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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
Mugglehead Magazine
Alternative investment news based in Vancouver, B.C.

Hemp

USDA to launch first annual hemp survey

The Hemp Acreage and Production survey will collect information to set industry benchmarks and help producers make informed decisions

Hemp farmers with Colorado-based Charlotte's Web
The USDA will be reaching out to thousands of hemp farmers in the first annual industry survey. Image via Charlotte's Web

In the first survey of its kind, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be gathering feedback from about 20,000 hemp farmers to understand the country’s relatively new industry.

The inaugural Hemp Acreage and Production survey will collect industry information on acreage, yield, production, price and value of hemp in America.

Confidential data will be used to set industry benchmarks for acreage and production, as well as help producers make informed decisions.

The USDA will be mailing out the survey to hemp farmers, who can fill out the paper questionnaire or use a provided access code to complete the survey online, starting Oct. 18.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) permitted hemp production and removed hemp and hemp seeds from the DEA’s controlled substances list. Since then, the USDA has implemented the Domestic Hemp Production Program to create a regulatory framework.

Read more: First legal hemp in 84 years crossed US state lines by train on 4/20

Read more: US Senate bill would finally allow CBD in food and drinks

“The establishment of hemp as a regulated commodity also paves the way for U.S. hemp farmers to participate in other USDA farm programs,” reads the agency’s website.

Regulations for U.S. hemp production were finalized in January, and have been in effect since March.

But there isn’t comprehensive data on hemp as a commodity, the USDA’s statistical branch notes in a description of the survey.

“As new consumer markets are developed, the need for annual data on acreage and production are highly sought after. Data collected less than annually would interfere with the mandate stated in the 2018 Farm Bill,” the description continues.

The questionnaire will use data from hemp grown in the open and under cover, such as in a greenhouse or hoop house.

“Hemp produced in the open will have data collected for five categories of hemp (flower, grain, fiber, seed, and other). Hemp produced under cover will have data collected for four categories of hemp (flower, clones or transplants, seed, or other).”

The USDA plans to conduct the hemp survey annually.

Read more: Argentina’s Senate approves medical cannabis and hemp regulatory framework

 

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