Nebraska Authorities Hinder State Hemp Research Attempt
The Nebraska Legislature’s hemp research plots have already shown that there is a potential cash crop for the state, and it needs to be fully embraced on order to succeed. Unfortunately, the state is hesitant to give full control to its only approved cultivator.
Ismael Dweikat, a professor of horticulture and agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), was only allowed to cultivate a Canadian hemp seed. The crop flowered earlier than Nebraska’s native hemp seeds, which can grow 8-10 feet. However, the state of Nebraska will not allow him to use local seed for research, even though local wild hemp plants are much better suited for Nebraska’s seasons. Even the Drug Enforcement Administration told Dweikat could collect wild Nebraskan hemp seed, but the university still said “no.” Dweikat is the only person allowed to handle the research project’s hemp seeds, which are imported from Canada and Italy.
Corn is Nebraska’s top cash crop, but Dweikat is certain that hemp could help the state in multiple ways. “Corn is king in Nebraska—no one is going to give up corn for hemp—but at least hemp would give you a third option,” Dweikat said to Omaha World-Herald.
Hector Santiago, the assistant dean for UNL’s agriculture research division also stated his frustration that the state won’t let them cultivate wild seed for research. Kentucky has ventured forward with cultivating wild hemp seeds, and now the state has approximately 250 farms. Nebraska’s three plots could fit inside a regulation basketball court.
“We have to use our own wild hemp if we are going to have a hemp industry in Nebraska,” Dweikat said. He added that hemp’s drought-tolerance and low need for herbicide makes it an ideal candidate to alleviate the stress by farmers struggling with corn and soybean low prices, the most popular crops in Nebraska.
