Industrial hemp continues to attract investment and innovation with widespread conviction that the economics will work.  Despite additional funding opportunities arising from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), investors must have high risk tolerance in this space. 

Figures from the latest USDA NASS National Hemp Report show a downward trend in both acreage and market size for all major hemp segments.  Within this data are modest gains for fiber hemp in states like Missouri and Virginia, each posting gains of less than 100 acres in 2022.

High commodity prices, especially for oilseeds, will continue to affect growers’ planting intentions.  Energy markets will also continue to have knock-on effects in oilseed markets, largely driven by a combination of state and federal policy that can…