Educational hemp production seminars set March 11-12 in Central Texas

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will hold educational seminars on industrial hemp production March 11-12 at three different locations in Central Texas.

The seminar dates, locations and applicable fees are:

• March 11, 1:30 p.m. registration with program from 2-4:30 p.m., Travis County East Service Center, 6011 Blue Bluff Road, Austin. No cost to attend. For more information, contact Noel Troxclair, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Travis County, at 512-854-9600.

• March 11, 6 p.m. registration with program from 6:30-9 p.m. Cost is $20. Location is the Williamson County Annex, 100 Wilco Way, Room 226, Georgetown. For more information, contact Gary Pastushok, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Williamson County, at 512-943-3300.

• March 12, 2 p.m. registration with program from 2:30-5 p.m. Cost is $20. Location is Kolodzey Ranch 901 Williamson Road, Buda. For more information, contact Jason Mangold, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Hays County, at 512-393-2120.

Program coordinators said the registration fee for the Austin seminar has been covered and the $20 fee for the Georgetown and Buda locations does not apply to state employees or educators.

The seminar, First Things – Considerations for Industrial Hemp in Texas, is organized by Calvin Trostle, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Lubbock.

“Texas hemp production will become legal within a few months,” said Trostle. “Texas Department of Agriculture anticipates opening the online application for licenses the week of March 16.”

AgriLife Extension does not support or oppose hemp, explained Trostle. 

“We are here to help educate our clientele and provide them the resources and knowledge to make informed decisions about hemp,” he said.

Trostle said AgriLife has been commended for its realistic assessment during meetings with potential growers, as well as through written and video materials produced to educate the public about the potential pitfalls and possibilities within the new industry. 

“As Texans well know, there is a lot of hype around the CBD aspect of hemp,” Trostle said. “But CBD prices are now at their lowest since agricultural hemp production was initiated about five years ago. Some prices in the CBD hemp market are down over 80% since the beginning of the 2019 cropping season. This substantially curtails all those unbelievable per-acre revenues that some earlier adopters report having achieved.”

Seminar speakers will include Trostle; Bill Thompson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, San Angelo; and local AgriLife Extension agriculture county agents.

Topics covered will include:

• The background of industrial hemp.
• Possible opportunities in industrial hemp for fiber, grain and cannabinoids/CBD.
• Major issues surrounding planting and poor planting seed quality.
• Preliminary agronomic considerations for production.
• A short summary of proposed Texas Department of Agriculture rules for hemp.
• Economic considerations and risks.
• Comments and your questions and answers about industrial hemp.

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