UVM Extension Cultivating Healthy Communities

Northwest Crops and Soils Program

Industrial Hemp

In 2016, our NWCS team started our industrial hemp research program. Allowed by the 2014 Farm Bill, academic institutions, like UVM, may legally develop research programs to evaluate industrial hemp as a commercial crop in an emerging market. The North American hemp market is currently estimated at over $400 million in retail sales and growing at about 10% per year. Clearly, there is demand for hemp and we would like to help farmers and processors in Vermont and throughout the Northeast evaluate this opportunity and promote sustainable practices for this agricultural crop.

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Fiber Hemp - The Basics of Manual Processing (PDF)

As part of an industrial hemp field to fiber project, Laura Sullivan and Andrew Chamberlin from UVM Extension have created this brief Fiber Hemp guide about how to turn fiber hemp stalks into workable fiber using hand tools. You can also view their videos they created.

The Basics of Manually Processing Hemp Fiber with Laura Sullivan video explains the steps involved in hand processing hemp, from an in-field retted state to workable fiber strands. These steps follow the ones outlined in the guide noted above.

A shorter 51 second version of the Manually Processing Hemp Fiber video was also developed.

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Industrial Hemp in Vermont: Growing Hemp for Fiber (PDF)

This new publication shares grower and research experiences in the Northeast that have begun to shed light on best management practices for the planting, harvesting, and processing of industrial hemp.

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Industrial Hemp Training Program - for Agricultural/Technical Service Providers

UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils (NWCS) program offered this free course in collaboration with the following organizations: Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM), Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), SUNY Morrisville, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA), Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY (NOFA-NY), and Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (NE-SARE). This course was only for Agricultural/Technical Service Providers.

Offerings included up to 13 webinars (7 are required), up to 5 in-field intensives (1 is required), and admission to attend the 2021 and 2022 Industrial Hemp Conferences! You will also be asked to complete a pre- and post- course survey. All this is FREE and you can also earn Certified Crop Adviser credits! View the program flyer (PDF). View the July, August and September 2021 options of Hemp Growing Season Intensives (PDF).

Questions? Please contact Susan Brouillette, susan.brouillette@uvm.edu, or Heather Darby, heather.darby@uvm.edu or 802-524-6501.

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Planning to grow hemp this season? Please go to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Hemp Program website to review the most up to date information and requirements.

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We have also created an Industrial Hemp Booklet for field notes and records that contains several excel spreadsheets for tracking information. We are making printed copies made as well. You can access the excel spreadsheets here. View the PDF version of the booklet here.

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The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) administers federal crop insurance programs. This fact sheet provides current federal risk management programs available for producers growing hemp in 2022 - Risk Coverage for Industrial Hemp.

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Industrial Hemp Project Crowdfunding Opportunity

We began our industrial hemp research program in 2016 with the help of program donations – thank you! Interest in the crop and research-based guidance has continued to grow, and we need your help to keep this research project going. To date we have implemented research trials to study best planting dates, varieties, and field management for hemp fiber, seed, and CBD production.

In order to expand our hemp research, outreach, and education capacity, we need your help with our continued request for support!

Please help support our Hemp Research and visit our crowdfunding page today.

2020 Hemp Growing Season Webinar Series

Coordinated by the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
These webinars were offered LIVE and FREE on Thursdays from noon to 1pm. See below for dates/topics, along with the links to the taped recording and the presentation copy (PDF). Closed captioning options are available for the videos.
June 11th – The Vermont Hemp Rules with Stephanie Smith, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/Z02EyQkkN9U. View the presentation here (PDF).
June 18th – Getting the Season Started with Heather Darby and John Bruce of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/7ErgkuUwUUc. View the presentation (PDF) here.
July 9th – Identifying and Manage Arthropod Pests in Hemp with Heather Darby and Scott Lewins of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/KbKbDkEwk2I. View the presentation here (PDF).
July 30th – Identification and Management of Disease in Hemp with Ann Hazelrigg, UVM, and Chris Motyka. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/wouZy-3Ioxk. View the presentation (PDF) here.
August 6th - CBD Post-Harvest Handling (Drying focus) with Chris Callahan, UVM. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/dIPozbV-MuY. View information and the presentation slides (PDF) here.
August 13th – Hemp Sampling Pre-Harvest with Robert Shipman and/or Michael DiTomasso of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/9NFlbdJyS-w. View the presentation (PDF) here.
September 10th – Hemp Testing at Certified Labs with Robert Shipman and/or Michael DiTomasso of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. View the YouTube webinar recording here - https://youtu.be/LNw_4wQojB0. View the presentation (PDF) here.
This is material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588.