What you should know to grow…

INDUSTRIAL HEMPGrowers will find this information useful; however, keep

in mind that the following are only suggestions…

Before you plant…LicensingIn Canada, Hemp is regulated under the Cannabis Act, which means you must apply to Health Canada for a License to Cultivate Industrial Hemp. The process is straightforward. You must register on-line: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health/publications/drugs-health-products/getting-started-cannabis-tracking-licensing-system.html Contact Health Canada for approved cultivars. Just remember, fields must be a minimum of 10 acres in size: you will need to provide GPS coordinates marking the main corners/points of your field(s) and you must notify Health Canada within 30 days of planting.Crop Production ContractSeveral companies in Canada currently offer seed grain production contracts for Industrial Hemp for growers cultivating a minimum of 50 acres with their own combine drying and storage capacity. Production contracts are normally required if you intend to apply for crop insurance.Crop Production InsuranceProduction insurance for Industrial Hemp is available through Agricorp. Notify Agricorp of your intent to grow hemp or initiate a new customer application for production insurance by calling Agricorp Head Office at 1-888-247-4999.Rotation/Field PreparationHemp is a heavy nutrient feeder, so following a legume can work well, but watch out for white gold carryover as hemp is susceptible and this can lead to quality concerns.Hemp is quite sensitive to residual herbicides so the ground should be free of chemical residues (e.g. Pursuit). Glyphosate application to control weeds pre-planting is an option.In most situations hemp responds better under conventional tillage conditions. No-till systems are very challenging with hemp, but success can be had in light, sandy soil.

Planting…SeedingFor grain production, we recommend seeding 25 to 30 pounds of seed per acre at a depth of 1”, between May 15-30, when ground temperatures are above 8 to 10°C.Calibration of all seeding equipment is essential. If using an air seeder, use minimum fan speed as seed damage is possible.

Total Plant (kg/ha)

Grain (kg/ha) Uptake *Suggested Rates

Nutrient Hemp Canola Hemp Canola Hemp/day Hemp

N 200 120 40 65 6.7 70 to 90lb (Actual N)

P 47 50 19 35 1.56 35 to 40lb

K 211 75 10 17 6 As req’d per soil test

S 14 20 3 12 As req’d per soil test

For leaf and flower production, we recommend "orchard style" planting where the seeds are set out in a 6' x 6' grid pattern. We advise pulling all males ahead of seed set (by early August) to maximize CBD production. Lab testing for M/F plants can be done in July with current methods. All flowering heads, leaves and branches must be sold directly to a Licensed Producer for processing. Plant material should be handled, dried and processed according to GMP standards.

Hemp responds well to N, P, K, and S when soil nutrients are low. Soil testing is suggested to determine optimal fertilizing rates.Weed ControlAssure 2 herbicide is registered for hemp to control grass weeds. There are no registered products for broadleaf weed control. Under good growing conditions and proper fertility, hemp should not require in-season chemical weed control. Typically hemp will outgrow weeds.

Before harvest…THC TestingMost Industrial Hemp varieties must undergo annual THC testing, which is done at soft seed set (mid to late August). You must arrange for THC tissue sampling by a Health Canada accredited sampler with an approved testing facility.

Harvest…Combine PreparationWe recommend using at least a Class 6 combine with draper head to harvest Industrial Hemp. Most newer machines can manage Industrial Hemp harvest with no modifications. In some older machines it may be advantageous to replace feeder house chains with belts or narrow the feeder house by placing plates on each side of feeder to minimize wrapping of fibre, in addition to replacing knives and guards. More modifications may be required on different makes of combines. Use caution. Observe all places any wrapping could occur and address the problem promptly. Bound stalk wrapped around the header can, and will, cause combine fires. Use combine speeds to minimize dust production as well. A soft under belly of the machine with exposed shafts may pull stubble from the ground.CombiningCrop should be taken off for grain when seeds begin to become exposed outside the protective bract. A field moisture level of 15% - 25% is ideal, usually early to mid September. Straight cut the crop as high as is required to harvest seed from the stalk. Combine settings will depend on conditions and type of combine. In general, setting the thresher for soybeans and setting the cleaning pans for oats is a good starting point.Fibre Harvest (Optional)Discbine and sickle mowers tend to work well. For self-propelled swathers, keep swath between 16ft - 18ft. Cut fibre stalk as close to ground as possible, within three days of grain harvest, in a path opposite to combine travel. Allow fibre stalk to dry in the field so the stalk will not develop mold or mildew. Soft-core and hard-core balers have both proven to be successful in the past. Bales should be at 14% or lower moisture and kept dry, preferably stored under cover.

www.cannasystems.ca

After Harvest…DryingAfter harvest, the #1 priority is to dry the hemp to less than 9%. Dry within 4 hours or sooner using a batch grain dryer or aeration bin with full floor and large fan, with grain about 4-5 feet deep. Dry slow, at low temperatures, to avoid roasting/toasting the hemp.New growers are more likely to spoil a crop due to poor management at the drying stage than at any other time in the hemp production process.Any corn or wheat dryer will work but hemp cannot sit waiting to dry in a wagon, truck or bin without air. Heating can begin within 4 hours and spoilage can occur in less than 12 hours. A crop can be a total write-off within 24 hours if poorly managed immediately after harvest.Storage & HandlingMinimize damage to seed and grain by operating augers at full capacity and slowest possible speeds, similar to handling peas, beans, etc. Handle the grain as little as possible to prevent cracking or shelling of seed.For long-term storage, cold and dry grain is essential. Hemp is susceptible to bacteria and mold growth. Prevent spoilage by watching for heating in the bin and monitoring moisture levels. Higher moisture + higher temperatures = ideal conditions conducive for development of bacteria and molds.Prevent other possible contamination by cleaning harvest and handling equipment, cleaning out bins and eliminating opportunities for rodents, birds, and other pests to get into stored grain prior to starting harvest and storage activities.Residue ManagementCannaSystems suggests that cutting, drying and baling of any leftover stalk is preferable to burning the residue. We recommend working any short stubble and unharvested fibre back into the ground within one week of grain harvest for optimal results. Fibre can be rolled or disced into the soil. Wet soil conditions and dry fibre is a poor combination. Dry soil and dry fibre is worse. The more frost the fibre gets, the more it turns into rope, becoming problematic for equipment to handle crop residue.

CannaSystems Canada Inc. 29 Lynnhaven Rd. Toronto, ON M6A 2K7 416 939-6143 www.cannasystems.ca