Hemp Production in Nebraska

University of Nebraska-Lincoln researcher Ismail Dweikat examines industrial hemp being grown in eastern Nebraska research plots.

For information and recommendations on hemp production in Nebraska, please see the CropWatch articles and related resources below.

UNL Resources

Hemp Production in Nebraska
Hemp Production for Fiber or Grain
Hemp Production for CBD
Applying for Industrial Hemp Production in Nebraska
Industrial Hemp Production (Hemp 101 - Everything You Wanted to Know), a PDF of a presentation by Ismail Dweikat, a professor in the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Promotion of new class on Cannabis Production and Breeding Basics — Interested in adding hemp to your crop rotations? This six-week spring course with Ellen Paparozzi and Ismail Dweikat, professors in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, offers key information to get started.

Additional Resources

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture Hemp Program website has information on

testing site applications and process;
hemp pesticide list; and
LB657, the Nebraska legislative bill allowing hemp crop production which was signed into law on May 2019.
Purdue Industrial Hemp Project: biology and botany, agriculture basics, uses, and business development

Doane University is offering an online three-course Professional Cannabis Certification Program, Cannabis Science and Industries: Seeds to Needs."

Insect Management

Insect Management Considerations in Hemp Production, published by Colorado State University
Developing Insect Pest Management Systems for Hemp in the United States: A Work in Progress, Whitney Cranshaw, Melissa Schreiner, Kadie Britt, Thomas Kuhar, John McPartland, and Jerome Grant in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, August 28, 2019.

Disease Management

Kentucky Hemp Disease, a scientific look at diseaes of Kentucky hemp, including data from a greenhouse trial of susceptibility to powdery mildew and a fungicide trial.
Root Diseases Prevalent in Industrial Hemp, North Carolina State University Extension
Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbook with sections on Olive Leaf Spot in Hemp (Cannabis sativa) and Powdery Mildew in Hemp (Cannabis sativa)

Economics

Industrial Hemp Production, a Pennsylvania State University resource with budget worksheets for fiber and grain production

In the News

Hemp Pitfalls and Promise: Alarm Sounded by Midwest Grower, published by AgWeb Sept. 5, 2019

Hemp plants — Historical industrial hemp reports for Nebraska are available at USDA.

Nebraska Hemp Acreage in 2022

April 26, 2023

Industrial hemp acreage in Nebraska was up 15% in 2022, according to USDA NASS.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to Conduct Hemp Survey

January 19, 2023

The 2022 hemp production survey will collect information on the total planted and harvested area, yield, production, and value of hemp in the United States in 2022.

Wheat field — The 2021 Nebraska Crop Production Clinics will feature live presentations on research updates and information tailored to regional crop issues and grower interests via Zoom for nine days throughout January.

Extension Crop Production Clinics Going Virtual in January

December 16, 2020

The 2021 Nebraska Crop Production Clinics will feature research updates and information tailored to regional crop issues and grower interests in a new online format this year.

Industrial Hemp Tolerance to Flame Weeding

November 30, 2020

Hemp exhibited relatively good tolerance to heat from propane flaming. Temporary injury could be considered acceptable since it was only at the base of the plants and lasted only for about two weeks.

Industrial Hemp Tolerance to Late-POST Herbicides

November 18, 2020

Hemp exhibited high level of sensitivity to most of the tested herbicides. Visual injury levels ranged from almost no injury (~5%) with only one herbicide, to some temporary injury (~20%) with a few herbicides and severe injury or death (60%-93%) with about 10 out of 18 herbicides tested.

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