Industrial Hemp Production
One of the first plants spun into fiber thousands of years ago is making a comeback.
Beginning in 2020, hemp production is legal in the United States under the guidance of each individual state. Muscatine Community College has developed a new diploma program to provide the training needed to succeed in this developing area. The one-year program puts students on the cutting edge of this new field.
In the program, students will learn how to grow, harvest, process and market industrial hemp. Hemp is a versatile plant, perfect for small farms, those with an entrepreneurial spirit, or as an additional source of income on larger farms. Its uses include food from hemp seed, fiber from hemp stalks, and oil from the flowers and seeds. Products currently made with hemp include body care, textiles, insulation, paper, rope, molded plastics, animal bedding, paint, health food and more.
Hemp offers the potential for significantly higher per acre incomes for producers compared to corn and soybeans, and the industry as a whole is expected to see an explosion of growth in the coming years. Hemp could also offer a realistic way to expand the family farm and be able to financially support additional family members.
Students in the program will complete three specific hemp-related courses, along with others already taught in the college’s long-established agriculture curriculum. Topics covered include rules and regulations governing the industry, growing stages of the plant from seed to harvest, and post-harvest processing.
To learn more about this exciting new program visit eicc.edu/growhemp
