Exploration of Fiber Hemp Production and Quality

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: hemp

Practices

• Animal Production: feed/forage
• Crop Production: fertilizers
• Education and Training: extension, on-farm/ranch research
• Production Systems: organic agriculture

Western Wisconsin has moved from a major forage producing region to a continuous row crop producing region, mainly a corn/soybean rotation.  Adding a new environmentally friendly and economically viable crop such as industrial hemp to the traditional corn-soybean rotation improves the sustainability of our soil and water resources. Industrial Hemp research and educational programming was conducted in 2022-2024 through partnerships with farms in Chippewa and Buffalo counties and with the Ho-Chunk Nation located near Monroe County. Research and education of industrial hemp for grain and fiber helped determine if the crop could be incorporated into an existing conventional crop rotation.

Farmers and partners were interested in basic agronomic needs industrial hemp to help with production management decisions. Industrial hemp on-farm research trials focused nitrogen application rates, variety evaluation, and planting date to determine initial production yield and input benchmarks. On-farm research was conducted on three Western Wisconsin farms with three different soil types and three different production systems.  Soil types and systems included a non-irrigated sandy soil with a conventional tillage system (Chippewa County), an eroded, productive silt loam ridgetop soil in a no-till system (Buffalo County), and highly productive loamy soil in an organic system (Ho-Chunk Nation).  All plots were used a random block design with four replications. Different trials were held different years depending on partnership availability.

A new variable investigated in 2023 was planting date. Observations from 2019-2022 have shown a mid-June planting date for hemp has resulted in good stands and yields. Grain yield was also measured for the first time in 2023 across two of the locations. Variables measured in 2023 and 2024 included varieties, planting date, tillage systems, and nitrogen rate application. Data collected included biomass, fiber yield, grain yield, and forage quality. Farm partners have interest in fiber hemp as an emergency forage crop, which is common in parts of Europe and is currently not legal in the United States. Forage quality analysis was only measured through lab testing and not fed to any livestock or as part of any other research study.

Variety trial and forage quality analysis was  conducted on the Ho-Chunk Nation Whirling Thunder Farm only in 2022 as changes in staff in 2023 limited research implementation and data collection. Variety trials occurred in Buffalo County in 2022 and 2023. Tillage trials were implemented in Buffalo County only in 2023. Variety trials, nitrogen application rate study, and planting date study were completed in Chippewa County from 2022-2024. 

The major objectives of this project are listed below.  Each of the ag professional partners will be responsible for specific objectives.

1. Evaluate fiber and grain hemp varieties to determine performance in Wisconsin soils and growing conditions.
   1. Fiber and grain hemp varieties were evaluated at all three locations in 2022.
   2. Fiber and grain hemp varieties were evaluated at Buffalo and Chippewa County in 2023 and 2024
2. Identify proper planting dates for fiber and grain to meet potential industry needs.
   1. Planting date trials were held in 2023 and 2024 at the Chippewa County location.
3. Evaluate environmental impact (soil loss, soil nitrogen movement) of industrial hemp in crop rotations.
   1. Soil loss measurements were calculated using the Soil Nutrient Application Program (SNAP-Plus) software program.
   2. Soil loss measurements were used with a traditional corn-soybean-alfalfa crop rotation with industiral hemp added to the rotation.
   3. Conventional and no-till systems were used to evaluate fiber production in Buffalo County in 2023.
4. Measure fiber hemp forage quality as a potential ruminant animal feedstuff (lab analysis only).
   1. Fiber hemp forage quality samples were taken in 2022 from select varieties at all three locations.
5. Begin a fiber hemp cost of production database as a guide for Midwest farmers.
   1. A database was not initiated due to staff changes. A cost of production spreadsheet was developed to assist growers with basic input costs and revenue estimates.
6. Evaluate nitrogen application rates and fiber yield.
   1. Nitrogen application rates were evaluated at the Chippewa County location in 2023 and 2024.
   2. Four nitrogen rates were used on one variety in 2023 and two varieties in 2024.