Iowa hemp rules are on the way, says Naig
While saying there is still a lot to learn about industrial hemp in Iowa, Secretary of Ag Mike Naig is excited about the new growing opportunity for farmers in 2020.
On Oct. 29, the United States Department of Agriculture released its proposed hemp program rules.
“We look forward to reviewing the proposed hemp program rules provided by the USDA,” said Secretary Naig. “We will use this information to refine Iowa’s draft hemp plan before we submit it to USDA for approval.
Naig explained the USDA has 60 days to review and respond to Iowa’s plan.
“We are working hard to have Iowa’s hemp program implemented in time for the 2020 growing season,” Naig said.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is also drafting administrative rules that will be released for public comment in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, Naig cautions people it is not legal to cultivate, grow or distribute hemp in Iowa until the USDA approves the state plan.
“We also encourage growers to make sure they have quality seed and a buyer identified before they invest in hemp production.”
Once Iowa’s plan is approved, Naig sees a couple of challenges facing producers.
One is growing hemp itself. Naig explained there is a long history of growing hemp in the country, including Iowa. He’s not concerned whether it can be grown in Iowa, but rather how it is grown.
“There are different ways to cultivate the crop depending on the end game,” Naig said.
Secondly, it’s going to be a highly regulated crop. Naig said if the crop is below .03 THC, it is treated as a commodity. If it is above .03 percent THC, it is an illegal controlled substance and will need to be destroyed at the cost of the producer.
“It will be critically important for producers to grow a crop that complies with the THC levels. Over time I think that will have to do a lot with varieties of the plant, I think it’ll have to do with certain soil types and growing conditions throughout the year; those are things we will have to learn a lot about through an agronomic standpoint.”
He continued, Iowa farmers will have to have the type of hemp identified before they plant, unlike what’s currently done for corn/soybeans.
“I can grow an acre of corn, harvest that acre and deliver it to any number of locations and sell that product with no additional restrictions. That is not the case with industrial hemp, at least not yet. I highly encourage growers to understand what their end market is and have a contract or an agreement in place that they can actually sell that product.”
Regardless of the uncertainties on the horizon regarding industrial hemp, Naig said providing producers a way to diversify is a driving force behind the program.
“When we have a healthy agriculture, we tend to have a healthy Iowa economy. We really feel there are opportunities for Iowa farmers to benefit from this.”
Hemp is a commodity that can be used for numerous industrial and horticultural purposes including fabric, paper, construction materials, food products, cosmetics, production of 4cannabinoids (such as cannabidiol or CBD), and other products
The 2018 Farm Bill allows for the interstate transportation and shipment of hemp in the United States. This rule does not affect the exportation of hemp. Should there be sufficient interest in exporting hemp in the future, USDA will work with industry and other Federal agencies to help facilitate this process.
To produce hemp under the USDA plan, producers must apply for and be issued a license from USDA. For the first year after USDA begins to accept applications, applications can be submitted any time. For all subsequent years, license applications and license renewal applications must be submitted between August 1 and October 31. For hemp grown outdoors, harvesting usually occurs in the late summer and early fall. This application period is close to or after the harvest season when producers are preparing for the next growing season.