Hemp: How we got here

This spring, amongst the corn, soybeans, and wheat, farmers will be planting hemp. The crop has not been cultivated in Missouri for decades.

“On paper, Missouri is one of the best places to grow hemp,” James Forbes, co-founder of Tiger Fiber, previously said.

So far, more than 80 agriculturalists are looking to grow hemp — something that would not have been possible last growing season. In the last two years, Missouri’s law and regulations about hemp have undergone multiple changes. 

With its close relationship to marijuana, farmers have to jump through a few additional hoops to grow hemp compared to other row crops. Those wanting to grow hemp have to submit an application, pay a fee, and pass a background check. 

From legal to illegal to legal

Once upon a time, Missouri was one of the top hemp producing states in the United States. Hemp products, of which there are thousands of possibilities, were once rather prevalent in the country — the U.S. Constitution was printed on hemp paper. 

In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act strictly regulated the cultivation and sale of all cannabis varieties. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified all forms of cannabis as a Schedule I drug, making it illegal to grow it in the United States. 

However, a provision in the 2014 Farm Bill allowed states to pass their own legislation regarding industrial hemp. Under that legislation, more than 30 states including Nebraska, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas — five of the eight states that border Missouri — legalized the cultivation of hemp for commercial, research or pilot programs. 

In 2018, the General Assembly passed an industrial hemp pilot program in Missouri — as outlined in the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill. The legislation limited production to 2,000 acres statewide, among other provisions. Under that law, the state published proposed rules in January 2019, which went into effect in July. 

In 2019, that fledgling industry was amended by lawmakers. The bill updated the language in Missouri statute to be consistent with the standards laid out in the federal 2018 Farm Bill. It also removed statutory acreage restrictions on the crop.

In the fall of  2019, the United States Department of Agriculture published an Interim Final Rule, which established the federal regulatory framework for industrial hemp growth in the United States. 

Current Regulations

The Missouri Department of Agriculture, given regulatory authority over hemp, opted to operate under the one-year extension allotted by the USDA, thus did not submit an official plan for the 2020 growing season.

“Industrial Hemp has been a moving target for many regulatory agencies this year,” Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said in December. “After working with producers, closely analyzing the federal requirements passed down by Congress and USDA, and incorporating our own state law, we determined that Missouri should spend the 2020 growing season learning more about what works in our state. We are confident this is the best choice for our producers in Missouri.”

Cultivation 

    

Industrial hemp, an annual crop, grows well in a less-than-ideal soil — which, there is no lack of in mid-Missouri — and is a relatively low management crop. In 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency approved nine biopesticides and one conventional pesticide for use on hemp. Hemp can be processed into fabrics, yarns, fibers, carpeting, home furnishing, concrete, cosmetics, nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals, foods, beverages, rope, paper, plastics, insulation, biofuels, and more. 

“The global market for hemp consists of more than 25,000 products in nine submarkets: agriculture, textiles, recycling, automotive, furniture, food and beverages, paper, construction materials, and personal care,” according to a 2017 Congressional Research Service report. “Hemp can be grown as a fiber, seed, or dual-purpose crop.” 

The stalk and the seed are the harvested products. The interior of the stalk has short woody fibers called hurds; the outer portion has long bast fibers. Hemp seed/grains are smooth and about one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch long.

The stalk can range from 4 feet to 18 feet tall and the type of hemp grown is selected based on the processing purpose and market. Taller varieties of hemp are more desired for fiber production. Shorter stalks are more attuned to seed production.

Missouri Department of Agriculture Outreach Meetings

Events listed are meetings at which MDA staff is presenting regulatory information.