INDIANAPOLIS – The executive director of the Midwest Hemp Council (MHC) hopes to see slow and steady growth in hemp production, infrastructure and markets.

Moving too quickly, Jamie Campbell Petty noted, could result in too much product without markets in place or without the infrastructure to get it where it needs to go. Processing facilities need to be up and running, as does a supply chain.

“We have to be patient and thoughtful,” Jamie Campbell Petty said. “We need to plan, connect and collaborate. We are giving birth to an industry; it’s slow and it’s painful.”

MHC was formed in 2018. The organization’s stated mission is “to stand as a credible information center, a trusted policy advocate and a dedicated forum for the hemp industry in Indiana and beyond.” MHC has about 300 members in 22 states.

There are three types of hemp – grain for food products and cosmetics; cannabinoids, including CBD and CBG; and fiber for textiles and industrial applications. MHC focuses on all three.

The 2018 farm bill allowed for the commercial production of hemp and removed it from the controlled substances list. In 2019 and 2020, Hoosier farmers could plant commercial hemp if they worked with a university-employed researcher. This year, the growing of hemp in the state will be fully commercial for the first time. Growers and handlers will not need to work with a researcher.

Over the past few years, when corn and soybean prices were low, some farmers were drawn to hemp production, Petty said. “People were scrambling to supplement (their incomes) and looking for something new. The timing was there. Farmers were very anxious for diversification.”

For 2019, Petty recommended to interested growers they plant no more than 40 acres of hemp. “They shouldn’t grow more than they can afford to use,” she explained. “Before you get involved, before you head down the path of monetary commitment, please get engaged to ensure you have, at your fingertips, the information you need. Find a team, find a network. And know you won’t be successful overnight.”

While cannabinoids have somewhat stolen the hemp spotlight, there is potential for good markets for grain and fiber, Petty said. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into the possibility of using grain hemp in animal feed.

As for fiber hemp, there could be opportunities in animal bedding and the recreational vehicle, textile and automobile industries.

“You have to have the infrastructure in place,” she stated. “Ideally, you’d have a processor within a 100-mile radius. Companies are looking to source domestically.”

MHC offers a free podcast and newsletter through its website, www.midwesthempcouncil.com. On May 13, it will host a Spring Soiree at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis. Attendees will have opportunities for networking and will receive updates on the recent legislative session. The cost is $25 for MHC members and $50 for non-members. Registration information is available on the website.

In mid-July, MHC will host a Fiber Forum & Field Day. In early December, the organization’s conference – Hemp at the Crossroads – is planned. Registration and event information is also available on the website.