Hemp could effectively become a nonviable crop in North Carolina, according to some interpretations of the bill passed by federal lawmakers to end the government shutdown in November 2025.

But while some aspects of the industry could indeed be imperiled, NC State Extension expert David Suchoff says hemp grown for fiber should remain not only viable but could be poised to thrive.

“Given our history and our still relatively robust textile industry, there's a wonderful fit with fiber hemp here in North Carolina,” said Suchoff, an Extension specialist in alternative crops and director of the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s Extension Outreach and Engagement Platform. “There are processing limitations and some bottlenecks that need to be addressed, but I think North Carolina is really poised to be a leader in the fiber hemp sector for textiles and non-wovens. We have all of the pieces to make it happen in our state.”

Hemp is Cannabis sativa, the same plant species as marijuana. By law, hemp is defined as Cannabis sativa that produces less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is a psychoactive substance that produces the euphoric “high” associated with marijuana, but the 0.3% limit ensures hemp is non-intoxicating and consequently legal at the federal level.

Manufacturers of hemp-derived products found a way around the THC limits through a chemical process that pulls trace amounts of alternative THC compounds from the plant. That led to a booming — and, critics say, largely unregulated — business for THC-infused products, including gummies, drinks and vapes.

“It's kind of mind-boggling to see the products that are sold. You can see them everywhere now,” Suchoff said. “A lot of it has to do with the fact that the language is somewhat fuzzy in the original farm bill. It is a very gray area.”

The bill to end the government shutdown contains a provision to close the so-called hemp loophole. After a year-long grace period, hemp products will be limited to no more than a non-intoxicating 0.4 milligrams of THC.

“Folks that were producing hemp for those specific markets are certainly going to be affected,” Suchoff said. “Whether they are farmers that are growing it or processors who are making these drinks or edibles, I'm not really sure how they'll survive.”

Barring further intervention from lawmakers, the new bill should have no impact on producers who grow fiber hemp, which does not involve harvesting flowers or extracting THC.

“I'm not that concerned about the impacts from this bill on fiber hemp just because of the nature of the crop,” Suchoff said. “We're not harvesting it for the flowers. In fact, we're harvesting it before it flowers and we're not extracting THC from it. So I don't see it affecting North Carolina’s hemp industry.”

There are challenges associated with farming and profiting from growing hemp. Producers must be licensed directly through the United States Department of Agriculture's Domestic Hemp Production Program (DHPP).

Production infrastructure to convert hemp fiber into textiles and other products is still developing.

The crop is subject to HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) testing to ensure it is below the 0.3% THC level. And while not required, Extension experts advise anyone interested in growing hemp to first procure a contract with a reputable buyer.

“The main thing we stress with farmers is to ensure that you have a good contract in place with a company that has been in business and has paid farmers in the past,” Suchoff said.

Even with the challenges, Suchoff sees a future for fiber hemp as part of North Carolina’s diverse agricultural economy.

“We do a lot of work with fiber hemp, and we're seeing a lot of large apparel brands and non-woven brands that are incorporating hemp or want to incorporate hemp,” he said. “It is a natural fiber that has some really interesting physical characteristics that are sought after in these industries. It's a product that farmers could grow in our state.”

Grain hemp is another segment of the industry with the potential for growth. There is an increasing demand for hemp hearts, the inner kernels of hemp seeds. They are a good source of plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals.

“Hemp hearts are considered a superfood,” Suchoff said. “They've got a great omega-3 fatty acid profile and a high-end protein.”

While hemp hearts are beneficial for humans, concerns about the effects of cannabinoid buildup prohibited hemp seed products from being used in animal feed until August 2024, when the FDA approved the use of hemp seed meal for laying hens.

“We're now able to feed it to laying birds and we'll likely start to see it being allowed into meat birds and probably some other animal systems as well,” Suchoff said. “We're now looking at it both from a human nutrition side as well as a potential animal feed additive.”

Markets are not yet large enough to make hemp a good choice as a stand-alone crop, but it can be a good addition to existing crops for some farmers.

“We see it being a good fit for a lot of our traditional row crop farmers,” Suchoff said. “It's highly mechanized. You're drilling it like you would plant a wheat crop, cutting it with a sickle bar, and baling it like you would hay. It's a warm season crop, so it's going to be planted in the spring and harvested in late summer. It's a way to expand your crop rotation and add diversity to your production system.”

NC State Extension’s work to help hemp producers includes genetics research to ensure the THC level doesn't go above 0.3% and variety trials to improve crop quality, yields and disease resistance.

“We also do a lot of basic agronomic research where we're trying to understand the best production practices for the crop,” Suchoff said. “What's the optimal fertilizer rate? How many pounds of seed per acre should we be planting? How do we effectively manage weeds? We're doing the research that will answer the questions that farmers have when they are thinking of adopting this crop.”

Extension also focuses on helping farmers navigate USDA licensing requirements and understand testing processes.

“Our Extension agents have been working with farmers to manage the license process,” Suchoff said. “It's not onerous, but it certainly helps to have someone like an Extension agent who can help walk you through it and get a better understanding of what documents are needed, what the testing process looks like, and who they need to contact. That's where Extension has really been helping out a lot.”

As they do with all growers, Extension experts will continue working with hemp producers to help ensure their success.

“Extension has been great in having that dialogue with farmers to understand where their challenges are, and working with researchers to have that bidirectional dialogue,” Suchoff said. “We need to understand and hear from growers and stakeholders so we can implement the appropriate research if that's what's needed or develop the appropriate resources.”