatic upswing in the grain and fiber markets,” Bish said.

“I do think some of that increased demand in grain is coming from people eating at home and looking for more plant-based options, which is really exciting.”

In addition to opening new market demand, the pandemic gave operators an opportunity to close underperforming lines.

“It was a good opportunity to think about really what our primary goals were in the industry,” said Margaret Richardson, chief compliance officer and legal officer at Global Widget, a CBD manufacturer in Orlando, Florida.

“We could think about, in terms of product offerings, really what we wanted to offer.

“It gave us a chance to trim some of the products that weren’t as successful and refocus on formulation. … We came out on the other side, I think, stronger.”

The full discussion on COVID-19 impacts to the hemp industry can be seen below.

And share your insights and predictions live Thursday with Hemp Industry Daily editor Kristen Nichols at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on Clubhouse.

(This is the first of a series focused on planning for best cultivation practices for hemp and marijuana growers. Look for additional stories on handling young plants, stocking up on supplies, fertigation and other topics throughout the year.)

Outdoor hemp and marijuana growers are getting ready to get their crops in the ground in the coming weeks, but before they sow seeds or plant clones or seedlings, it’s important to get a good start with proper soil testing, conditioning and preparation.

Crop yield and performance is impacted by field selection and soil preparation, making where and how cultivators grow just as important as what they grow.

And generally, because marijuana and hemp crops are such similar crops, the same soil health practices work for both.

“I think the difference in THC and hemp when it comes to production and soil prep is really the market value,” said Skip Newcomb, farm director at East Fork Cultivars in Takilma, Oregon, a producer that grows both hemp and lower-THC marijuana for CBD production.

“That’s the big difference for us is, we put more into it, knowing that we’re going to get that out of it, but essentially it’s the same exact plant – it grows the same, it looks the same, although I would say THC genetics sometimes do have a little more vigor.”

Soil type

Growers – especially those who produce other crops – may be tempted to pick their worst field to produce hemp or marijuana, because they may consider it risky crop.

But choosing a flat field is key to good yield at harvest, especially if mechanical harvesters will need to navigate that terrain, said Eric Singular, director of development and communications with International Hemp, a hemp genetics company in Denver.

Young plants need enough moisture when they’re first planted to ensure that seeds can germinate and emerge – but once crops are established, too much moisture can be detrimental.

Cannabis doesn’t like “wet feet,” which is to say it doesn’t like to sit in water, so one of the first things growers need to assess is their soil type in the field and the drainage situation.

Ideally, growers will have porous, loamy soil, but hemp and marijuana can grow in any type of soil, as long as it has proper drainage, according to Scott Propheter, a farmer and CBD executive in North Carolina.

“I’ve seen fantastic crops grown on straight red clay. I’ve seen fantastic crops grown on extremely sandy soils. But I think the basic principle that that applies across all of them is, they were well-drained fields,” Propheter said.

Testing, testing

The first step growers need to take to get ready for growing season is order soil tests, which can reveal information such as soil alkalinity, nutritional imbalances and contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides.

Many growers test soils after crops are harvested in the fall, so they can take steps to add any necessary amendments or plant cover crops before the winter, according to Singular.

Late winter to early spring, when fields are staring to dry out, is also a good time to test soil. But be sure to account for enough time to order soil amendments and have them delivered, as this can take some time depending on the location of the grow.

According to Singular, test fields in the spring when the temperature is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit to determine soil temperature.

In southern regions of the U.S., some hemp growers learned the hard way in 2020 that direct sowing seeds in the ground when the soil temperature is 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit means that the seeds won’t germinate, “because the seeds just bake in the ground,” Singular says.

Testing for contaminants such as residual pesticides and heavy metals is important for flower, biomass and grain crops – especially for growers pursuing U.S. Department of Agriculture organic certification for hemp or a comparable local certification for marijuana – although some states don’t require it, even though they test crops for contaminants after harvest, said Newcomb.

Noel Garcia, chief operating officer and head crop production consultant with TPS Lab in Edinburg, Texas, said he advises growers to test for heavy metals before they plant anywhere.

“I can’t stress enough how important a soil test is,” Garcia said.

“Hemp is a huge bio-accumulator, meaning it accumulates heavy metals, and a lot of times people would totally disregard that before they even considerate planting or even worse before they even consider buying a piece of property.”

He said there are some areas in Texas and other parts of the country that have high levels of arsenic or cadmium; growers may not realize that until they harvest and try to sell.

“Then the processor will send a sample to the lab and test for heavy metals … and come to find out you’re very high in arsenic and cadmium, and now you lost your entire crop, and you won’t be able to sell it.”

Weed-free fields

Planting in “clean” fields is another key success strategy, though there are few herbicides, if any, that are registered for use on hemp through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – and none cleared for use on marijuana crops – so growers don’t have the option to “burn down” weeds with chemicals, like farmers do before planting traditional crops, to ensure a clean field before planting.

Growers can naturally mitigate weeds by planting as early as possible, to let the plants get established before weeds start growing.

“As soon as the soil temperatures get warm, if weeds are growing in the field, that means the crop could be growing in the field,” Singular said.

“If you’re getting in the ground right when those soil temperatures are starting to go north of 40 degrees, you’re going to beat the weeds, and that is by far the most environmentally friendly way to manage your weeds, just getting in early and getting that canopy established,” Singular said.

For grain and fiber hemp varieties, growers can also try planting 5 to 10 more pounds of seed per acre than they need to cut out room for the weeds to grow.

Laura Drotleff can be reached at [email protected]