WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — In the WWII era, Wisconsin was one of the top hemp producing states in the country.
Today, many farmers are growing the crop for the first time as they try to make a profit in hemp. With the state's history, there's optimism that it can work.
“I think there really is great potential. We know hemp grows well here,” Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection’s (DATCP) Plant Industry Bureau Director, Brian Kuhn, said.
However, times have changed, as has the market. Fiber dominated the WWII era. Right now, Kuhn said up to 90% of growers are planting CBD varieties of hemp.
“What hemp will be used for is much different than back in the ‘40s and ‘50s,” Kuhn said. “That’s the key, is the markets developing and the infrastructure that went away being recreated.”
It will be different for the state as well. Hemp is a regulated crop with a framework created from both the federal and state government. That's part of why the industry went away in the first place.
A farmer we talked with said DATCP has been a great partner. They’d still like to see improvements to the program.
“I think the testing process could be cleaned up a little bit,” Greenleaf farmer Dan Wiese said. “This year, we’ve got so much variability in plants that the window that the state has given us to harvest in is going to be a little short due to this rain and wet weather and the ability to actually get things done.”
NBC26's special report, Hemp in Wisconsin, will air Wednesday night on NBC26 News at 10:00.
