Instructor: Heather Darby (Heather.Darby@uvm.edu)

Course Description

This course will serve as an introduction to the botany, agronomy, and end-use potential of industrial hemp. Industrial hemp is defined as having 0.3% THC or less. The use of high THC Cannabis as a drug crop will not be covered in this course. This course serves as an authoritative introduction for those students interested in knowing more about this renewable material that is an excellent source of food, fiber and building products, and therapeutic resins.

Course Learning Objectives

The hemp plant has been cultivated for over 10,000 years and provided an important source of food and fiber for many civilizations. In 1937, The Marijuana Tax Act was passed making it illegal to produce marijuana and any plant type in association to the cannabis family. However, the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill allows farmers in states that have legalized industrial hemp, to produce and market industrial hemp and hemp based products for the first time in decades. This change in policy has spurred the interest of many and has led to renewed interest in this versatile crop and what it has to offer to farmers and industry.

Agricultural production of industrial hemp for food, fiber, and resin production will be the main focus of the course. Focus on variety selection, planting strategies, fertility, weed control, pest management, and harvesting will be included for each food and fiber. Harvest management and post-harvest handling will be covered.

Hemp products will be highlighted to show the vast array of end-use potential for this crop and compared to the same products made with other agricultural crops. Lastly an appreciation of environmental and economic implications for agricultural producers and society will be highlighted.

Through the completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Recognize the historical importance of hemp in the world and U.S.

• Comprehend the current regulatory climate of hemp in the U.S.

• Understand the best practices for growing, harvest, and processing industrial hemp for grain, fiber, and resin production.

• Develop a basic understanding of hemp processing for food, fiber, and resin based products.

• Recognize potential uses for hemp products and how these compare to products currently produced from other agricultural products.

• Appreciate the environmental and economic benefits and challenges that a hemp industry might create in the U.S.

Course Schedule:

The following is a week-by-week schedule of the course including the dates modules will become available, module titles, brief descriptions of module contents, and specific topics that may be covered:

Week 1 – History of hemp

Hemp has been grown as a crop since the dawn of agriculture. It was considered important for sacramental use and a critical source of food and fiber in a variety of cultures and civilizations throughout the world. Even the U.S. has a strong history of hemp production.

• General overview cannabis uses

• Ancient history of hemp

• Hemp in the modern world

Week 2 – Hemp biology

This section will cover the lifecycle of the hemp plant as well as taxonomy of this crop and how its characteristics influence management and production. The phytochemistry of the plant will be covered including both ecological and evolutionary implications

• Identify defining Cannabis morphologic characters

• Understand why Cannabis plants produce chemicals

• Understand the botanical nomenclature process

• Explore the species concepts and the names of Cannabis

Week 3 – Modern hemp policy

Hemp has been a prohibited crop in the U.S. since 1937 and now shifts in policy on the federal and state level are allowing farmers and business owners to begin developing hemp focused opportunities.

• Hemp regulations in the United States since Passage of 2018 Farm Bill

• Current state of Hemp regulations in VT and surrounding states

Week 4 – Hemp breeding and genetics

Securing high quality hemp seed has been problematic for many growers. Breeding programs

for industrial hemp reside primarily within private industry. Basic plant breeding concepts being used in industrial hemp breeding programs will be highlighted. Procedures for producing pedigree hemp will be discussed.

• Breeding genetics and basic breeding techniques

• Germplasm resources for industrial hemp

• Hemp market classes

• Future directions of hemp breeding

Week 5 – Hemp propagation and seedling production

This module will cover asexual (vegetative cuttings) and sexual (seed) propagation methods for hemp including practical methods and current trends in the industry.

• How to effectively to propagate hemp sexually (seed) and asexually (clones)

• The positives and negatives of seed, feminized seed, and clonal propagation

• Where to access high quality seed and clones

Exam I – content covered during weeks 1-4

Week 6 – General hemp agronomics

Production of industrial hemp will require an understanding of this crop’s water, temperature, soil, and nutrient requirements. In addition, common pests and integrated pest management strategies will be needed to produce a high yield and quality crop.

• Temperature and water requirements for hemp

• Soil selection and seedbed preparation for hemp

• Nutrient requirements of the hemp plant

• Pests of hemp and management strategies to minimize damage from pests

Week 7 – Resinous hemp production

Growing resinous hemp requires specific production practices that will maximize yield and quality of the flowers. Variety selection, planting density, and fertility management specific to resinous hemp production will be discussed. For a crop of resinous hemp, special harvesting considerations must be met to produce the highest quality. Necessary equipment and optimum timing will be just two factors to consider.

• Agronomics of growing resinous hemp

• Influence of management, climate and other environment factors on yields and quality

• Harvesting of resinous hemp crops

Week 8 – Hemp grain production

Growing industrial hemp for grain will require implementation of specific cultural practices to maximize seed yields. Harvesting requirements and equipment for this end-use.

• Agronomics of growing hemp for grain

• Influence of management, climate and other environment factors on yields and quality

• Harvesting hempseed

Week 9 – Hemp fiber production

Growing hemp for fiber requires specific production practices that will maximize yield and quality of the end crop. Variety selection, planting density, and fertility management specific to fiber production will be discussed. For a fiber crop of hemp special harvesting considerations must be met to produce a high quality crop. Necessary equipment and optimum timing will be just two factors to consider. Retting of the fiber is necessary and strategies to do so will be discussed.

• Agronomics of growing hemp for fiber

• Influence of management, climate and other environment factors on yields and quality

• Harvesting timing and methods for fiber production

• Field retting of the crop and removal

• Storage of fiber

Week 10 – Processing hemp for fiber

Hemp is a natural fiber and has the potential to be used for a variety of products. The anatomy of the hemp fiber will be discussed as well as strategies used to extract the fibers from this plant. Although textiles and are the traditional hemp consumer products other unique/new applications for hemp fiber will also be highlighted.

• Fiber Processing and Decortication technology: Obtaining fiber from the plant

• Fiber and textiles: History, production, characteristics compared to other fibers

• Hempcrete, Hemp insulation, hemp paper, hemp plastics – overview of history, comparison other products and potential

Exam II – content covered during weeks 5-9

Week 11 – Processing resinous hemp

Hemp has been used for thousands of years for its therapeutic and medicinal properties. This section will deal with processing resinous hemp to obtain the compounds thought to be responsible for these properties.

• Phytocompounds

• Processing and extraction methods

• Product range

• Analytical testing

• Consumer safety

Week 12 – Processing hemp for grain

Hemp seed can be convert to a variety of products that are being used for human and animal consumption. This section will deal with hemp seed products including “fixed oil” production referring to oil produced from the seed.

• Hempseed nutrition

• Hempseed processing

• Hempseed products & markets

Week 13 – Economics of hemp production

Agricultural economics will be an important consideration for the farms and businesses that choose to pursue this crop. Farms will need to be able to generate a return from this new crop while businesses will need to be able to purchase hemp at a price point that allows them to be viable as well.

• Agricultural economics of hemp production

• Cost of production for grain, fiber and resinous crops

• Consumer-side considerations of hemp markets

Week 14 – Hemp and the environment

Environmental degradation from agriculture can be an issue in most any production system that exists today. Industrial hemp has been promoted by many to be a crop that can provide ecological and environmental benefits to society. Management practices employed by the growers will be important to promote hemp as a crop that can have positive environmental benefits.

• Environmental implications of hemp production

• Hemp as part of a sustainable crop rotation

• Carbon sequestration potential of hemp

• Hemp for bioremediation

• Environmental advantages and disadvantages of hemp production

Final Exam – content covered during weeks 10-14