Why Hemp Is One of the Most Useful Fibers on the Planet

Industrial Hemp is Valued

Industrial hemp is valued for its fiber, food, and medicinal properties. Hemp is cannabis grown for non-drug uses. In addition to being grown for fiber, seeds, and oils, hemp also contains very low levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s psychoactive ingredient.

Hemp and Marijuana are Different

There’s usually less than 0.3% THC in hemp, but between 2% and 20% in marijuana varieties grown for medical or recreational purposes. A hemp plant can’t have more than 0.3 percent THC. Farmers need USDA approval to plant hemp, and states need to create hemp industry strategies.

Hemp Can Make Over 25,000 Things

More than 25,000 products can be made with hemp, including bible pages, clothing, footwear, textiles, bioplastics, paper, and even car parts! Hemp is also a biodegradable building material and biofuel. Besides animal feed and edibles, hemp seeds can also be used to make lotions and cosmetics. Farmers in the U.S. grow hemp for its grains and fiber, but some grow it for its CBD.

Worldwide Hemp Production

Like Colorado, European hemp production is recovering as organic seeds for food and CBD oil products become more popular. Most industrial hemp products sold in the United States are imported from Canada, China, Europe, and other countries that haven’t banned the crop over the past decade.

Europe Allows Flax and Hemp

In the twenty-first century, hemp got new attention thanks to EC regulations. Regulations set support schemes for some crops, including industrial hemp. The European Commission introduced support for flax and hemp. 

Hemp Farming is Still Tough

Even though hemp is allowed in the states, thanks to the farm bill, farmers still have to worry about raids by federal agents, jail time, and seizure of their property and assets because federal law does not separate hemp from marijuana. Industrial hemp is banned in most countries due to its resemblance to drugs/medical marijuana. It has been reintroduced through state pilot programs, but challenges still remain.

Cited Sources

• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/8-things-didnt-know-hemp
• https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Plants/Pages/Hemp-FAQ.aspx
• https://www.ext.vsu.edu/industrial-hemp-overview
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp
• https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/07/09/the-hemp-boom-is-over-what-now
• https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2020/june/hope-for-hemp-new-opportunities-and-challenges-for-an-old-crop/
• https://unity.edu/sustainability/3-ways-the-hemp-is-changing-agriculture-and-the-economy-forever/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7571072/
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12210-021-00979-1
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2013/05/29/industrial-hemp-a-win-win-for-the-economy-and-the-environment/
• https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-021-00066-0