“Crops grown in rotation with hemp have been shown to have both less weed pressure and up to 10-20% increased yields in subsequent crops such as corn, soybeans, tobacco, and wheat.”
“Executive Summary
Hemp is an increasingly popular bast fiber which can improve soil health with its long tap root, support biodiversity, suppress weeds, and increase yields among subsequent crops – all while being low-input. After decades of being prohibited for production in countries around the world, few conventional pesticides are currently authorized for use on the crop (see section 6). But if hemp production expands, that could change as the crop becomes more widely available to pests.
In this report, Textile Exchange looks at the production of hemp fiber in countries around the world in both leading and “up and coming” production regions. We also found that biological pesticides are to date the primary pesticides permitted for use although several conventional pesticides – including some considered “Highly Hazardous” – have been approved. We learned that the processing of hemp to the Organic Content Standard and the Global Organic Textile Standard is primarily undertaken in China, India, Portugal, and Turkey. Lastly, we identified several standards that could be used to substantiate sustainability claims regarding how the crop is grown.
It’s important to note that, given the relative infancy of the hemp industry, there is limited information supporting several of the production sustainability claims regarding the crop’s attributes and even identifying where and how much fiber hemp is grown internationally. We urge that as the fiber hemp sector expands, significant improvements be made to undertake and make public traceable information that supports such statements and identifies production information. This would include increased research to substantiate claims, improved tracking of production to benchmark trends and facilitate sourcing, and entities becoming certified to standards that set high standards for production practices while providing a chain of custody from the field to the finished product.
Perhaps most importantly, we urge governments, industry, institutions, and farmers alike to avoid allowing conventional pesticides and synthetic fertilizers to become the norm in hemp production – as has already become the case with several major crops in the US. We have the opportunity to consciously determine how this crop should be grown, thoughtfully reinventing the agricultural wheel.
We invite the hemp sector to join together and with us as we collectively navigate fiber hemp’s future.”
Download the PDF: https://textileexchange.org/app/uploads/2023/04/Growing-Hemp-for-the-Future-1.pdf