BEATRICE – A Nebraska State Senator who prioritized a bill to grow industrial hemp in Nebraska, is hopeful it will soon draw more interest as an alternative crop in Nebraska. Senator Tom Brandt of Plymouth prioritized the bill, which was introduced by Senator Justin Wayne.
Brandt was a guest, along with State Senator Myron Dorn, on Friday’s KWBE Beatrice Today program.


Brandt says the push to allow growing of hemp began with former Senator Norm Wallman, of Cortland.
"Industrial hemp is another crop that the ag community can raise, and it's opportunity to bring processing into our small towns and for growers to diversify, if they choose to. What we want to do is give them that opportunity, but the risk is on them".


This past year, Nebraska experimented with hemp under terms of the 2014 farm bill, with a Nebraska Department of Agriculture limit of ten permits.
This next season, more permits could be issued for producers who meet qualifications under the 2018 farm bill.


"What we're going to do this session, is we're going to synchronize Nebraska's rules with USDA, to make sure that everything is square".


Senator Dorn says the potential of the crop has created a lot of conversation, and several seminars have been held across the region. He said “there’s definitely interest”.
Dorn added, "learn about it. It's definitely a possibility that we can have it in Nebraska and we can grow it, and it should be another tool for some farmers that want to go that route to have another opportunity to make some income".


Although newly reintroduced, Senator Brandt says hemp growing dates back to the middle of the last century. He says the crop was raised through World War Two.
"Then it got outlawed by the federal government, because of marijuana. And, hemp is not marijuana. They're two different things. Hemp has under point-three of THC, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana. The problem we've run into....there's nobody left that knows how we used to raise hemp.....it's sort of ironic".


If hemp fields test above point-three T-H-C level, they must be destroyed. One plot near Rulo fell victim to that limit under the regulations this year.


Says Brandt, "the interest in my district is the same as in Myron's. I think its an opportunity for small producers. You can raise one acre of this or multiple acres. I would caution people to work with a reputable seed supplier and have a contract in place, because there's really no open market for this".


Brandt says there is currently a surplus of hemp on the national market. Both the University of Nebraska and Doane University are assisting growers on the ins and outs, of growing hemp.