Coordinated Research

Industrial Hemp Pilot Project Expands to On-Farm Trials

- TORY MOORE

AS THE UF/IFAS INDUSTRIAL HEMP PILOT PROJECT moves into its second year, on-farm research trials begin with commercial growers across the state.

Twenty farms across 12 Florida counties were selected for the UF/IFAS on-farm trials. These farms are in different agricultural regions to provide a variety of conditions to study the growth and success of hemp across the state.

The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Extension team and the UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project Advisory Group made up the 20-member panel that reviewed grower applications. Reviewers looked for farmers that could plant a hemp field, execute a coordinated field experiment, and share their farming knowledge to support the establishment of a hemp industry in Florida.

“When choosing growers, we looked carefully at each application to evaluate what each grower could bring to the project and if they could satisfy the objectives of the coordinated trial while meeting the required security measures,” said Zachary Brym, UF/IFAS agronomy assistant professor and hemp pilot project coordinator.