U of I to offer course on growing hemp for students, farmers
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[August 07, 2021]
By Zeta Cross
(The Center Square) – Looking for a new
career path? Think hemp.
The University of Illinois sees a booming future in hemp-growing.
Dr. D. K. Lee will teach a 400-level online course on hemp cultivation
for students, farmers and anyone else who would like to know more about
the crop.
“There are opportunities for small farmers, small indoor growers and big
growers,” Lee said. “There is so much misinformation. This course is
designed to teach students cannabis biology for proper crop-management
practices.”
After being banned by the federal government in 1970, the industrial
production of hemp in Illinois was made legal again in 2018 when the
legislature approved it. For several years now, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture has been promoting the growing of industrial hemp, Lee said.
Hemp is used in hundreds of different products – from textiles and
construction materials to animal feed and skin care lotions based on
cannabidiol oil.
Hemp is used to reinforce concrete and other construction materials.
Textile manufacturers use it to produce durable fabric. It is used to
make paper. The seed has high protein and high oil concentration, making
it very good for animal feed.
“I see big opportunities if Illinois approves hemp seed for animal
feed,” Lee said.
He said he believes that more Illinois farmers will come to use hemp as
a crop that they rotate with corn and soybeans.
Another promising use for hemp is making biodegradable plastic. Plastic
made from petroleum does not decompose when it is thrown away. The
alternative is natural plastic or bioplastic. Unfortunately, bioplastic
does not have the strength of petroleum-based plastic. Reinforcing
bioplastic with hemp can give bioplastic the durability that it lacks.
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“Hemp fiber is very strong. We can reinforce bioplastic with hemp fiber
and it would be very beneficial for human society,” Lee said.
When farmers today ask him if they should start planting fields of hemp,
Lee says he hesitates. There are a number of considerations. Farmers can
only grow hemp plants with very low levels (0.3 percent) of THC. THC is
the chemical that gives users the “high” that recreational marijuana
users seek. If a farmer’s crop in Illinois exceeds the government’s very
low 0.3-percent THC limit, the whole crop would have to be destroyed.
Another hurdle for Illinois farmers who are considering growing hemp is
lack of processing facilities, Lee stated.
“Some other states are already processing the fiber. Other states have
approved using hemp grain as animal feed,” he said. “Growing hemp for
animal feed is not too much different than current agricultural
practice. We can plant the hemp and use a combine harvester for the
seed. That is an easy process.”
For indoor operations, there are a lot of job opportunities, Lee says.
However, there is also a steep learning curve. Growing hemp to produce
CBD oil is nowhere near as simple as buying petunia plants to get
flowers, Lee said.
“It is very complicated – particularly if you are growing indoors,” he
said.
Starting on July 22, members of the public can sign up for Lee’s online
class: Crop Sciences 480: Cannabis Classification and Management Crop
Sciences. The class will provide basic information about plant biology,
seed selection, fertilization, nutrition, humidity control and the
tricky process of light management for indoor growing. The cost for the
3-credit class is $1,200. |