Source: COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
NATIONAL HEMP RESEARCH & EDUCATION CONFERENCE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1020700
Grant No.
2019-38624-30288
Cumulative Award Amt.
$50,450.00
Proposal No.
2019-04160
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2019
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2021
Grant Year
2019
Program Code
[HW]- Supplemental and Alternative Crops
Recipient Organization
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
FORT COLLINS,CO 80523
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Since the legalization of industrial hemp on a limited basis in 2014 and more broadly in 2018, the hemp industry experienced phenomenal growth. Hemp has multiple uses and the hope is that it will provide an alternative crop to strengthen and diversify producer crop choices and financial performance. However, there are significant gaps in knowledge about hemp and a lack of reliable information about best management practices, markets, and the supply chain. We assembled a multi-disciplinary and geographically diverse team to develop and conduct a national survey and conference to gauge current knowledge and assess research and education needs in hemp breeding, production systems, nutrient and pest management, testing for cannabinoids and heavy metals, economics and marketing, and post-harvest methods, among other topics. We will partner with the hemp industry to develop the questionnaire for the survey, develop the program for the conference, and prioritize the research and education needs. The conference will be held in Ft. Collins, CO in March 2020. Colorado has been a leader in the hemp industry and the Colorado State University Campus in Ft. Collins is an ideal location to gather researchers, extension specialists, regulators, and industry representatives from all over the US for this much needed and timely conference. We will develop a white paper summarizing the conference findings and recommendations and we will publish the conference proceedings and the survey results. We will establish working relationships with the hemp industry and other stakeholders to address some of the priority needs in hemp research and education identified by the conference participants.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
100%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2051730106075%
6011730301025%
Knowledge Area
601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management; 205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1730 - Hemp;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 3010 - Economics;
Goals / Objectives
The objectives of the National Hemp Research & Education Conference (Conference) are to (1) identify gaps in knowledge in hemp cultivation, testing, processing, and market structure, (2) prioritize research and outreach needs, and (3) form partnerships with the hemp industry to develop and carry out programs to address these priorities. As stated in the RFA, this conference will "bring together state-of-the-art technical expertise of experts and the knowledge of customers and stakeholders to what the science needs, research approaches, and effective private-public partnerships that are needed to accelerate the sustainable development of a U.S. industrial hemp industry."
Project Methods
The foundation of this proposal is built upon the collaborations and exchange of research results already established by the S-1084 USDA NIFA Hatch Multistate Research Project entitled "Industrial Hemp Production, Processing, and Marketing in the U.S." Nearly all the current members of this project have endorsed this Conference proposal. We will pursue a two-pronged approach:Presentations and panel and working groups' discussions by hemp researchers, regulators, and industry leaders. We will draw from the target audienceto select and invite speakers and members of panels and working groups. Working groups will focus on well-defined topics. Theseinclude: nutrient management, breeding & genetics, phytoremediation, testing for cannabinoids, heavy metals and pesticides; harvest and post-harvest considerations, pest and disease management, conventional & organic production systems, and supply chain, market and financial implications of hemp production. We will consider hemp for grain, fiber, and CBD production.A national survey to gauge the status of the hemp industry and to identify challenges and opportunities. The results of the survey will be presented at the conference and later, published in peer-reviewed journals. Drs. Irwin Goldman and Shelby Ellison of the University of Wisconsin in Madison will lead this effort.The proposed conference will be held in Ft. Collins, CO, in March 2020. Colorado has been a leader in the resurgence of hemp in the US. Moreover, several industry leaders and companies are based or have a presence in Colorado allowing for greater participation from industry partners.The conference will last two days and immediately following the conference (Day 3), the S-1084 USDA NIFA Hatch Multistate Project will hold its annual meeting to conduct its regular business and to evaluate the conference and ensure that its outcomes are delivered in a timely manner. We will also seek feedback from the conference participants via a thorough evaluation process.

Progress 09/01/19 to 07/06/21

Outputs
Target Audience: S-1084 University faculty, researchers, extension specialists and agents, and students who work on or have an interest in hemp USDA-NIFA, RMA, ERS, ARS Hemp growers, processors, testing laboratories, equipment manufacturers, seed and breeding companies Hemp associations State and federal regulators Hemp consumers Changes/Problems:Originally, we planned to hold the conference in March 2020 in Ft. Collins, CO, butdue to COVID 19, we rescheduled it toAugust 2020. We ended upholding the conference virtually, via Zoom, due tohealth concerns and continued restrictions on travel and assembly. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The conference provided a forum for hemp researchers (including graduate students), educators, regulators, growers, and industry representatives to exchange information, learn from each other, make connections for future collaborations, and identify research needs for the next 3-5 years. It was a highly successful and much needed conference, as evidenced by the participants comments and evaluation of each meeting or webinar. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Direct participation to the virtual conference Conference recordings, some of which were used at virtual field days Refereed journal articles What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we could not meet in person in March or August 2020. Hence, we held the conference virtually. It consisted of seven three- to four-hour weekly Zoom meetings in July and early August 2020.The conference addressed several topics,including hemp economics, marketing, and supply chains; hemp breeding and genetics, seed certification, production practices, pest management, testing and post- harvest considerations, and state and federal regulations.In total, we had 33oral presentations and panel discussions led by hemp research, education, and industry experts. The last Zoom meeting was devoted to focus group discussions about successes, challenges, and research priorities. In addition to presentations, panel discussions, Q&As, and chats, several posters were displayed during the break in meetings 2 through 6. Recordings of the sessions or Zoom meetings are available at http://hemp.agsci.colostate.edu/2020/07/02/national-hemp-research-education-virtual-conference-presentation-recordings/. As a result of this conference, several manuscripts were published inCGC-Bioenergy. Another deliverable isthe national hemp survey that was conducted in late 2019 by the University of Wisconsin in Madison,under the leadership of Dr. Shelby Ellison. Dr. Ellison presented the survey findings at the National Hemp Research & Education Conference (NHREC) on July 1, 2020. The NHREC highlights and recommendations were submitted to USDA-NIFA on October 19, 2020.They show the need to develop (1) stable, adapted, and performant hemp cultivars, (2) best management practices for growing, harvesting, and processing hemp, (3) markets and supply chains for hemp products and byproducts,(4) acceptable standards to sample, test, process, formulate, and markethemp products, and (5) more consistent,clear, and reasonable regulation that makes it feasibleto grow hemp in the US andtakes into account the different hemp market classes (e.g.,seed, fiber or CBD/other cannabinoids).To facilitate hemp breeding, a hemp gene bank is in the works. Moreover, USDA was considering granting exemptions to hemp breeders and researchers to be able to work with hemp germplasm that exceeds the THC legal limit of 0.3%. The conference also highlighted theneed for more funding and greater collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Kolodinsky, Jane; Lacasse, Hannah GCB. Consumer Response to Hemp: A Case Study of Vermont Residents from 2019 to 2020 - Bioenergy, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2021.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ellison, Shelby. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Research Priorities: Opinions from United States Hemp Stakeholders. GCB - Bioenergy, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2021
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Stack, George; Toth, Jacob; Carlson, Craig; Cala, Ali; Marrero, Mariana; Wilk, Rebecca; Gentner, Deanna; Crawford, Jamie; Philippe, Glenn; Rose, Jocelyn ; Viands, Donald; Smart, Christine; Smart, Lawrence. Season-Long Characterization of High-Cannabinoid Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Reveals Variation in Cannabinoid Accumulation, Flowering Time, and Disease Resistance. GCB - Bioenergy, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2021.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Rheay, Hanah; Omondi, Emmanuel; Brewer, Catherine. Potential of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) for Paired Phytoremediation and Bioenergy Production. GCB - Bioenergy, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2021.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wylie, Sarah; Ristvey, Andrew; Fiorellino, Nicole. Fertility Management for Industrial Hemp Production: Current Knowledge and Future Research Needs. GCB - Bioenergy, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2021.


Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20

Outputs
Target Audience: S-1084 University faculty, researchers, extension specialists and agents, and students who work on or have an interest in hemp USDA-NIFA, RMA, ERS, ARS Hemp growers, processors, testing laboratories, equipment manufacturers, seed and breeding companies Hemp associations State and federal regulators Hemp consumers Changes/Problems:Originally, we planned to hold the conference in March 2020 in Ft. Collins, CO. However, due to COVID 19, we rescheduled it for August, but because of health concerns and continued restrictions on travel and assembly, we moved the conference to a virtual format. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The conference provided a forum for hemp researchers, educators, regulators, growers, andindustry representatives to exchange information, learn from each other, make connections for future collaborations, andidentify research needs for the next 3-5 years. The conference team, which consisted of myself (PI) and 10faculty from nine land grant universities held numerous virtual meetings to plan for the conference and to lead or moderate the various Zoom meetings. We were assisted by one graduate student, Brian Mitchell, and one administrative assistant, Monique Mull of Colorado State University (CSU). Despite a few technical glitches at the beginning, the virtual conference was highly successful, as attested by the participants feedback. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Direct participation to the virtual conference Conference recordings, some of which were used at virtual field days Refereed journal articles, which are under review. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Summarize the conference highlights and main findings and list the manuscripts that were accepted for publication in CGC Bioenergy.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we could not meet in person in March or August 2020. Hence, we held the conference virtually. It consisted of seven three- to four-hour weekly Zoom meetings in July and early August 2020. The conference addressed several topics, including hemp economics, marketing, and supply chains; hemp breeding and genetics, seed certification, production practices, pest management, testing and post- harvest considerations, and state and federal regulations. In total, we had 33 oral presentations and panel discussions led by hemp research, education, and industry experts. The last Zoom meeting was devoted to focus group discussions about successes, challenges, and research priorities. In addition to presentations, panel discussions, Q&As, and chats, several posters were displayed during the break in meetings 2 through 6. Recordings of the sessions or Zoom meetings are available at http://hemp.agsci.colostate.edu/2020/07/02/national-hemp-research-education-virtual-conference-presentation-recordings/. As a result of this conference, several manuscripts have been submitted to CGC Bioenergy for review and publication. Another deliverable is the national hemp survey that was conducted in late 2019 by the University of Wisconsin in Madison, under the leadership of Dr. Shelby Ellison.

Publications