b'Hemp Variety Trial ProjectTo allow farmers the option to grow hemp for fibre, research was required on the best hemp varieties suited for fibre production through a variety trial project. The value-added research project was meant to identify hemp varieties to add to Health Canadas List of Approved Cultivars. It was led by CRHC in collaboration with the University of Alberta, Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA),Albertas hemp industry is in Alberta Hemp Alliance (AHA) and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. The total cost of the project was more than $1.5 million.the early stages of emerging The project evaluated multiple types, as well as new varieties toand its success will be based Canada, in order to evaluate which varieties had the best field and processing results, Clinton Dobson, executive director of researchon the investment attraction at Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), states in an email.of processing capacity. RDAR provided funding support the variety trials.The project has now been completed with the resultsClinton Dobsoncontributing to the addition of new high-performing fibre varieties to Health Canadas List of Approved Cultivators and research-based evidence showing which varieties are better for fibre production in Alberta, says Dobson.Not only did this research project provide support for farmers on whether to include hemp in their crop rotations, Dobson adds theguidance, in-crop management, post-harvest soil analysis, and data generated has expanded the knowledge pertaining to seeding,detailed assessments of harvesting and decortication processes. fertilizing, harvesting, and processing hemp fibre. CRHC took responsibility for all harvest-related activities, Research areas and priorities included enhanced productivity,including cutting, tedding, raking, and baling, with the resulting profitability, and competitiveness; extension and knowledgebales transported to our processing facility located in Bruderheim transfer; market demands including quality, value-added products,for decortication, adds Barr.and diversification; and sustainable and responsible agriculturalCRHC arent the only ones working to grow the Alberta hemp production. industry. AHA is also focused on helping to create a strong, competitive, and diversified hemp industry in the province.Fostering Sustainable Hemp Production ThroughHemp offers producers an opportunity to capitalize on Fibre Processing diversification with a high-value crop alternative, Russ Crawford, Growing hemp for fibre production isnt just about providingan AHA member and past president of CHTA, says in an email. farmers with more monetary options for hemp, but also allowingIt is a superior crop with respect to the environmental impact for sustainable hemp production. In an interview, CRHC notesof farming and hemp fibre production provides a significant theyre committed to fostering sustainable hemp fibre processingopportunity to generate carbon offsets for Albertas oil and gas and optimizing the efficient and regenerative use of agriculturalindustry. Virtually all hemp produced in Alberta is processed land. As part of the regional variety trial program, the organizationbefore export. The AHA is charged with the goal of seeing that also undertook a comprehensive evaluation of hemp fibreprocessing happen here in Alberta. cultivation in Alberta.We assessed the performance of traditional Canadian dual- Hemp Production for the Futurepurpose hemp varieties alongside innovative fibre dominantThis may seem like a lot of work for what has traditionally been a strains developed in Canada and three specialty Ukrainian-bredcrop planted on marginal acres. Statistics Canada reported 55,400 varieties, Aaron Barr, CRHC CEO, explains in an email. Theseacres of industrial hemp were planted in 2023, with 20,000 acres evaluations took place across expansive trial plots spanningseeded in Alberta. This is down from 76,900 acres nationally in diverse soil types in north, central, and eastern Alberta, covering2022. According to Crawford, hemp is described as a niche crop a substantial land area totaling approximately 6,000 acres acrossdue to its small acreage and limited market opportunities, adding more than 40 fields. the 60-year hemp prohibition was primarily to blame for this The trials focused exclusively on dryland cultivation as itsmarginalization. economically unfeasible to use irrigated fields for fibre production.The recent removal of that prohibition has opened the door for The study encompassed a range of critical stages including springhemp, but it has a lot of catching up to do. In our view, if hemp soil analysis, fertility assessments and recommendations, seedinghad been on a level playing field with canola in the early 1970s, it is Spring 2024 29'