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Industrial hemp becoming more popular with NC farmers

Thursday, May 24th 2018, 11:55 am CDT
Thursday, May 24th 2018, 2:14 pm CDT

By: Bob Townsend, Anchor

NORTH CAROLINA (WECT) -

Planting industrial hemp under strict guidelines became legal in North Carolina in 2016 as part of a pilot research program. You have to apply for a license to grow the crop and get approval from the hemp commission.

"Most states, when they started their pilot program, their federally compliant program, there are only five or 10 people licensed their first year," said Emily Febles, manager of the state's Industrial Hemp Program. "North Carolina had over 100 people licensed so the interest in industrial hemp is very strong,"

The number of people licensed has grown to more than 250, according to the NC Industrial Hemp Commission, and the crop is now being planted in just about every county statewide.

Last spring was the first planting of industrial hemp in the state and Febles says there was a learning curve for those involved in the program.

"One of the main successes of 2017 was just getting the program going, getting it off the ground, getting industrial hemp planted here in the state of North Carolina," Febles said. "We did have some problems at the very beginning starting the program, working with the DEA to get seeds into the state, so that set back the program to starting planting in June, which is a little late."

Industrial hemp can be grown for a variety of products. There are two types of oils that come from the hemp plant — seed oil, which comes from the seed, like canola oil, and sunflower seed oil, and flower oil, which comes from the plant's flower and is grown like a horticulture crop in greenhouses and used for CBD oil.

It is also grown for the seeds from the plant and larger stalks are grown for fiber and used to make products like shirts, pants and even parachutes.

Regardless of what a farmer chooses to do with his crop, the THC in hemp — the ingredient that can get a person high — has to be lower than .03 percent. The THC in marijuana can be as high as 25 percent.

"I think one of the things the Industrial Hemp Commission needs to focus on is education, having people understand what industrial hemp is, how it differs from marijuana, the practical uses of industrial hemp, the legacy of industrial hemp in the United States," Febles said. "I think education is going to be very important for the crop."

While it is added income for farmers, growing it does not come without risk. There is no crop insurance for industrial hemp and no pesticides or herbicides labeled for the crop in the state.

Growing hemp has been legalized in 13 states, and Febles believes three or four more states will join the list this year. In North Carolina, many farmers who used to grow tobacco have converted their operations to industrial hemp.

All of the information on growing industrial hemp, including the licensing requirements, availability of seeds or plants and a list of processors can be found on the North Carolina Department of Agriculture's website.

Source: http://www.wect.com/story/38270550/industrial-hemp-becoming-more-popular-with-nc-farmers