Harvest New York has released a hemp growing manual put together by researchers from Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), Alabama A&M University, industry experts, and a research geneticist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  

In a statement, Daniela Vergara, a CCE emerging crops specialist and member of the Harvest economic development team, described the guide as “the best manual out there.”

“Everyone knows the industry needs resources to grow, and this was a wonderful collaborative process. … My goal with this manual was that if someone wanted to start growing tomorrow, they could read this and find all the information they would need to be successful.” — Vergara in a press release 

The interactive, full-color, and illustrated manual includes production guidelines for selecting and growing hemp both in the field and indoors, along with considerations for grain and fiber processing, as well as relevant legal and regulatory information for New York state. As new research emerges and state guidelines change, Vergara plans to continue updating the manual and a Spanish-language edition is planned for 2024. 

New York State Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D), chair of the Senate’s Agriculture Committee, in a statement, described hemp as “the material of the future.” 

“And positioning New York to lead the way in its production is a winning strategy for removing plastics from our world and fighting the climate crisis, boosting rural economic development and giving our small farmers a new revenue source,” she said.  

New York Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture, added that the manual “will be invaluable to farmers, businesses and policymakers alike” as stakeholders “work to build a successful and sustainable hemp industry in New York state.” 

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