This summer, International Hemp undertook the monumental task of converting the majority of its hemp seed production from Europe to the United States. With over 500,000 pounds of domestic certified seed production planned, International Hemp set its sights on becoming the largest Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) hemp seed producer in the United States. The vast majority planted was two monoecious grain and fiber varieties, Henola and Białobrzeskie, both bred by the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants in Poznan, Poland.
The summer of 2021 was rife with challenges. For most of the growing season, a severe (in some cases extreme) drought threatened International Hemp’s certified seed production fields. In August, the U.S. Drought Monitor estimated that 40% of the country’s cropland - approximately 216.4 million acres - were experiencing drought conditions.