Hemp farming is a booming business, but a relatively new one thanks to changes in hemp legislation. It can be hard to navigate common hemp farming problems when everyone is still finding their groove.
Hemp is technically one of the oldest cultivated crops on earth. Evidence can be found of hemp being farmed for over 10,000 years. Unfortunately, due to modern legislation on hemp farming, we are only just starting to get back into cultivating this wonder crop.
5 Common Hemp Farming Problems (and their solutions!)
Insurance
Many hemp farmers have huge obstacles before they even plant a seed.
Insurance premiums for hemp crops can be up to four times the amount as any other crop. Make sure to shop around for the best deal and that you have that cost built into your budget to avoid surprises.
Low-quality crops
Your planned end product will determine what type of plant you'll cultivate. Some hemp plants like CBD require very precise irrigation and nutrients to achieve the best results.
You'll also need to keep an eye on the gender of your plants in relation to your final product. If you're growing grain or fiber it's not as important, but if your end product is CBD, you may want to cultivate only female plants to avoid pollination problems.
Your Industrial Hemp can be Mistaken
Due to the well-known jagged leaves and unique aroma, it's not unheard of to get a visit from your local law enforcement when your crop is flowering. You may also consider putting up signage to educate uninformed passers-by who may be in search of something more recreational.
Crop Processing challenges
Once your fast-growing crop has been harvested and baled, what do you do with it? It will need to be broken down into its various commodities and time can definitely be a factor.
If you were growing hemp for CBD oil, green microfibre, seeds or feedstock, you'll need those bales processed while they're still fresh/green and before they dry out. If you were aiming for bast fiber or hurd, you can process your bales once they've dried.
The HempTrain™ Advanced Processing Plant can actually process green/fresh or dry bales and can break down your crop into multiple high-value commodities with little waste. This can increase your income and decrease your operating costs, which honestly, you deserve. You worked hard enough to grow that amazing crop.
Insects & Mold
Hemp growers often battle mold, caterpillars and aphids as some of the most common hemp farming pests.
Many types of moth and butterfly larvae adore hemp plants. They tunnel down into hemp flower buds, eating out the centers and leaving behind copious amounts of caterpillar feces, which creates mould.
They can be hard to control, but the appropriate insecticide applied when they are still small can be very effective
Buying mold-resistant plants and seeds are the best bet against mold issues. Prune infected plants as soon as you notice the powdery mildew and quarantine or discard severely infected plants. Clearing away plant stubble from your fields after harvest is a good sanitation practice and can help prevent mold.
These are all common hemp farming problems, but they also have fairly simple solutions. As the hemp farming industry grows, so will its knowledge base for solving these issues. Just know that you're not alone in your searches.
Are you looking for more hemp farming tips? Check out these links:
- CGT Hemp Products Division Acquired by Prominent Business Group
- CGT will be at NoCo Hemp Expo in Denver, CO
- HempTrain™ Hurd to be Used in MUSHROOM Packaging®
About Canadian Greenfield Technologies Corp.
CGT is an award-winning Calgary-based engineering & manufacturing company specializing in hemp products and processing technologies. An off-shoot of an international-award-winning industry group in business since 1987, CGT is an industry leader with unparalleled expertise in hemp processing and the only supplier of complete whole-plant hemp processing facilities in North America, having developed, designed, engineered, and manufactured the state-of-the-art HempTrain™ Advanced Processing Plant.
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