By Clint Thompson One of the top specialty crop-producing states has added another commodity to its impressive resume. Hemp production is in its second year in Florida. There are 895 licenses issued, equating to 1,086 locations and 22,755 permitted acres in 65 of Florida’s 67 counties, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The crop’s potential …
Year Two for Florida Hemp
By Clint Thompson One year into commercial production, hemp continues to flourish in popularity in Florida. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), there are 895 licenses issued, equating to 1,086 locations and 22,755 permitted acres in 65 of Florida’s 67 counties. In April, 109 licenses were added, and more is expected this month, says Holly …
Georgia Producer: Growing Hemp is Not an Easy Process
By Clint Thompson Growing hemp is not for the faint of heart. It’s expensive and labor intensive. The market bottomed out last year with excess production. For those Georgia producers growing hemp for the first time this spring, they best be ready for long, unpredictable days, believes Dougherty County hemp producer Harris Morgan. “Growing hemp is not an easy process. …
Alabama Hemp: More Growers, Less Acres
By Clint Thompson Hemp should soon be going into the ground in Alabama. According to Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, there should be more growers but less acres in 2021. “I think people are realizing they should go down to 1 or 2 acres to start, and don’t start big and make sure you have everything …
One Year and Counting for Florida Hemp
Tallahassee, Fla. — One year and counting. Thursday, April 27, marked the one-year anniversary of Florida’s state hemp program, overseen by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Of the anniversary, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Friedoffered the following statement: “Florida’s state hemp program is leading the way in creating great jobs, safe and useful products, and a bright future …
Decreased Production: Georgia Hemp Acres Expected to Decrease in 2021
Georgia’s hemp production is expected to decrease in 2021. Tim Coolong, associate professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, believes there are various factors that will contribute to hemp acreage being down compared to last season. “I think a lot of growers are going more towards, kind of, I’ll say smokable flower. It’s more of a boutique …
Challenging Crop: Alabama Hemp Faced Pests, Diseases in 2020
Hemp production in Alabama had its challenges in 2020. From ant problems to plant diseases, hemp producers struggled to produce a crop. Kassie Conner, an Alabama Extension specialist II, discussed some of the obstacles farmers faced last year during an Alabama Extension Commercial Horticulture Facebook Live Q&A session on Friday. “I think probably the main disease we saw was southern …
Hemp Production Final Rule in Effect
The final rule for hemp production went into effect Monday, March 22. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the final rule, which includes modifications to regulations established under the interim final rule published in October 2019. Key provisions of the final rule include licensing requirements; record-keeping requirements for maintaining information about the land where hemp is produced; procedures for testing …
H.E.M.P. Webinars: Alabama Extension Offering Hemp Production Education
Alabama Extension is ensuring hemp producers have all the relevant data throughout the season in hopes they’ll experience a more profitable season in 2021. The Alabama Extension H.E.M.P. (Hemp Education and Management Program) webinar series is a one-hour webinar held twice monthly. It provides information on various topics pertaining to hemp production. The next meeting will be held Wednesday at …
Final Rule: Changes to Hemp Production Go Into Effect March 22
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Hemp Production Program’s Final Rule will go into effect March 22. Some of the key provisions include raising the negligence threshold from 0.5% to 1% and limits the maximum number of negligent violations that a producer can receive in a growing season to one. Also, the normal 15-day window to collect samples before harvest has …