Hemp fields on the horizon

By Brandie Majeau 
Whether you recognize it by sight or by smell as you pass by, hemp fields are still a crop
that catches attention.  While they have been on the rise in Alberta in the past few years, many
people are still surprised by their increasing presence in central Alberta.  Small communities
that were known largely for canola, wheat, barley, and oats are now finding many fellow
farmers adding hemp to their field rotation.  Why hemp? 
 With the legalization of cannabis, the door was opened for farmers to begin harvesting
hemp flowers for CBD oil.  This is a prevalent and well-known topic among consumers. 
However, there is a larger industrial base and demand for its cultivation and harvest.  The
products for industrial hemp range from paper, textiles, fabrics, home furnishings, construction
materials, animal feed and bedding.  The oil is also used in many products, such as cosmetics
and other beauty and wellness goods.  The diverse uses make the hemp crop so desirable. 
Second only to bamboo as a land-grown crop, hemp provides a huge biomass yield.   As we
enter the uncertainty of climate change, plants with these unique properties and such a variety
of uses are sought after in the industry. 
So why Alberta?  While hemp has been growing in southern Alberta for decades, many
farmers in central Alberta are adding it to their rotation.  It is thought that the hemp crop can
provide a break in traditional crop rotations to manage disease and pests.  There is also the
added bonus that hemp can survive in dry conditions based on its root system, which grows
deep in the soil, 45-90 cm.  The seedlings and mature plants also have the ability to tolerate
light frost, and hemp can be seeded up until the end of June.  The plants are known for their
short growth periods.  This suits our Alberta growing season.  We generally have plenty of
summer sunshine, which helps the hemp plant thrive, and enough time to allow it to do so in
our unpredictable Alberta weather and growing season. 
It is intriguing to watch the growth and development of industrial hemp, not only in
Canada but in our own backyard.  The Alberta Hemp Alliance states on its webpage, “Hemp is
the second fastest growing plant on the planet, is a superfood, can produce 50 000 products, is
biodegradable, sequesters C02 and CH4 and produces superior manufactured products.  Hemp
will play a key role in building a green and diverse economy.”  In anticipation of the harvest, feel
free to birdwatch.  Since the mature hemp seed pods shatter easily and hemp is a great bird
seed, the Government of Alberta’s Guide to Growing Hemp in Alberta states that when birds
are noticed, harvest should begin.