Business of Cannabis
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research’s (FFAR) Hemp Research Consortium has provided two grants totaling $1,170,000 to Cornell University for hemp research.
The 2018 Farm Bill has limited hemp growing in the country as it restricted activities to certain varieties of hemp cultivated in Canada or Europe.
In a bid to improve domestic hemp crops, the FFAR Hemp Research Consortium has provided grants that will support a long-term breeding programme. The programme is aimed at cultivating hemp for grain, fiber and CBD production.
Consortium partners have also contributed matching funds for a total investment of $2,340,000.
In a press statement, Dr Angela Records, FFAR chief scientific officer, commented: “With its potential for hundreds of food and industrial applications, hemp can be a major cash crop in the U.S..
“This research will contribute to a burgeoning hemp industry by acclimating the crop to a variety of growing regions across the country.”
The department has suggested that successful hemp crops will yield a number of products including plant protein, health and care products, textiles and industrial applications and could provide an alternative crop for farmers dependant on tobacco.
The department stated: “…because Canada and Europe have longer days than the U.S. during the summer growing season, hemp varieties from these areas tend to result in smaller yields, and thus limited profit, when grown in the U.S. This is particularly true in sub-tropical regions such as Florida, because of the shorter days.”
Read more
https://businessofcannabis.com/cornell-university-receives-2-3-million-for-hemp-research/
