Last Week’s Hemp Commentary 

Hemp Acreage Rises Modestly on September Report

The most recent Farm Service Agency (FSA) crop acreage data for hemp shows a 7% increase in overall acreage over August’s report.  Just over 35,000 acres have been reported to the agency this year, but we can speak with some confidence that the figures do not show 5000 or more acres in the state of Oregon, and likely other states as well.  Producers on Oregon have no historical connection to the FSA there and no clear incentive for reporting their acreage. 

Oregon cannabis culture, crossover with hemp and MJ operators, gray markets for ∆8-THC and other novel cannabinoids, makes for less than proactive acreage reporting to a federal agency. And now, increasing illicit MJ production in Oregon in the most active cannabinoid hemp growing area – the Rogue Valley – also impacts acreage reported to FSA in 2021.  Acreage reporting is a requirement of…