Resources for Current and Prospective Hemp Growers and Marketers

Penn State Extension has a mandate to provide education to the citizens of Pennsylvania in a broad range of areas.  Agriculture is a key component of this mandate which includes new and potential crops such as industrial hemp. Partnering with the PA Department of Ag, Penn State Extension has been researching and evaluating hemp and its many uses since it became legal to do so in the 2018 Farm Bill.

We have done and continue to do variety trials for all three of the major types of hemp (CBD, grain, and fiber). Field days and workshops have been offered, with over 300 in attendance at a 2019 field day held at the Southeast Research and Extension Center, near Manheim.  Many individual consultations and farm visits have been held across the state in support of hemp farmers, processors, and marketers. During the pandemic, many webinars and telephone interviews were conducted to keep folks abreast of the latest news and info in this rapidly changing industry.

While the initial rush to participate in this new industry, particularly that of CBD has passed; supply and demand are coming into alignment as many local growers have exited the market.  Many of those that remain are becoming vertically integrated, not only growing, but processing CBD hemp into oils, creams, smokable flower, and other products and then offering them for sale.  Animal feed manufacturers and egg producers are evaluating hemp seed as a superior protein source with an exceptional Omega-3 fatty acid profile for laying hens. Others are evaluating fiber in building materials, textiles, and for many other uses.

The National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) Reports 19,000 pounds of floral CBD production, worth $2.27 million was grown in PA in 2021. Fiber production was estimated at 230 thousand pounds, while greenhouse production was estimated at 40 thousand plants for clones and transplants.

Penn State Extension has a hemp website with some great info for those interested in industrial hemp. For beginners, there is a FAQ page to introduce you to industrial hemp and its many uses. The website has budgets to estimate the cost of production, videos, and recorded webinars as well as printed materials on growing hemp, disease and pest management, fertility and plant nutrition, and much more.  The “News and Events” section will help keep you up to date with recent developments within the industry and link you to additional Penn State hemp resources.  There are also links to hemp info from across the country and to the PA Department of Ag website, which deals with permitting and legal issues when growing hemp.

Penn State, College of Agriculture, Plant Science Department is developing a hemp curriculum for interested students.  Plant Science 297, Hemp Production was offered for the first time in 2021. The course covers many aspects of this emerging industry including hemp production, and hemp products, as well as legal issues for growers and marketers.

The PDA site has all the legal information you will need in order to apply for a hemp growing permit.  Permit applications for field production were due by April 1^st for the 2022 growing season.  In order to grow hemp in PA, you must pass a background check and be without a criminal record. In 2021, the PA Department of Ag issued 426 growing permits, 64 processing permits, and 11 research permits. The website has an interactive map of the location and business name of each permitted grower and processer within Pennsylvania.

Industrial hemp cannot contain more than 0.3% THC, otherwise, it is considered marijuana, a controlled substance in Pennsylvania.  All production of industrial hemp within the state (field or greenhouse) shall be tested within 30 days before harvest for THC content.  A trained and certified "Sampling Agent" must perform the sample collection.  A listing of agents can also be found on the PDA website.

Industrial hemp products in their many forms and uses are finding their way into the marketplace. Research and education conducted at colleges, universities, private companies, and by individuals is helping develop those products and find those market niches which are a great fit for this re-newly discovered crop.