Situation: What prompted the program? Response: 

Hemp was reintroduced to the Kentucky agricultural landscape in 2014.   Interest in hemp has continued to grow from 2014 to 2019 with 20 growers and 9 processors in 2014 in Kentucky growing to 978 and 200, respectively in 2019.   Most growers had never grown hemp (or were new to farming in general, having come in to grow hemp) needed information on best management practices for this crop.  Certified organic production is seen as environmentally sound, has benefits to natural nutrient cycling and soil health, and organic products generate higher profits for producers.   Consumers interested in hemp health supplements are concerned with product quality and safety in this new crop.  Certified organic production provides consumers with reassurance in how the product was produced.  Certified organic production offers both consumers and producers benefits in this new industry there4fore adoption of organic hemp production is of interest to Kentucky stakeholders.       

How did Extension respond? (inputs and outputs) 

The Kentucky State University Organic Program researched organic hemp in variety trials at KSU is 2018 and 2019.  Hemp was also studied in organic crop rotations.  This work built on previous foundational work in hemp done in 2016 and 2017 (and prior to the current PI’s employment at KSU).  Outreach efforts took information gained from these studies and other studies in KY and nationwide, as well as information derived from Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Hemp Industries Association, and the Organic Association of Kentucky disseminated information on organic hemp production.  in 2019-2020 these efforts were primarily through poster presentations (1), oral presentations (15), and field days (3).        

Results: Who benefited? What resulted? (outcomes) 

Many Kentucky stakeholders and national stakeholders benefited from these outreach efforts.  These efforts reached approximately 2400 contacts in Kentucky and 790 nationally, not including follow-up and indirect contacts after materials and presentation recordings were made available online.  People who benefited from outreach included farmers, consumers, industry representatives, trade associations, and other researchers.  Interest in and adoption of organic practices for hemp production has resulted from work of this program.  

Evidence: What’s the evidence? (evaluation)

Evidence from presentation feed back at conferences like the Organic Association of Kentucky Conference and the Southern Hemp Expo has indicated that stakeholders valued the information provided.  Additionally this specialist has been asked to serve on advisory boards for Organic Association of Kentucky and the Kentucky Hemp industries association based positive feedback on the outputs above.    Finally and perhaps most important, the KSU organic program has worked directly with 12 of the 31 certified organic hemp operations in Kentucky (see https://organic.ams.usda.gov/integrity/) and several of these operations (including Beyond the Bridge Organic Farm, Derby City Extracts, Madison Hemp and Flax, and Issac Smoker) decided to adopt organic practices, in part, in response to their connection to the KSU Organic program.  Several of these growers worked together in 2019 to found the Kentucky Organic Hemp Cooperative, and the specialist from KSU serves on the advisory board for that organization.   We anticipate future adoption of oranic hemp production in Kentucky as the market deveops and stabilizes.