In 2018, the Kansas Legislature passed SB263, allowing the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) to develop a research-based hemp program. The first year that industrial hemp was able to be grown in Kansas was 2019, and the industry is looking ahead to the future based on the results.
“We’ll be finishing out the 2020 growing season under the research program, and then starting in 2021, we will start the 2021 industrial hemp program in Kansas,” said Jeff Vogel, program manager for the KDA program which has oversight over industrial hemp. “Which is basically just the research program, minus the research requirements.”
Last year, 5,700 acres were licensed to plant in Kansas. From that 2,700 were actually planted and about 1,700 acres were harvested. According to Vogel, those numbers are common among other states as well.
“2019 was a big learning year,” said Vogel. “Growers learned a lot about growing industrial hemp, what worked and what didn't. They’re taking that and improving for the future.”
Ted Carder, a hemp producer in Rice County, has already made big changes for a better harvest this year.
“Our biggest mistake last year was we grew about 40 acres and there were 77,000 plants, which for four of us, was too much,” Carder said. “People say that this is farming but it's not, it’s more like having a big garden. In this game, less is more.”
This year, Carder will plant five acres instead, and spend more time tending to the plants for a better yield. He’s yet to see the profit from last year’s harvest.
“Currently we haven’t made a dime off of it,” he said. “It’s sitting at our processors.”
There are two processors in Reno County and none in Rice, Pratt, Barton, Stafford and McPherson counties. One of those processors is Taylor Jacques, licensed operator of a CBD oil processing plant in Hutchinson.
“There’s honestly too much of the CBD being grown,” Jacques said. “Many farmers across the country are growing thousands of acres and supplying more than the demand so now there’s a lot of product that is just sitting around.”
About 90 percent of hemp acreage in Kansas is dedicated to CBD production.
Jacques has also been producing hand sanitizer to help with the shortage due to the coronavirus pandemic. The alcohol in sanitizer is the same alcohol that is used for extracting the oil.
“I think the biggest challenge is the state of Kansas is so far behind these other states,” Jacques said. “So, it took a while to get started in the industry and get caught up with some of these other places who have multiple processing locations and contracts with farmers all across the country already.”
Another trial for processors, is choosing which direction to go with hemp production. Hemp can be used for fiber, grain (often used for hemp seed oil), floral material for extracting CBD oil and several other different ways.
Carder believes Kansas has done its best in regulating the program.
“I think some of this is over regulation but I think they’ve done a really good job with keeping the shady people out of this,” Carder said. “There’s a whole illegal marijuana business out there that has been growing for years and is trying to jump into the legal side. It's the same plant, just with a lower level THC.”
Part of that regulation is requiring producers to submit reports detailing their every move throughout the process.
“In 2021, producers will still have to obtain a license to grow hemp,” Vogel said. “There will be reporting requirements, site restrictions and clear testing requirements. Research proposals and submitting research reports will no longer be required.”
As for determining the success of Kansas’ first year in hemp production, one year wasn’t enough to determine the profitability.
“Numbers for profit are limited and there’s no summarized report because when the production reports were due,” Vogel said. “Roughly two-third’s of individuals had not sold their industrial hemp yet at the end of 2019.”
Regardless, Carder says he is looking forward to Kansas’ future in the hemp industry and his role in it and so are others. Almost the same number of hemp growers, distributors and processors are returning for a second year.
“I see this as something I’ll continue to do,” he said. “Right now, this business is on the ground floor. I think this year and years moving forward it’s going to get better.”
Jasmine Pankratz is a University of Kansas senior from Abbyville, Kan., studying journalism.
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