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The
Illinois Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that 2,392
acres of industrial hemp, or 87 percent of the acres planted,
were harvested during the year. That was down from just over
2,800 acres in 2019.
That translated into just under 1.3 million pounds of hemp
flower, 48,000 pounds of hemp fiber, 39,000 pounds of seed and
8,500 pounds of hemp grain.
“The hemp industry, just like many others was hit by the
pandemic,” David Lakeman, manager of IDOA’s Division of
Cannabis, said in a statement. “Workforce safety challenges,
pandemic-related impacts on the market, and some initial issues
with processing all contributed to a more difficult year for the
hemp industry.”
Hemp is a variety of cannabis that contains only a small
fraction of the psychoactive substance THC found in marijuana.
It was a major crop in the U.S. until 1937 when Congress passed
the Marijuana Tax Act, which imposed a heavy tax on anyone who
dealt commercially in hemp or marijuana.
The fiber can be used in textiles, food and a wide range of
other industrial purposes. But in recent years it has become
more popular as a source of cannabidiol oil, or CBD, which can
be used to treat a variety of medical conditions.
Although it is now legal, production of the crop is still highly
regulated. Growers and processors must be licensed by IDOA. The
agency also inspects crops to make sure they do not exceed the
0.3 percent THC limit. Hemp testing above that amount is
eligible for a retest, but hemp that tests above 0.7 percent THC
must be destroyed.
IDOA is now accepting applications for the 2021 hemp growing
season. People interested in growing or processing hemp can do
so online at https://agrlicensing.illinois.gov/Industrial_Hemp/.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
news service covering state government and distributed to more
than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the
Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick
Foundation.
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