UMES’ second annual Industrial Hemp Conference took place virtually on November 5 due to COVID-19 restrictions. More than 70 participants registered for the online event.
“Industrial hemp has gained interest as a cash crop on the Eastern Shore for fiber, seed and cannabinoid production,” said Dr. Sadanand Dhekney, associate professor of genetics and plant breeding in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences. “UMES has been coordinating a pilot program for the past two years under the 2014 USDA Farm Bill and has partnered with several hemp growers statewide.”
The conference hosted experts from UMES as well as universities and agencies across the country who provided information on organic hemp production, crop management, processing and the latest legal regulations. Researchers from the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Florida, and Kentucky State and Colorado State universities along with representatives from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Congressional Research Service, the Maryland Hemp Coalition, the Native Plant Company and Canna Ventures of West Virginia participated in roundtable discussions moderated by Dhekney and UMES colleagues.
Dhekney, who coordinates the UMES Industrial Hemp Pilot Research Program, said the conference was “an important source of information for providing the latest updates on hemp cultivation and regulations and will assist farmers in making informed decisions for the upcoming hemp season.”
The Maryland Department of Agriculture has extended its Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program until September 2021 for the purpose of the “registration of sites where industrial hemp is to be grown and facilitating research on industrial hemp.” UMES will continue to partner with growers and processors under this program for the 2021 production season, Dhekney said.
Applicants interested in partnering with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore may visit the website to download the application and submit it via mail to the address listed on the application along with a $50 non-refundable fee. For more information, contact Dhekney at sdhekney@umes.edu.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 410-621-3850, gcstephens@umes.edu.
