Thanks to warm temperatures and steady rainfall, hemp producers are reporting excellent yields, particularly for industrial hemp grown for fiber and grain. Phillip Alberti, Research Program Manager for the hemp program at UW–Madison, says the timing and conditions this year have been nearly ideal.
“We’ve actually had a pretty tremendous growing season for the hemp crop,” Alberti said. “It really likes the warm conditions. It can handle them very well as long as there’s adequate moisture, and for the most part, we were getting fairly consistent rainfall events.”
Harvest is already underway for fiber hemp, which is cut during the flowering stage, and grain varieties are beginning to see harvest as well. Meanwhile, floral hemp won’t be ready until late September or October. “It’s kind of like sweet corn versus field corn,” Alberti explained. “Same plant, just bred for very different purposes.”
Despite the positive outlook, Alberti warns that the season isn’t over yet. With high humidity and the approach of fall, conditions are ripening for potential disease and insect pressure. “Right now, it’s been a bumper crop,” he noted. “But this time of year can be detrimental. Anything can happen.”
As interest in hemp continues to grow—for everything from health food supplements to potential livestock feed—Alberti emphasizes the plant’s versatility. Though all hemp is cannabis, the crop can be tailored for specific uses depending on its genetic makeup and THC content.
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