SALEM, Ohio — Appalachia is an ideal place for the hemp industry to grow, according to industry leaders, that is if the government loosens restrictions on hemp farmers.
Hemp grows best in climates with temperate weather, with large day and night thermal temperature differences. Shuttered coal plants and other former manufacturing sites near rivers and railroads may also be retrofitted for hemp processing facilities, making Appalachia a perfect choice.
“We like this industry because it’s sort of a twofer. Not only can we make it in Appalachia, but we can also grow it in Appalachia which is a win-win,” said Natalia Rudiak, director of special projects for ReImagine Appalachia.
The grassroots organization, ReImagine Appalachia, discussed the opportunities and challenges of a sustainable hemp hub in Appalachia during a webinar titled “Make it in Appalachia, Grow it in Appalachia: Can the Ohio River Valley Become a Hub for Biomaterials Made from Hemp?” on Sept. 26.
Current and aspiring hemp farmers and industry advocates talked about the rebirth of hemp cultivation and production as well as its potential end uses. But, according to industry leaders, this hub is only possible if the government loosens heavy restrictions and testing procedures on hemp farmers.
Hemp benefits
Hemp comes from the cannabis plant and is grown for three purposes: cannabinoids, fiber and grain. With these different avenues, the potential for hemp is wide-reaching, according to webinar speakers, and is already growing.
Cannabinoid hemp is grown for CBD, a medicinal chemical that contains a low amount of THC and is used to treat chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia and inflammation.
Fiber hemp can be used to make bioplastics, biofuels, building materials and textiles while grain hemp can be used as a food source and, most recently, animal feedstock.
The biggest area of growth could come from using hemp seed meal in animal feed. In August, the Association of America Feed Control Officials approved the use of hemp seed meal in commercial feed for laying hens.
Erica Stark, executive director of the National Hemp Association, said this adoption was a huge development for the hemp industry. Prior to AAFCO’s approval, hemp seed meal was considered a byproduct and had no market.
Appalachia has a history of hemp
Hemp was a popular crop in the United States, particularly in Appalachia, before it was wiped off the continent. Kentucky was the epicenter of hemp production in the 19th century, primarily growing the crop for fiber.
Pennsylvania also has a lengthy history with hemp, which grew and harvested the crop for roughly 260 years between 1681 and 1840 until tobacco cultivation reduced hemp’s yield.
Hemp production began to decline overall during the Civil War but would have a slight resurgence during WWI when the U.S. substituted cheaper, inaccessible, materials for hemp to make rope, twine and cables.
In the 1930s, however, heavy propaganda against the cannabis plant — like the 1936 film Reefer Madness — would confuse hemp with its intoxicating cousin marijuana. In 1937, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, declaring hemp and marijuana controlled substances which heavily restricted the cultivation of hemp, even for medical and industrial uses.
Growing hemp was practically impossible until the 2018 Farm Bill legalized growing it in the U.S. again. The industry has since seen a rebirth with farmers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia starting to grow hemp.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Hemp Report for 2024, the U.S. saw 27,680 acres of hemp grown and harvested in 2023: Ohio had 170 acres, Pennsylvania had 300 acres and West Virginia had 24 acres. However, hemp acreage has fluctuated year to year since it was legalized, as farmers have come into and dropped out of the industry.
Barriers for farmers
Stark stated one of hemp’s biggest growth hurdles is strict government regulations, born in part from its stigma. That’s why for the past two and half years the National Hemp Association has been advocating for a new legal definition of hemp in the next farm bill.
Currently, industrial hemp — fiber and grain hemp — and cannabinoid hemp face the same set of THC testing regulations. Industry advocates say this costly testing is not necessary as THC levels don’t matter in the end uses of industrial hemp.
There are also stringent permitting requirements that vary by state for farmers who want to grow hemp, including background checks and land use restrictions. A new definition that specifically defines industrial hemp versus cannabinoid hemp could open up doors for the industry.
“Those headaches of having to apply for a growing permit, submitting your planning report, submitting your report to the FSA, getting the THC testing, then your harvest report and then your storage report, farmers don’t want to be bothered with this. They don’t have time, and it’s doing us a great disservice to still keep on holding on to those old, misguided rules,” said Lori Daytner, secretary of the Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council.
More processing facilities are also needed in order for the hemp industry to move forward. This new legal definition could help encourage investors and entrepreneurs to establish processing facilities.
“A lot of the uncertainty, particularly for investors, has come from the lack of differentiation between industrial hemp and cannabinoid hemp,” adds Stark.
Fortunately, hemp farmers may be in luck; new language surrounding hemp is already in the draft for the next farm bill. Unfortunately, Congress has been slow to act and the current farm bill extension expired on Sept. 30, which means the wait for the hemp industry continues.
(Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.)
