Hemp Sustainability Traits
Hemp Sustainability Traits NWG investigates hemp's sustainability traits. Recent peer-reviewed university research largely confirms long-standing anecdotal observations. However, academic studies remain in the early stages, mostly beginning with 2021 USDA programs and limited to annual trials. Hemp’s Carbon Intensity Score Carbon Intensity (CI) scores measure greenhouse gas emissions associated with a production lifecycle. Lower scores indicate less environmental impact, with zero being carbon neutral. For farms, CI scores quantify carbon-based energy used in grain production, guiding practice improvements like cover cropping and reduced tilling. Hemp's lower input needs give it CI advantages over many other broad-acre crops. In private markets, low CI scores can earn crop premiums. AMPLIFY has a better CI score than most hemp varieties, simply due to its drastically increased yields, thus a more efficient use of land and inputs. NWG anticipates future incentives for soil sequestration and water efficiency in nature markets. Use this simple calculator from Iowa State to estimate your CI score today! Calculate your CI Score Hemp and Pesticide Use A 2023 literature review of industrial hemp at Oregon State University found that “Hemp plants have been shown to reduce the quantity of a limited number of nematode species and certain fungi in soils, and hemp may be grown without chemical pesticides.” This study also found that incorporating hemp into a rotation improves many soil health properties. Research Article Hemp and Water Use Efficiency Industrial Hemp Requires Less Water than Cotton and Corn. Industrial hemp is [...]