An introduction to growing hemp in Indiana

Abstract

<p>History has shown that hemp has potential as a valuable crop for human civilization, and it has been grown for centuries across the globe. Starting in 2021, it's now legal to grow hemp commercially in Indiana. This Creative Component provides an educational walk-through for agricultural students and growers alike who would like to better understand the plant known as industrial hemp (<em>Cannabis sativa</em>). A learning module will be a beneficial tool to help educate and train what a potential grower needs to address prior to putting the first hemp seed in Indiana soil. Farmers, for thousands of years, have grown and bred hemp for many different uses. Hemp is a fascinating plant that can be used in many important commercial products, and some can be very profitable. Today, hemp is grown globally and farmers in the United States would like to see our hemp industry revitalized. More research and understanding are needed to make hemp an economically viable addition to a farmer’s rotation again. The prohibition of the past decades will require local support to spur the growth of this new industry. As an additional commodity crop, hemp will provide healthy alternatives that are economically and environmentally sound to our agricultural future, but it will be crucial to properly educate a misinformed public on the benefits of growing hemp as a new and viably sound crop. More importantly, and the purpose of this module is to show how a local grower could start growing hemp in the Midwest: specifically, in Indiana.</p>