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Eswatini has taken its first formal step toward evaluating industrial hemp as a commercial crop, with the Ministry of Agriculture approving four hectares of research trials designed to determine whether […]
Botswana is preparing to launch commercial hemp production after government trials demonstrated the crop can be grown successfully across the country’s diverse climates, moving the sector from research into commercial […]
South Australia is launching a new round of industrial hemp trials aimed at identifying varieties that require less water. The state’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions has committed A$500,000 […]
INTERVIEW: Andriy Mykytiv is founder and CEO of Ma’Rijany Hemp Company, Ukraine’s largest industrial hemp processing enterprise and one of the largest hemp fiber projects in Central and Eastern Europe. […]
The Australian state of New South Wales is backing its industrial hemp ambitions with a development strategy that signals the government intends to build an industrial manufacturing sector around the […]
After quickly becoming one of the nation’s leading hemp fiber-producing states a few years ago, Idaho growers say they are planting just 233 acres in 2026, an 81% drop from […]
Robert “Bob” Pearce, a University of Kentucky agronomist who led the state’s industrial hemp research program, has died at age 60. Pearce was an extension professor and director of hemp […]
Canada’s leading trade group has urged health officials to raise the country’s THC limit for industrial hemp to 1.0%, eliminate most licensing requirements and open broader markets for hemp flowers […]
New Zealand has entered a new era for hemp production, with sweeping reforms that eliminate licensing and raise the legal THC threshold to 1.0% – ending two decades of regulation […]
A new review of dozens of studies concludes that hemp-derived feed ingredients can increase omega-3 fatty acids and other beneficial polyunsaturated fats in meat, eggs and dairy products without negatively […]
A new hemp fiber processing facility opened by a Minnesota Native American community will need to source hemp crops from outside of tribal lands to make the factory operate efficiently, according to a project leader.
Minnesota’s Lower Sioux Indian Community opened the decortication facility with a ceremony last week. The tribe said it intends to grow and then process fiber hemp into building materials to meet a shortage of about 100 homes on the reservation.
Former tribal council member Earl Pendleton, who has explored options for developing sustainable homes for the Lower Sioux community, said housing needs propelled the idea, but the prospect of economic growth and outside partnerships also spurred the project.
The facility is located in Morton, Redwood County, Minn., adjacent to the Sioux reservation in the southern part of the state.
Hemp farmers neededTribal leaders on the housing project told Minnesota Public Radio that the facility can process up to 2,500 acres of hemp annually. The tribe has only 500 tillable acres on its land and can grow only about 100 acres of hemp a year, Danny Desjarlais, a tribal member and manager of the hemp construction project, told Lancaster Farming.
“We don’t have enough acreage here in the community to be able to fulfill the need to build these houses,” Desjarlais said.
“We’ll always be needing the local farmers in the area to produce the hemp,” according to Pendleton. He envisions a circular economy model in which the tribe farms hemp and uses the hurd to build affordable, energy-efficient homes made of hempcrete for the Lower Sioux community, but also sells products outside of the reservation.
Multi-million $ projectThe Star-Tribune reported the investment at $2.3 million in a 10,000-sq-ft facility.
A report earlier this year by ENR Midwest, a regional business-to-business news website that covers the construction and engineering industries, estimated the project was to invest $6.2 million for a 20,000 sq ft facility. Desjarlais said the tribe has planned Phase 2 of the project to add another 10,000 feet to the factory.
The factory is financed by money the community raised from its existing hemp program, sustainability grants, and loans, including a $1.5 million grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Desjarlais told the Star-Tribune the facility is probably “ahead of the market,” and likely will be unprofitable for the foreseeable future, suggesting the tribe will continue to depend on government grants until demand emerges.
First house is builtThe tribe recently completed its first hempcrete house using materials from outside the reservation. The first two occupants have already moved into the duplex, believed to be the first of its kind in Minnesota. More dwellings are planned for construction in the next spring and summer months, Desjarlais said.
The Minnesota Lower Sioux Indian Community, also known as the Mdewakanton Sioux, is a federally recognized tribe whose lands are located near the Minnesota River. The 1,473-acre reservation is home to more than 1,100 residents. Farms on the reservation grow traditional crops such as corn, beans, and squash.
The tribe’s primary source of revenue now is Jackpot Junction Casino, a major employer that funds essential tribal services like healthcare, education, and social programs.
Lawmakers in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh have passed an amendment to the state’s drug law that will allow the production of industrial hemp and medical marijuana.
The state legislature last week adopted a resolution to amend the state Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act (1985), accepting a plan from a legislative committee formed last year to study the potential for cannabis production.
Under the resolution, approved unanimously by state lawmakers, industrial hemp is limited to the production of fiber, grain and cultivation seed. Hemp farmers can either grow the crop independently or engage in contract farming.
Medical cannabis will be strictly managed by the state government, with facilities to be under 24-hour surveillance by CCTV cameras.
The rules specifically exclude “charas,” a popular form of hash produced from marijuana plants.
Other states studiedThe legislative committee assigned to study the industry last year made wide-ranging recommendations for the state program.
“The committee visited all the districts of Himachal Pradesh and consulted local residents on how cannabis cultivation could be used for medicinal and industrial purposes,” said Jagat Singh Negi, Revenue Minister and chairman of the committee.
“We also studied the successful models in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh. The overwhelming consensus was in favor of legalizing it in Himachal Pradesh,” Negi said.
New cannabis agencyIn addition to amending drug laws to open up the market, the resolution calls for establishing a state agency to regulate production under industrial hemp and pharma sub-units.
Plots used for medical marijuana production are to be geo-tagged by the state departments of revenue, information technology and environment, science and technology, and climate change.
The committee said seed banks can be developed by government agriculture and horticulture agencies in coordination with research and development experts and universities including the CSK Agriculture University, Palampur, and Dr. YS Parmar University at Nauni.
The state government is to set aside funds for research and development, and public information campaigns. Knowhow needs to be advanced in all aspects of production ranging from cultivation to end products, the committee observed.
Hemp for rural areasThe government’s goal is to attract investment while raising the economic prospects for impoverished rural areas and capitalizing on hemp’s environmental benefits.
Advocates in Himachal Pradesh envision the production of hemp as an input for bio-plastics and natural construction materials, pharmaceuticals, ayurvedic products, textiles, food and cosmetics. A strong hemp sector can create jobs and otherwise help boost local economies, and exports to international markets are also possible, they have said.
The production and sale of hemp products have been legal for several decades in India under strict rules in the 1985 NDPS Act and a 0.3% THC limit. However, states act independently, and many have yet to sanction hemp production, so the hemp industry has been slow to develop.
Research is neededThe Food Safety and Security Authority of India signed off on regulations in 2021 that opened up markets for hemp grain in the food and beverage sectors. However India faces the challenge of a weak ecosystem for developing hemp food products, exacerbated by a gap in knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in bringing products to market. Observers say research is still in an early stage, and that consumers must still be informed and educated about hemp.
India and the Indian subcontinent are home to many indigenous varieties of cannabis. However, quality hemp planting seeds are in short supply, and genetics for cultivation seed to produce grain for food still need to be developed.
Located just below the northern tip of India in the western Himalayas, the diverse climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh support a variety of crops, including grains, vegetables and cash crops such as ginger, garlic, and saffron. The state is also a source of medicinal and aromatic plants such as hops, wild marigold, and various herbs.
Though agriculture supports more than 60% of the state’s population, farms are small, averaging less than one hectare of arable land.
Enthusiasm is building for cannabis production in Morocco, with the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC) reporting a surge in licenses issued since the start of 2024. […]
An international trade group has recommended limits on THC for hempseed and hempseed waste used as animal feed that go well beyond those being sought in the U.S., Europe and […]
Canadian health officials are seeking public comment on proposed guidance for pesticides used on marijuana and industrial hemp, suggesting the expansion of cannabis cultivation could bring greater pest control problems. […]
More than two years after Guyana passed the country’s Industrial Hemp Act, the government still has not appointed a licensing authority, holding up widespread commercialization. Stakeholders are awaiting the establishment […]
Waste left over from the production of hemp oil has been approved as feedstock by a key farming industry group after a yearslong quest by U.S. stakeholders. The Association of […]
U.S. hemp interests are urging regulators to follow a strictly American path as they consider the advisability of hemp waste as feed for laying hens. In recent letters, the Hemp […]
A bill that would simplify things for hemp producers in the Australian state of Tasmania has passed the House of Assembly, the Parliament’s lower body. Now facing a vote in […]
Stakeholders and local officials in south-central France say they are two weeks from harvesting first trial hemp crops, holding out hope that the plant could lift the fortunes of local […]
While Australian-bred hemp grain and fiber varieties have proven their mettle in irrigated fields, upcoming trials will look at how those genetics perform as dryland winter crops. The trials, to […]
As Moldova appears headed toward legalizing the cultivation of industrial hemp, stakeholders have outlined several key considerations that should be addressed in pending legislation. Representatives of several organizations who spoke […]
Oregon law agencies hope updated rules on inspections and policing of the state’s cannabis industry will prevent illicit marijuana growers from operating under cover of hemp licenses. The new rules […]
Licensed hemp fields in Canada continued to shrink, with 11,861 hectares (29,309 acres) recorded in 2023, down from 13,589 hectares (33,579 acres) in 2022, according to government statistics. The 2023 […]
A Mexican company has been notified it was approved for a hemp license, only the second such permit granted by the country’s health agency. The Federal Commission for the Protection […]
Late-comer Idaho has joined the ranks of leading hemp states in the U.S., with more than 2,440 acres licensed this year, according to the state’s agriculture department. Compared to last […]
Canadian and French hemp varieties offer the most potential yields of grain and straw from a single crop, according to ongoing trials in four Midwestern U.S. states. Researchers also found […]
While Australia’s hemp industry faces significant challenges to development, political momentum is growing in some states and healthy investment levels are projected over the next two years in the fiber […]
A controversial clause on THC will be removed from German regulations on industrial hemp, and other rules are being adjusted to ease the path for producers, according to the country’s […]
A farming group in the Australian state of Victoria said it is backing proposed legislation that would loosen regulations for hemp growers and unlock the potential for production of sustainable […]
University researchers and a village in Belgium are testing the potential of hemp growing for remediation of soil contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – “forever chemicals” that have […]
The Colombian government said it will invest five billion Colombian pesos ($1.3 million) to promote the production of marijuana and hemp, according to an announcement this week. The Ministry of […]
INTERVIEW: Anthony Barraco is a research technician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) who conducts studies aimed at conserving the genetic diversity of industrial hemp. He […]
A cannabis farming cooperative in Ecuador’s northern Amazon will work with German specialists to optimize biochar production for carbon dioxide removal and soil regeneration. Cooperativa Ananda and Hamburg-based CarbonConnect announced […]
Income from hemp flowers bounced back slightly last year while fiber growers saw the value of their outputs fall sharply even though total fiber fields expanded, according to the third […]
The UK government has doubled the licensing period for hemp growers to six years and loosened rules for where crops can be grown, but other tight restrictions remain in place, […]
An industrial alliance in eastern Alberta, Canada is building out a hemp supply chain to develop business in the fiber and grain sectors. Several entities are being established for the […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a genetically modified variety of industrial hemp designed produce high levels of the CBG (cannabigerol) while eliminating all THC and CBD. CBG […]
A multi-million dollar initiative to expand Australian hemp fields to 100,000 hectares in ten years has been abandoned. The project to study, promote and develop the hemp sector, which had […]
Sicilian officials say they will launch a broad-based program aimed at developing local supply chains for industrial hemp. The initiative, “Canapa New Tech” (“New Tech Hemp”), is under the Sicily […]
Virginia lawmakers have turned back a bill that sought to increase the legal limit for THC in industrial hemp plants to 1.0% and ease state licensing requirements. The proposed measure, […]
Two research initiatives have resulted in new methods for measuring THC in cannabis plants and in downstream edibles that can help to clear a logjam in testing and reduce the […]
A hemp task force being formed in Oklahoma would address only fiber- and seed-based products, likely leaving oversight of flower-based CBD and other cannabinoids to the state’s medical marijuana regulators. […]
While hemp production for textiles is at a “watershed moment,” hemp won’t bring promised sustainability without attention to how crops are grown, a new paper argues. “This is a material … Sustainability benefits can be lost if hemp textile production follows conventional ag Read More »
Hemp can store CO2 as efficiently as wood in raw materials for the construction industry, and should meet EU certification criteria for carbon credits, a new report from Germany suggests. … Hemp on par with wood in ability to capture and store greenhouse gas Read More »
University researchers in Michigan are studying hemp for its potential to clean up soil contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), manufactured chemicals that have drawn close scrutiny by environmental … Hemp shows promise in cleanup of toxic chemicals used in many products Read More »
A scam CBD operator has received a three-year prison term and must repay his victims more than $2 million, under federal sentencing handed down last week. Rahsaan Jackson Garth, 49, … Scam CBD operator must pay $2 million to farmers, serve prison term Read More »
A £5.9 million (€6.9 million/$7.5 million) project in the UK puts hemp front and center as it embarks on a study about how effectively crops can absorb greenhouse gas and … UK project will explore environmental, business cases for hemp, other crops Read More »
An Oregon law expected to be finalized this week will make landowners responsible for environmental devastation brought by illegal cannabis operators who have operated in the southern part of the … After pot growers hid behind hemp licenses, Oregon landowners must clean up the mess Read More »
A bi-partisan hemp bill that would separate grain and fiber outputs from flower-derived products such as CBD and other cannabinoids has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The … U.S. House bill would separate hemp cannabinoids from grain and fiber Read More »
Hemp stakeholders in Pennsylvania have launched an initiative to support the development of regional supply chains for a wide range of hemp outputs. The Pennsylvanian Industrial Hemp Engine (PIHE), which … Pennsylvania hemp initiative aims to build out regional supply chains Read More »
Officials in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh are intensifying the study of hemp’s potential for a broad range of medical and health applications, according to Revenue Minister Jagat Singh … Committee in northern Indian state intensifies study of industrial hemp Read More »
Minnesota hemp stakeholders say the inclusion of hemp in state cannabis legislation would create burdensome rules that could stifle the industry. The Minnesota Industrial Hemp Association (MIHA) said licensing categories … Legislative bundling of hemp and marijuana would make Minnesota an outlier Read More »
Total U.S. hemp fields plunged by nearly 50% in 2022, dropping to just 18,251, according to figures reported by producers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). American farmers harvested … Hemp acres plunge 50%; value drops 71%, says annual USDA report Read More »
One year after he unveiled an ambitious plan to develop South Africa’s cannabis industry, President Cyril Ramaphosa said his government making progress in setting up a national infrastructure for hemp … Progress reported on hemp in South Africa, but critic says small farmers left out Read More »
State officials in Kansas are pushing back against a proposed law that would allow hemp fiber, grain and seeds to be used as food for pets, and feed for poultry … Kansas officials push back against law to allow hemp animal feed Read More »
A subsidiary of a Canadian cannabis company has received the first license to develop hemp operations from Mexican health authorities, but a legal framework that would underpin the industry has … Canadian company’s subsidiary first to get hemp license in Mexico Read More »
Texas agriculture officials have approved hempseed-derived feed for chickens and horses, and authorized the state feed agency to set regulations for such products. The Texas Commercial Feed Control Act authorizes … Hempseed-derived feed for horses, chickens approved in Texas Read More »
A Brazilian court has agreed to rule on a case that would greenlight businesses and farmers to grow cannabis, but even with a positive outcome in the case, Brazil could still be years … Brazilian court agrees to rule on growing hemp, but lawmaking lags Read More »
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would unburden hemp grain and fiber growers of sampling and testing protocols, costly requirements that disincentivize growers, according to the measure’s sponsors. While … Bi-partisan bill would ease testing requirements for hemp grain, fiber growers Read More »
As Zimbabwe continues to shape rules and laws for the hemp industry, the country needs to simultaneously build out infrastructure and expand research while spreading risk by moving beyond CBD … Zimbabwe’s hemp fortunes hinge on diversification into fiber, foods Read More »
Indiana farmers appear to have all but given up on industrial hemp, and stakeholders say the state government is to blame. Now down to just 40 licensees after hitting a … Failure to set legal framework in Indiana means ‘hemp program is dying’ Read More »
Argentina is moving beyond the hemp flower, with 15 grain and fiber varieties now undergoing evaluation for inclusion in the country’s official seed catalog. Buenos Aires-based Industrial Hemp Solutions (IHS) said … Researchers in Argentina testing 15 hemp grain, fiber varieties Read More »
The government of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is looking to attract foreign investors and operators to develop medical cannabis and industrial hemp production for export-only after recently finalizing … Tiny Pacific island nation of Vanuatu hopes to draw hemp investors Read More »
Nebraska hemp stakeholders are hoping for passage of a bill that would align the state’s hemp program with federal rules, suggesting the changes could revive the fortunes of the crop … Proposed bill would hit reset button for hemp in beleaguered Nebraska Read More »
Officials in western Ukraine have launched a project to develop a hemp industrial park by retrofitting an old flax plant they say can lead to development of a “modern cluster … Hemp industrial park in Ukraine aims to create production cluster Read More »
U.S. hemp fields are expected to reach 50,000 acres by 2028 as production expands at a rate of 34% per year and processing infrastructure continues to expand, according to projections … 20 hemp fiber processors now online in U.S., analyst says Read More »
French and Polish hemp varieties stood out in initial hemp cultivation trials in Australia, according to development corporation Agri-Futures Australia. Reports are coming in from hemp trials now ongoing in … French and Polish hemp varieties stand out in Australian trials Read More »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has added a bit more clarity to the hemp markets with a weekly report covering prices and imports. The reports, to be issued each … USDA weekly hemp reports aim to add much-needed market insight Read More »
South Dakota has leaped into second place as a grower of industrial hemp, increasing plantings while most states across the U.S. trimmed their fields last year, according to analysis by … South Dakota was No. 2 grower in 2022, state hemp association says Read More »
Alberta, Canada-based Siksik’a Nation has introduced a range of own-brand seed-based products following a successful hemp harvest on tribal fields that totaled 130 acres last autumn year. The launch of … Canadian tribe, producer team up to launch hemp seed products Read More »
The Ecuadorian government has greenlighted the country’s first hemp crop under a cooperative initiative among two companies and the Latin-American Industrial Hemp Association (LAIHA). LAIHA member Green and Growth, Quito, … Hemp initiative in Ecuador is first to focus on fiber and food Read More »
Companies that test hemp for THC content in the USA have been given another year to register with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration amid a shortage of authorized laboratories. USDA … Unregistered labs in U.S. can continue to test hemp for one more year Read More »
Researchers in Texas have embarked on an ambitious project to develop hemp varieties for dual cropping of fiber and grain that can thrive in the state’s climate conditions. Ten to … Texas researchers say they’ll have new hemp varieties ready by 2024 Read More »
The global hemp market could reach $18.6 billion by 2027 if nations around the world take action to clarify the crop’s legal status and address other key issues, according to … UN report on hemp marks path to an $18 billion global industry Read More »
French hemp could bring €1.5 to €2.5 billion in annual turnover and result in 18,000 to 20,000 jobs, a French Senate group has said after the recent passage of a … French hemp has potential to reach €2.5 billion, Senate group says Read More »
An agriculture conglomerate has received the first authorization to grow and process hemp in Costa Rica under a recently signed resolution from the country’s agriculture ministry. Farming and food conglomerate … History made in Costa Rica, as first hemp authorization is granted Read More »
A national animal food group is urging Idaho officials to delay enforcement of a ban on sales of animal foods that contain hemp or hemp...
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Growing hemp proved successful in removing harmful chemicals from topsoil and purifying polluted groundwater, according to tests recently carried out in Belgium, research supported by...
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Two new CBD hemp cultivars developed in the United States have been accepted for inclusion in the EU Common Catalogue of Plant Varieties and are...
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The 2022 hemp harvest in the U.S. is expected to shrink by nearly half this year, falling from roughly 36,925 acres in 2021 to about...
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Two Colorado companies have been awarded $1.14 million after bringing suit over a CBD biomass deal that went bad. A U.S. federal court for the...
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German hemp fields continued to expand this year, growing 7% to reach an all-time high of 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres) despite significant barriers faced by...
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Farming hemp could help to overcome the devastating effect years of pesticide spraying has brought to Florida’s declining citrus industry, according to a Tarpon Springs-based...
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Zimbabwe has opened up the domestic market for CBD as a traditional herbal medicine, expanding upon previous laws which had allowed production only for export....
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The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on CBD Products has taken direct aim at its foot, and fired off a few additional wild shots on...
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[Last of three parts] Despite the cloud that has descended over U.S. Hemp, a dwindled number of hearty survivors are sticking around, turning their attention...
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[Second of three parts] When it comes to the smackdown suffered by the U.S. hemp industry over the last three years, most injuries were self-inflicted....
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[First of three parts] As the gold rush in the CBD sector appears headed for a bitter end, it has left U.S. Hemp a mere...
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Albania’s Ministry of Health has put forth a plan to update and refine rules for the production of industrial hemp, but would limit business activity...
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Vermont is giving up on its hemp program less than one year after a state plan for the sector was approved by the U.S. Department...
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A draft law under review in Peru’s parliament would exempt industrial hemp from the country’s drug laws and legalize farming and processing under a THC...
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