COOPERATIVE KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY FACT SHEET
Information about the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program 2021
Shawn Lucas, PhD, Assistant Professor of Organic Agriculture Blake Van Sanford, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Assistant Kimberly Barmore, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Assistant
The 2014 Farm Bill enabled the U.S. to establish pilot research programs to investigate production of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). The 2018 Farm Bill provided a framework for USDA oversight of state hemp programs and removed hemp from Schedule I status of the Controlled Substance Act (CSA), facilitating transport and sales of hemp products nationwide. To legally differentiate hemp from marijuana, the Farm Bills established that hemp can have a maximum level of 0.3% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) oversees hemp permitting and regulatory compliance for Kentucky producers, handlers, and processors. The legislative changes have generated a significant interest in this crop from consumers, producers, processors, researchers, Extension personnel, and trade groups.
Hemp is generally grown for fiber, grain, or cannabinoid extraction. Many producers opt to grow hemp for cannabinoid production. In Kentucky, 92% and 95% of the acres approved by KDA for hemp production were for cannabinoid production in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Producers have noted the growth in consumer interest in non-intoxicating Cannabis products like Cannabidiol (CBD).
Consumers are interested in CBD because non-clinical studies have suggested it may help with chronic pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, and multiple sclerosis. These potential uses are based on anecdotal evidence and non-clinical studies. As of this writing, the FDA has only approved one CBD product (Epidiolex\circledR, GW Pharmaceuticals) for use as a therapy for seizures and consumers should use appropriate caution with other non-approved products. Cannabinoid crops require fewer production acres (median acreage in 2019 was 10 acres) and processing options are available, with some caveats. Barriers for fiber and grain production include larger acreages needed to achieve profits and a lack of processing infrastructure in Kentucky and the U.S. in general.
non-clinical studies. As of this writing, the FDA has only approved one CBD product (Epidiolex\circledR, GW Pharmaceuticals) for use as a therapy for seizures and consumers should use appropriate caution with other non-approved products. Cannabinoid crops require fewer production acres (median acreage in 2019 was 10 acres) and processing options are available, with some caveats. Barriers for fiber and grain production include larger acreages needed to achieve profits and a lack of processing infrastructure in Kentucky and the U.S. in general.