Download - Industrial Hemp Research at the University of Kentucky · Industrial Hemp Research at the University of Kentucky Dr. Nancy Cox, Dean UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

IndustrialHempResearchattheUniversityofKentucky

Dr.NancyCox,DeanUKCollegeofAgriculture,FoodandEnvironment

SouthernLegislativeConferenceAgricultureandRuralDevelopmentCommittee

10July2016

IndustrialHempResearch-Legislation

• Section7606ofthe2014FarmBillalongwithsupportingstate-levellegislationprovidesfortheestablishmentofindustrialhemppilotresearchprogramsthroughuniversitiesorstatedepartmentsofagriculture(27Jan2014).

• KYSenateBill50providesforthedefinitionandadministrationofanindustrialhemppilotresearchprograminKentucky(7Apr2013).

• InKentucky,thepilotprojectismanagedbytheKDA.

IndustrialHempResearch-Overview• ResearcheffortshaveexpandedatUKbothinscopeandscaleeachyear.• Includeseffortsinmultipledepartments/unitswithinUK:• Agronomy• Plantmolecularbiology• Biosystemsandagriculturalengineering• Horticulture• Agriculturaleconomics

• Workhasincludedcollaborativeeffortswith3regionalKYuniversities,otherland-grants,andmultiplecorporateentities.

IndustrialHempResearch-2014

• Onlytwosmallvarietytrials.

• Marginallysuccessfulscientifically.

• Verysuccessfulanecdotally.

• Researchworkexpandedsignificantly

• Investigationsincludedworkwithall3harvestablecomponents:

• Basiccropproductionstudies

• Smallgrainvarietytrial

• Smalldual-purposevarietytrial

• Fiberproductionandprocessing

• Cannabinoidproduction(mostlyCBD)


• Cannabinoidproductionmaybeoptimizedwithtobaccoproductionmodels.

• Transplantproductioningreenhouses

• Space-plantingwithtobaccosetters

• Manualcropmanagementandharvests

• On-farmcuringandfirst-stageprocessing



• Theultimateutility,legalstatusandregulationofcannabinoidshasyettobedetermined.



• Varietytrialsforfiber,grain,anddual-purpose.• Herbicidetolerance.• Plantingdatestudy.• Plantdensitystudyforfiberproduction.• Cultureandharvestofhempandkenaf forbast fiberproduction.• Hemp’scomparativeyieldsandnutritivevalueasanimalfeed.• Bioenergycapacityofhemp.• Efficacyofpre-harvestherbicides.• Agriculturaleconomicsofhemp.


• Geneticsandmanipulationofsexdeterminationinhemp.• Geneticsandmanipulationofhempseedoilquantityandquality.• BreedinghempvarietiesforKentucky.• Engineeringandconstructionofimprovedharvestingequipment.• Hemphurd fibersasanimalbeddingandconstructionadditives.

IndustrialHempResearch-Acknowledgements

IndustrialHempResearch-Conclusions

• UKalmostcertainlyleadsthenationinhemp-relatedresearchwithbroadanddiverseeffortsinmanydisciplines.

• HempresearchatUKisverywellsupportedbytheUKadministrationaswellaslocal,state,andfederalpolicymakers.

• Wewillendeavortocontinuetoleadthenationinhemp-relatedresearch.

State-levellegislation

• Twenty-nine(29)states*havesomeleveloflegislationinplacesupportingindustrialhempresearchinaccordancewiththepilotprogramprovision,Section7606oftheFarmBill:

Alabama,California,Colorado,Connecticut,Delaware,Florida,Hawaii,Illinois,Indiana,Kentucky,Maine,Maryland,Michigan,Minnesota,Missouri,Montana,Nebraska,Nevada,NewYork,NorthCarolina,NorthDakota,Oregon,SouthCarolina,Tennessee,Utah,Vermont,Washington,WestVirginiaandVirginia.

*Amongthe29states,only9(Kentucky,Tennessee,Hawaii,Oregon,NorthDakota,Vermont,Indiana,Minnesota,andColorado)activelygrewhempaspartofthepilotprogramprovisionin2015.

UKIndustrialHempResearch2014-2016

Contacts:UKHempResearchProgram

•Policy:DrewGraham([email protected])

•Economics:WillSnell([email protected])

•Agronomyandgeneralprogramquestions:D.W.Williams([email protected])