Hemp is a climate-smart commodity and the federal government just invested $5 million in Tennessee to expand its production here.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities granted the funds to four agencies: Tennessee State University (TSU), the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee (HAT), the University of Tennessee (UT), and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA).
In all, the USDA is investing $3.1 billion in climate-smart commodities. For these, farmers will use technology and new farming practices that could reduce emissions, offset fossil fuel use, and more.
The government hemp program is called (takes in deep breath) “Climate-Smart Fiber Hemp: A Versatile Thread Connecting the Nation’s Underserved Farmers, Climate Change Mitigation, and Novel Market Opportunities” (exhales).
The program aims to expand the production of industrial hemp as a climate-smart commodity, evaluate its greenhouse gas benefits, and promote the it to a cross section of farmers, including small, medium, and underserved producers across the state of Tennessee. Special efforts are planned to identify and recruit underserved producers (like minority, women, and veteran farmers), as well as farmers from the nine most economically distressed counties in Tennessee and the 30 counties at risk for becoming economically distressed.
The USDA funded 71 projects for climate-smart commodities. But Tennessee’s project was one of only five related to hemp.
“Tennessee can become the leading producer of hemp in the Southeast United States,” said Frederick Cawthon, President of HAT. “We are committed to growing this industry responsibly, and we encourage all industries to examine how they can utilize this climate-smart and regenerative raw material.”
