Logan Campbell

Tim

College writing 1

11/7/21

Hemp farms

Many different things impact the farming industry such as supply, yield rates, demand for

products and many others. One specific thing has been impacting the farming industry as a whole

and that is hemp farming. In 2018 the farm bill legalized hemp farming in the United States of

America. Hemp farmers have been making a living on this new cash crop for the past few years,

but many things come into play. What will the market for hemp look like in the future, how does

this new crop impact grain farmers, is it all too good to be true?

The new rise of Hemp farming comes with a slew of regulations. Hemp is a variety or

strain of the Cannabis Sativa plant, which many know as the marijuana plant. There are

differences between the hemp plant and the commonly known marijuana plant though, for

instance, hemp lacks the ingredient “tetrahydrocannabinol” also known as THC. THC is the

main psychoactive drug found in marijuana. CBD is the main chemical compound found in

hemp plants. CBD does not have physiological effects on you (it doesn't make you “high”).

Hemp is a commonly found substance in many things that you use everyday. Hemp is used to

make rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel. Hemp is

harvested like other cash crops. “These types of equipment and assets are both expensive (they

create high fixed costs) and have a moderately high level of “asset specificity” (they are not

easily deployable for other uses).” (James A. Sterns et al. 2). Hemp farmers need specialized
combines to harvest the crop, along with planters, disks, plows, tractors, and other farm

equipment. This makes for a serious commitment that many people will not take. 

In 2018 Congress passed the farm bill that finally legalized industrial production of

hemp. 

“Since the last farm bill however,states have been authorized to conduct research plots under

strict university-sponsored guidelines. But since recreational marijuana has won legalization in a

handful of states, hemp farming, though prohibited by federal law, began to stoke the interest of

mainstream farmers who were looking to cash in on the promising crop.” (Logan Hawks et al,

19)

There are still many regulations for hemp farming. With the amount of strict regulations

many farmers have opted out of starting with hemp. This is understandable because if you don't

comply with some regulations, you will be charged with a felony. For some farmers across

America this is too much of a risk. This was a huge decision for Congress to make, even now in

2021 there are still new regulations coming about regarding the production of industrial hemp. 

Many things about the hemp industry can affect future generations of farms. If the

industrial hemp industry grows to be big enough, smaller family farms across the country will be

forced to sell their land. If it wasn't for the small family farms, farming would not be the way it is

today. ΅between 1987 and 2012, the percentage of all U.S. cropland on farms with at least 2,000

acres more than doubled, from 15 percent to 36 percent. What that means is that big farms have

gotten bigger and become even more significant players in the industry. Their expansion has

come at the expense of small- and mid-sized farms.” (Andrew Sorgel, et al, 2) even without big

industrial hemp farming in the United States, small farms are still struggling in america. If the

market for hemp crashes, there will be huge consequences. Firstly, when the market does crash,
big farms will be pushed to sell the crop land. Next, smaller farmers will not be able to purchase

the farmland because of the constantly rising land prices. Then, housing development companies

will buy the land in hopes of expanding yet another housing development. All of this being said,

farming america can be in huge trouble if hemp becomes a bigger industry than it is now. 

The solution to this problem is to stop the spread of hemp farming. It is too risky for

America to take steps in that direction. Instead of hemp farming, there should be more sheep or

alpaca farms to make yarn and other clothes instead of making it out of hemp. For food, America

should turn towards the meat markets or farmers markets for produce like lettuce, carrots, and

other veggies. People shouldn't rely on this mariguana plant for everyday essentials. There are

people in America that are working their tails off to feed America and this plant takes all of that

away from them. Hemp should not be industrialized like it is going to be. 

In Conclusion, Hemp may be a product that many people use but it is too good to be true.

The market for hemp will not be as great in the future like people think it will be. It is difficult to

get started in the industry and takes lots of money to start and keep going. Hemp is making grain

farmers obsolete but it will come with a cost. When grain farmers go out of business, livestock

farmers will too. Farmers cannot keep feeding america like they have for hundreds of years if

industrial hemp comes into the picture.

Soergel, Andrew. “Family Farms Pushed to Get Big or Go Bust.” U.S. News - The Report, Apr.

2018, pp. C17–C19. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=aph&AN=128949932&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
“Legalization of Hemp Farming.” Congressional Digest, vol. 98, no. 2, Feb. 2019, p. 31.

EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=aph&AN=134395125&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

HART, JOHN. “Industrial Hemp Growers Waiting for Official USDA Regulations.” Southeast

Farm Press, vol. 46, no. 18, Oct. 2019, pp. 18–20. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=138957952&site=ehost-

live&scope=site.

Sterns, James A. “Is the Emerging U.S. Hemp Industry Yet Another Boom-Bust Market for U.S.

Farmers?” Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm & Resource Issues, vol. 34, no. 3, Aug-

Oct2019 3rd Quarter 2019, pp. 1–8. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=ulh&AN=139620175&site=src_ic-live.

HUGULEY, SHELLEY E. “Texas Hemp Production: A Year in Review.” Southwest Farm

Press, vol. 48, no. 2, Jan. 2021, pp. 16–17. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=aph&AN=148412153&site=src_ic-live.