Hemp project is innovation at its finest

Yuma leading way in possible new niche market

When organizations think outside the box, fascinating things happen.

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yuma County does that regularly, and one of their newest studies is especially interesting.

The extension is conducting a research trial to grow industrial hemp and harvest it … as a leafy green.

Yuma is known for its ability to grow leafy greens. Our farmers dominate the salad world every winter, growing 90% of the lettuce, spinach, spring mix and more, keeping salad bowls filled across the nation.

Industrial hemp is an emerging market, and one that has tremendous potential, especially here.

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 made this possible. It essentially separated hemp out from marijuana and the Controlled Substances Act, allowing it to become an agricultural commodity.

Yuma has a variety of advantages on this emerging market. Thanks to our leafy green history, we have the infrastructure necessary to try this out, from food safety programs, harvesting, irrigation and fields to the expertise of our farming community.

In fact, for this Yuma test project, the extension is planting 17 varieties of hemp, trying out different options to see what works best. The crop will be ready for harvest 20 days later.

The question isn’t “Can we do it?” – because the answer to that is a resounding yes.

The real question is, “Does it taste good, and will consumers purchase it?”

And, readers, that’s where you get to take part in this project.

When the crop is ready, Yumans are invited to attend a drive-through tasting event at the UA-Yuma Agricultural Center to sample the varieties and cast your vote on the best taste and texture.

Kudos to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yuma County for this innovative project. This might be a unique novelty item in grocery stores in the near future, or it might give spinach a run for its money. Either way, it’s amazing that it’s getting its start here in Yuma!

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