Progress report for FNC25-1449
Project Information
Ryan Fairbanks leads operations at Dancing Crane Farm (DCF), a 20-acre diversified market garden farm in Skandia, MI. With ten years of farm management experience, Ryan oversees DCF's integrated production of market vegetables, fair trade coffee roasting, and a 100-bird laying flock. The farm markets through multiple channels including local restaurants, grocers, Northern Michigan University, CSA members, and farmers markets. DCF's established egg production and marketing systems make it an ideal site for the proposed on-farm feeding trials. Ryan will manage the laying hens, coordinate data collection, and lead product marketing research.
Denise and Lance Lamphier operate Wind and Tide Farm, a 180 acre family farm in Northland, MI. Denise is a 4th generation woman farm owner / operator. Wind and Tide inc began growing industrial hemp grain for human consumption in 2020. Wind and Tide Inc is the only private licensed farm to successfully grow hemp seed in the Upper Peninsula as a grain for food production. They are also the first hemp food grain licensed processing facility (Northland's Natural Food Company) in Michigan. Building on their successful 15-acre hemp production enterprise, they will produce X-59 grain hemp, based on local adaptability and protein content, and process hemp seed into oil, cake, and meal, ensuring consistent quality feed supplementation throughout the trial period. Their expertise in hemp cultivation and processing is essential to developing a standardized, local and sustainable feed ingredient.
Dr. James DeDecker from Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center provides technical oversight as our research advisor. His experience in agricultural research methods will ensure sound experimental design and data analysis. MSU-UPREC has evaluated hemp grain varieties and agronomy locally since 2019, generating yield and quality information that will be used to select hemp varieties and inform hemp production and processing practices for this project.
Two critical challenges intersect in Michigan agriculture: hemp producers lack viable markets, while organic egg producers face rising feed costs and heavy reliance on imported ingredients.
Michigan hemp farmers, including Wind and Tide Farm, have demonstrated the viability of hemp grain production state-wide, but struggle to find reliable markets for their crop. Without established markets, this promising multipurpose crop remains economically unfeasible for many farmers.
Meanwhile, organic egg producers in many parts of the state depend heavily on expensive imported feed ingredients, particularly organic soybeans. Local alternatives could reduce costs and improve sustainability, but require thorough research to validate their effectiveness. Hemp seed meal, a byproduct of oil pressing, shows promise as a feed ingredient based on its protein content and beneficial fatty acid profile.
While recent European research demonstrates benefits of hemp seeds in poultry feed, practical data on using domestically produced hemp seed meal in organic egg production systems is lacking. Farmers need real-world evidence of its effects on egg production, quality metrics, and economic viability before adopting this alternative. Our project addresses this knowledge gap through controlled on-farm research comparing standard organic feed with hemp seed cake supplementation
Solution: This research project will evaluate pressed hemp seed meal (HSM) as a sustainable, locally sourced feed ingredient for pastured laying hens through a controlled comparison study. The project emphasizes circular agriculture, regional climate/economic resilience, and local food sovereignty.
Experimental Design: We will establish six groups of 10 pastured laying hens each at Dancing Crane Farm:
- 3 Control Groups: Standard organic layer feed (corn/soy based)
- 3 Test Groups: Standard organic layer feed modified by supplier to match macro nutritional values after a 15% HSM substitution
Housing and Management: all groups will be housed in separate halves of three identical 10'x10' Gothic-style moveable hoophouse enclosures with blackout plastic for shading on top, clear poly ends, and scissor-style end ventilation. Each enclosure will provide 5 square feet per bird of enclosed space with free access to a 40'x50' pasture area seeded with a pasture mix and enclosed with chicken wire
Feed Allocation, Production, and Processing: Each mature layer will be allocated a daily ration of 4 ounces of feed. Feed will be removed at day's end, weighed, and the surplus recorded. HSM-modified feed mix will be mixed weekly in 50lb batches with 15% composed of pressed seed meal and the other 85% modified organic layer feed. Wind and Tide Farm will cold-press, grind, outsource quality analysis for protein, fat and cannabinoid concentrations, and deliver HSM. It will be stored in a cool area away from sunlight.
Data Collection Protocol:
- Production Metrics (Daily)
- Egg collection and counting per group
- Feed consumption monitoring
- Flock health observations
- Temperature and weather conditions
- Quality Analysis: To be carried out at 0 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks
- Random sampling of 10 eggs per group
- Weight measurements
- Yolk color scoring using a standardized color fan
- Shell strength testing using a digital force gauge
- Laboratory analysis of fatty acid profiles
- Laboratory analysis of the nutritional and cannabinoid profile of hemp seed meal (1 test at 0 weeks, 1 test at 8 weeks)
Objectives:
- Determine the effect of 15% hemp seed meal feed substitution on:
- Weekly feed consumption rates
- Egg production quantity
- Key quality metrics (shell strength, yolk color, weight)
- Fatty acid profiles and nutritional content through lab analysis
- Establish protocols for:
- Hemp seed meal storage and handling
- Optimal feed mixing ratios
- Document the economic feasibility by:
- Tracking production costs
- Analyzing the potential premium market value of:
- HSM-supplemented eggs
- hemp seed oil and HSM vs. hulled hemp seed
- Calculating feed cost differences
- Share findings through
- Written protocols for farmers
- On-farm tours
- Local farming conference
Cooperators
- - Producer
- - Producer
Research
Experimental Design: We chose to use six groups of ten hens each in order to keep the project at a manageable scale while also allowing for a robust sampling set.
- 3 Control Groups: Standard organic layer feed (corn/soy based)
- 3 Test Groups: Standard organic layer feed modified by supplier to match macro nutritional values after a 15% HSM substitution
Housing and Management: Housing was decided based on what many small scale producers are able to employ without a significant cost burden. Manure management can add to the time and monetary costs of egg production, so we wanted to utilize a system that would simplify that process. Also, the need to house hens over harsh winters in our climate precluded us from using simpler methods such as chicken tractors
All groups will be housed in separate halves of three identical 10'x10' Gothic-style moveable hoophouse enclosures with blackout plastic for shading on top, clear poly ends, and scissor-style end ventilation. Each enclosure will provide 5 square feet per bird of enclosed space with free access to a 40'x50' pasture area seeded with a pasture mix and enclosed with chicken wire.
Feed Allocation, Production, and Processing: Feed rates are typical of what the average hen will consume when given free access to pasture forage. We chose a 15% HSM supplementation because some research suggests that higher rates can decrease certain production factors (egg size and laying frequency). We chose weekly mixing as opposed to bulk batch mixing to afford us tighter control on HSM storage conditions and hopefully reduce feed deterioration. We will also be mixing, storing, and testing a batch of feed to determine if feed quality loss in storage is a factor that needs to be considered.
Each mature layer will be allocated a daily ration of 4 ounces of feed. Feed will be removed at day's end, weighed, and the surplus recorded. HSM-modified feed mix will be mixed weekly in 15lb batches with 15% composed of pressed seed meal and the other 85% modified organic layer feed. Wind and Tide Farm will cold-press, grind, outsource quality analysis for protein, fat and cannabinoid concentrations, and deliver HSM. It will be stored in a cool area away from sunlight.
- Production Metrics (Daily) - We chose to analyze these metrics because of their direct relation to profitability for egg producers. If a decrease or increase in consumption and production can be observed in the HSM supplemented groups this will be a key factor in determining the cost viability of HSM use in feed. Because mortality is a significant economic factor, we will be keeping a close watch on health differences between test and control groups. While weather plays a less direct role in egg production, and its effects are harder to analyze, it can still be a contributor and is easily tracked.
- Egg collection and counting per group
- Feed consumption monitoring
- Flock health observations
- Temperature and weather conditions
- Quality Analysis: To be carried out at 0 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks - Egg quality and nutrition content are contributors to price premiums for the average consumer. All of the quality metrics we will be analyzing play a significant role in determining the market value of eggs. While egg shell strength is a less direct influencing factor for end consumers, it does play a significant role in economic feasibility when considering shipping losses.
- Random sampling of 10 eggs per group
- Weight measurements
- Yolk color scoring using a standardized color fan
- Shell strength testing using a digital force gauge
- Laboratory analysis of fatty acid profiles
- Laboratory analysis of the nutritional and cannabinoid profile of hemp seed meal (1 test at 0 weeks, 1 test at 8 weeks
The research portion of the grant was pushed back to May thru July of 2026. The majority of the grant time spent in 2025 was on procuring supplies and equipment and also the installation of said equipment (hoop structures, seed press, chicks, fencing, etc.)
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation summary:
The majority of our education and outreach activities are planned to be completed during the research portion (May thru August) and also in the beginning of 2027. We plan to include:
- Written protocols for farmers
- On-farm tours
- Local farming conference
Time management is critical to small scale farm operations and these avenues allow us to share our findings in an easily accessible and efficient manner. We're also able to reach a large local audience without adding significantly to the burden of the farmers involved in the study.
Learning Outcomes
So far we've learned that the cannabinoid limits placed on hemp seed meal (HSM) used as feed may be a significant barrier for hemp producers to accommodate. Many of the available hemp varieties specifically for seed production fall above the USDA cannabinoid limits. Seed cleaning can reduce cannabinoid levels, but this places an additional financial burden on hemp producers that limits the economic viability of hemp seed meal being used as a feed additive for laying hens.
Testing standards and the availability of those entities performing testing also limits the scale of those looking to enter into hemp seed production to large producers. The USDA is moving towards a more centralized testing system that will hopefully better accommodate smaller producers but that remains to be seen.
Our hope for this year is to gauge public interest in HSM supplemented eggs and determine if the interest could exceed the additional costs of HSM as a feed additive