General company updates.

How is hybrid hemp seed produced at scale?

By |2024-05-29T12:35:11-06:00May 23rd, 2024|Categories: blog, news|

As discussed, hybrid hemp is the F1 (first generation) seed harvested from a cross between two genetically distinct varieties. The key to successfully commercializing hybrids is to develop a method to scale seed production. A critical element of high-quality hybrid seed is using inbred parent lines in these crosses. Several different breeding approaches are used to create inbred lines and will be discussed in a future blog focused on how hemp hybrids and varieties are bred and selected. Scaled hybrid seed production has been accomplished using several approaches in other crops. Corn (maize), for instance, uses a method where tassels (the source of pollen on a corn plant) are removed from the variety being used as the female parent in the cross. This leaves only the pollen from the intended male parent available to sire seed on the female plants. In contrast to the mechanical removal of pollen anatomy used in corn, crops such as canola and sunflower have developed genetic systems to remove pollen-bearing tissues (e.g. cytoplasmic male sterility). The planting design for most hybrid crop production consists of alternating bays of male and female genotypes. Typically, the male is planted at a lower ratio than the female and at a rate that ensures adequate pollen availability while still maximizing the number of female plants. The goal is always to maximize hybrid seed yield and quality. The ratio of male: female in the field is species-dependent but is typically around 1:4. Thus far, hybrid hemp and [...]

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NWG AMPLIFY® SBIR Grant Project

By |2024-05-08T09:51:45-06:00May 6th, 2024|Categories: blog, news|

New West Genetics aims to contribute solutions to agriculture’s climate challenges, and the NWG AMPLIFY SBIR grant project will enable just that. Since 2014, NWG has revolutionized the industrial hemp industry by leveraging traditional genome-enabled plant breeding approaches and launching certified, US-bred commercial seed varieties and hybrids. This project is a testament to NWG’s commitment to innovation, aiming to significantly enhance grain yields and fiber quality of industrial hemp, thereby offering a sustainable alternative to traditional crops like soybeans. At the heart of NWG's approach is the utilization of existing genetics and their vast gene bank to develop improved hemp hybrids with significantly higher yields. By focusing on hybrid planting seeds, NWG aims to more than double the grain yields compared to existing genetics, bringing them on par with current soybean yields. This genetic innovation not only promises to enhance the economic viability of hemp but also offers a new cropping and rotation option for U.S. farmers, alongside providing food manufacturers with a cost-effective and nutritious ingredient. Hemp grain, renowned for its high lipid content and balanced amino acid profile, is considered a superfood. It surpasses soy in lipid content and offers a rich source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Beyond its nutritional value, hemp stalks, composed of bast and hurd fibers, hold significant market value for producing textiles, bio-plastics, and other sustainable materials. The dual-purpose production of grain and stalk from the same crop underscores hemp's versatility and potential as a sustainable agricultural resource. The [...]

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What is Hybrid Hemp?

By |2024-03-18T10:19:57-06:00March 5th, 2024|Categories: blog|

What is Hybrid Hemp? The NWG breeding program began working on hybrid hemp genetics to leverage the advantages hybrids have created in other major crop species (e.g. corn, canola, et.) such as higher and more consistent yields, stress tolerance and harvestability. NWG AMPLIFY hybrids have the added benefit of a skewed percentage of females to 90%, thus creating massive increase in grain yield potential.  But some might be asking, what is hybrid hemp? What is a Hybrid? Hybrid hemp refers to the F1 (first generation) seed harvested from a cross between two genetically distinct varieties.  This produces an effect known as heterosis, where the F1 generation outperforms either of its parents for desirable traits such as grain and/or fiber yield, early season vigor, tolerance to environmental stresses, and other agronomic traits. Heterosis has fueled the gains in yield and overall performance that we have seen in corn over the past 100 years. Hybrids will do the same for hemp by significantly improving grain and/or fiber yield potential, yield stability across geographies and overall harvested crop quality compared to traditional Open-Pollinated hemp varieties. It is important to note that not every hybrid cross results in heterosis (e.g. hybrid vigor: increased yields, tolerance to environmental stress, etc). In fact, most hybrid combinations do not result in heterosis. Well-bred parents in a hybrid breeding program are selected from genetic backgrounds that increase the likelihood of heterosis, as exemplified by crops like hybrid corn and canola. NWG has these background parent pools to drive [...]

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Benefits of NWG’s US-Bred Hemp Genetics

By |2023-11-08T10:23:00-06:00November 8th, 2023|Categories: blog|

Support the US Hemp Industry; Source US produced genetics.   New West Genetics develops US-adapted high-yielding certified hemp seed for various markets. Our varieties are bred for scaled production systems and possess traits that improve ROI for farmers and processors. As the hemp industry grows, processors and producers are looking for ways to improve yields and reduce the risk of crop failure. Investing in US-bred hemp genetics is one of the most effective ways to achieve these goals.   Adapted genetics offer several benefits, including improved germination, uniform emergence, early season vigor, high harvest index, and high yield potential. In addition to being selected and bred in the US, New West Genetics produces Certified seed that meets AOSCA’s standards for purity and germination. In addition to our internal seed production, NWG works with experienced US seed producers to maintain high-quality seed lots. Seed is always thoroughly cleaned, conditioned, and third-party tested to verify seed lots meet quality standards. High germination is especially important for processors and producers looking to maximize their yields and improve ROI.   Producers that source and plant US-bred hemp genetics also benefit from early-season establishment and vigor. NWG selects for hail, pest, disease resistance, and other adverse environmental conditions. We also have selected for early canopy establishment to help out-compete the weeds. This can be especially important for processors and producers susceptible to early season environmental pressure - NWG is dedicated to seeing every crop off to a strong start to reduce customer risk.   These [...]

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Agronomic Success

By |2023-10-27T11:29:15-06:00October 27th, 2023|Categories: blog|

Hemp agronomy isn’t completely simple, magical, or inordinately complex. It combines research, trial and error, and farmer know-how:  experience, familiarity with conditions, and regional differences. NWG promises its customers to share what we’ve learned over the past ten years and to tell you when we don’t know the answer, which happens.  In these cases, we do our best to collaborate with customers to come up with the best solutions. We are there every step of the way. Over the years, we found that newer producers utilizing our agronomic support program see improved weed control, strong stands, ease of harvest, and higher yields than those without. New West Genetics’ pre-season webinars help producers get off on the right foot, and in-season phone and video support keep things running smoothly. We provide in-person field visits and a producer web portal with production resources at your fingertips for qualified orders*. We are vested in your success! “Daniel was the 2nd person from the NWG team that reached out when we started growing hemp. He’s been there for us every step of the way. Whether it’s agronomy advice, seed depth, plant population, harvest advice, and taking phone calls throughout the season, both years we grew hemp, he came out to look at the crop and advise on improvements. His knowledge, along with his passion for growing hemp, makes life as a grower easier and stress-free!” - NWG Hemp Producer Trust NWG for US bred [...]

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Harvest Season Insights

By |2023-10-19T15:37:54-06:00October 5th, 2023|Categories: blog|

Seed production harvest is complete, and we couldn’t have asked for better conditions. The NWG agronomy team Daniel Willis, Jack Mangels, and Rich Fletcher swathed and combined our NWG AMPLIFY™ hybrid seed production field, the CSU ARDEC variety trial plots, and our NWG 4113 seed production field. Seed harvest is a fine art of achieving optimum seed maturity and ease of threshing, while minimizing shatter. Swathing helps to dry down material before harvest -improving threshing and maximizing seed quality.  Once the seed has dried down to less than 20% moisture, we combine the windrows. Thanks to good breeding for stalk diameter and uniformity these stands cut very well.

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Best Pricing of the Season

By |2023-10-19T15:44:21-06:00September 13th, 2023|Categories: blog|

NWG offers its best pricing in the form of early season discounts for qualified orders*. Monthly discounts start in September. This is your opportunity to get premium, US bred, certified seed for a fraction of the price. Available varieties in the ABOUND multi-purpose family include NWG 2463, NWG 4113, and NWG 2730. Agronomy support included with qualifying orders of NWG’s US bred, certified seed. For Seed Sales contact info@newwestgenetics.com or 800-970-1615 Success starts at the seed. *Qualified orders are 40 acres or more

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Seed Production Insights

By |2023-10-19T15:56:49-06:00September 6th, 2023|Categories: blog|

Success starts at the seed. The New West Genetics agronomy team produces US bred ABOUND® and AMPLIFY™ seed in Northern Colorado. Seed production is challenging yet rewarding, and in-house seed production leads to improved quality and yields. Our NWG 4113 seed production field shows excellent uniformity, and our agronomists expect record yields. This fiber-forward variety offers outstanding performance in commercial fields across the US this summer. The NWG AMPLIFY seed production field is solid and on its way to an impressive harvest. Seed production can be painstaking, but close stewardship is worth it. We’re ready for these exceptional yields and quality seed! Trust NWG for US-adapted hemp seed varieties, top yields, and vigorous stands. For Seed Sales contact info@newwestgenetics.com or 800-970-1615

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Summer Field Visits

By |2023-10-26T15:25:42-06:00August 21st, 2023|Categories: blog|

NWG CSO, Rich Fletcher and Director of Agronomy, Daniel Willis visit customers and trial partners across the Northern Midwest and Mountain West. Thanks to hardworking producers, NWG ABOUND® varieties are looking stellar in commercial fields across the US. Producers get peace of mind with hands-on agronomic support from NWG’s experts. This organic NWG 2463 grain field is progressing well. The weed suppression is impressive for an organic field planted at 25 lbs/ac A Minnesota hemp field of NWG 2463, grown for grain and hurd, looks good thanks to some great farming and solid seed! A commercial field of NWG 4113 in Southern Idaho will bring in top yields thanks to great agronomic management, uniform stand, and weed suppression. This stand is averaging 12ft! This is fiber-forward variety NWG 4113 in Southwest Idaho. The uniform stand behind this farmer makes for an easier time at harvest. Trust NWG for compliance, reliable germination and stand development, and ease of harvest all resulting in excellent yields!

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Dual-Purpose Hemp Crop Production

By |2023-06-14T13:12:56-06:00June 14th, 2023|Categories: blog|

NWG believes that this early in the hemp industry, you can not have a fiber industry without a grain industry, and vice versa. This is why we first created dual-purpose varieties. Depending on processor prices, these varieties can be grown for single purpose production, however when grown for both grain and fiber yields, the dual-crop approach allows hemp acres to compete economically with other large commodity crops. As farmers adopt hemp into their rotation, they find the highest profits are earned through dual-crop production. Utilizing good grain production varieties also lowers the cost of fiber seed production. Dual-crop hemp production is common in European production where they have successfully developed markets using well adapted dual-purpose genetics. Dual-cropping relies on genetics that raise crops tall enough to offer significant stalk yield while producing good grain yields. A great dual-purpose genetic is the NWG ABOUND family of genetics – bred and adapted in the US. Even a year ago , valorizing both stalk and grain was minimally feasible due to the lack of functioning, regional fiber processing infrastructure, but slowly and steadily regional constellations of fiber and grain processors are coming online across the US working with both grain and fiber. Numerous fiber specific processors have come online in the last year, mitigating the logistics costs associated with trucking massive hemp bales. A successful dual-purpose crop starts with good genetic selection and agronomic management. Existing on farm equipment for row cropping and alfalfa production can handle both of these processes. Fertility [...]

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