Educational industrial hemp production seminars set for January

Meetings planned in Abilene, Big Spring, San Angelo

The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service will hold three educational seminars in January on industrial hemp production.

The cost is $10 per meeting for the public and is complimentary for Agrilife employees. Participants may register and pay at the door.

On Jan. 6, the Agrilife Extension office of Taylor County will host a meeting at 8:30 a.m., with registration at 8 a.m. at 1982 Lytle Way in Abilene.

Later that same day, a meeting at the Agrilife Extension office of Howard County will start at 1:30 p.m., with registration at 1 p.m. at 2411 Echols Drive in Big Spring.

On Jan. 22, the Agrilife Extension office of Tom Green County will host a meeting at 8:30 a.m., with registration at 8 a.m. The event will be held at the Tom Green 4-H building at 3168 U.S. Highway 67 in San Angelo.

“Texas hemp production will become legal at some point in 2020,” said Calvin Trostle, PH.D., Agrilife Extension agronomist, Lubbock. “When depends on how quickly the Texas Department of Agriculture can review and issue licenses once USDA approves Texas rules. But anyone who may be interested in growing hemp needs to be prepared. You would be ill-advised to wait until you receive your license to begin preparation.”

Agrilife Extension does not support or oppose hemp, explained Trostle.

“We are here to help educate our clientele and provide them the resources and knowledge to make informed decisions about hemp,” he said.

Trostle said Texas A&M Agrilife has been commended for its realistic assessment during meetings with potential growers, as well as through written and video materials produced to educate the public about potential pitfalls and possibilities within the new industry.

“As Texans well know, there is a lot of hype around the CBD aspect of hemp,” Trostle said. “But prices are now at their lowest since agricultural hemp production was initiated about five years ago. Prices are down as much as 70% since earlier this year. This substantially curtails all those unbelievable per-acre revenues that some earlier adopters report having achieved.”

Seminar speakers will include Trostle and Bill Thompson, Agrilife Extension economist, and Reagan Noland, Agrilife Extension agronomist, both of San Angelo.

Topics covered will include: – The background of industrial hemp.

– Opportunities in industrial hemp for fiber, grain and CBD.

– Common questions about hemp production.

– Major issues surrounding planting and poor planting seed quality.

– Preliminary agronomic considerations for production.

– What the anticipated Texas Department of Agriculture rules will be.

– Economic considerations and risks.

– Q&A about industrial hemp.