Co-Products and Applications of Hemp for New Mexico Agriculture

Evaluating the potential of specialty crops grown in New Mexico can help sustain local agricultural production, as well as a multitude of downstream markets. Hemp production in the U.S. has only recently resurged following nearly 70 years of prohibition. Today hemp is defined by U.S. law Cannabis sativa with no more than 0.3 wt.% total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound of the plant. Hemp is grown for fiber, grain, or flower material. The current U.S. hemp industry is primarily driven by demand for cannabidiol (CBD) and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids found in the flower material. There is a growing interest in exploring value-added applications for the other parts plant. The stalks and stems of high-CBD hemp crops may account for up to 70% of the total crop dry weight and are typically disposed of as waste. These fiber residues may not be suitable for traditional fiber applications but may have several other value-added uses. A rapidly-evolving area of research involves the use of these fibers for production of bio-based chemicals to replace petroleum-sourced compounds. The choice of chemical products depends on the composition of the lignocellulosic hemp biomass.