Advantages of Hemp Crop for Agriculture Essay

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Total Length: 3121 words ( 10 double-spaced pages)

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Introduction

Hemp is deemed to have significant benefits to agricultural sustainability. The plant is less vulnerable to changes in weather and other environmental conditions as compared to other crops such as cotton. The inference of this is that there is a greater likelihood of farmers generating profit from their investment with the cultivation of industrial hemp and have the ability to grow a significant amount of the crop in a comparatively small acreage (Miller, 2015). Secondly, industrial hemp crops are beneficial in soil enrichment. The growth pattern of the hemp product naturally generates soil with additional nutrients. Owing to the reason that the dense leaves hinder sunlight, there results in a small number of weeds growing amongst the industrial hemp crops. Furthermore, the deep roots of the plant aid in the provision of nitrogen together with other minerals to the earth and at the same time diminishing the salinity of the groundwater together with decreasing topsoil erosion. Most of all, hemp is suitable for compositing in farming other crops such as soy and wheat (Miller, 2015).

As a commodity, hemp can offer sustainable solution to consumers and farmers. In the contemporary, unsustainable crop growing, linked with high input-high impact crops is an international issue. In addition, the utilization of non-renewable resources has been associated with global climate change and a decrease in both the amounts of water and quality of air in the environment. Moreover, increasing populaces and incessantly increasing resource demand makes the exhaustion of non-renewable resources unavoidable taking into account the prevailing dependency (Harris, 2002). Industrial hemp is cost-effective for crop rotation. The key benefit is that it facilitates sustainable agriculture. Industrial hemp makes an ideal rotation crop owing to the aforementioned aspects but also for the reason that there is a huge market for the plant in the United States and therefore farmers will be able to run sustainable businesses. In recent years, the growing of industrial hemp has been legalized and this has prompted increased cultivation of the crop. The main objective of this literature review is to ascertain what impact if any Hemp is having on sustainable agriculture in North America over the last three to five years.

Impact of Hemp on Sustainable Agriculture in North America

Akin to any other industry, the economics surrounding hemp has a key role in ascertaining the impending market shares that any products derived from hemp may have. This takes into account the native economics for the farmers and also the global markets for exportation and importation. From a local perspective, the economics of hemp farming comprises of the expenditures and profitability to the farmer, to the local community in its entirety and the accessibility of infrastructure to facilitate the transportation, processing, and manufacturing of hemp products. Recent reports regarding hemp growing in North America have indicated considerable profits to the farmers and their community (Lin, 2005). From an environmental perspective, owing to its resiliency, hemp is considered to be a natural approach to cleaning up soil pollution. This is for the reason that it facilitates the absorption of carbon dioxide as it grows and develops through natural photosynthesis. In addition, hemp can be employed as a form of fabric within the textile industry. This is because not only does the crop necessitate smaller land for growing compared to other crops such as cotton, it is also durable and can be manufactured into different colours.

Sustainable hemp seed, fiber and oil continue to be utilized in raw materials in huge corporations, including The Body Shop, Ford Motors, and also Patagonia, in the production of a wide range of products. Nonetheless, majority of hemp product manufacturers are enforced to import hemp seed, oil and fiber from agronomists situated in Europe, China and Canada. This is for the reason that American farmers and proscribed by legislation from growing this sustainable crop that necessitates low input. Statistics indicate that in the 2012 fiscal year, the valuation of the American hemp industry was $500 million in yearly retail sales and growing for all hemp products (Yonavjack, 2013).

Hempseed production has been comparatively thriving and successful in Canada. There are several claims and assertions that industrial hemp could substantially transform the American economy in a beneficial manner. However, it is imperative to bear in mind that there has more often than not been unwarranted eagerness and interest for diversification and newfangled crops.

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Whereas there is seemingly good potential for growth and expansion of the hemp industry within North America, this has also been the very same instance for several other crops in the past five decades. There have been exceedingly expectant claims for crops broadcasted as having significant potential, but a small number of them have in fact attained such potential (Cherney and Small, 2016).

Hempseed has significantly more potential as an oilseed crop than as a source of fiber. This benefit has largely been perceived in North America. Notably, Canada has grown to be the chief nation of hempseed production from the time the industrial crop was reintroduced in the nation in 1998. The nutritional benefits of hempseed and hempseed oil are rapidly attaining recognition in North America, and there is a rapid increase in sales of these hempseed products. Taking into consideration that majority of hempseed is at the present moment grown for human consumption, and the seed and oil have restricted shelf life, domestic production is beneficial to evade rancidity preceding any kind of consumption. In addition, there is a fast growing market for organically-produced foods in North America, and organic accreditation of hempseed from outside North America is challenging (Fike, 2016).

The fundamental necessity of the oilseed hemp industry takes into account the development of cultivars that generate high yields in order to increase the competitiveness of hempseed as compared to other oilseeds. The current level of production of oilseed hemp stands at approximately 1 to 1.5 tonne for every hectare under proper climatic conditions. Nonetheless, this is yet to be an adequate level for the crop to be an intense rival to major oilseeds. Imperatively, a mean throughput of at least 2 tonnes for every hectare will be essential for the transformation of hempseed into a major oilseed, an objective that is in fact attainable. In the contemporary setting, losses of about 30 percent of the seed output are frequent and therefore enhancements in harvesting know-how ought to also add to greater yields. Hemp food products cannot evade their niche market position and status up until the price of hempseed intensely competes with that of other oilseeds, especially sunflower and flax seeds (Johnson, 2018).

Despite the fact that the hempseed industry infrastructure has been in position in North America and specifically in Canada for a period of about 15 years, its stability might be significantly rivaled and contested against by American hempseed production in the forthcoming periods. In the event the United States starts producing hempseed, possibly almost 30 states will project generating a profit on hemp by retailing to the adjacent states. The inference of this is that it might take almost a decade for the industry in North America to come to terms with to the new-fangled pattern. The ambiguity in harvests, production outlays, harvesting and processing equipment, and production features will all increase the risk of hempseed production in the United States, up until it becomes a standard crop (Fortenbery and Mick, 2014).

Hemp has had a significant impact on sustainable agriculture in North America for the past three to five years. In particular, farmers in the United States started growing industrial hemp in 2014 subsequent to its legalization in almost five decades. According to Cooke (2018), in spite of the issues of legality, the market for industrialized hemp products such as body care products such as lotions and soaps, edible items such as hemp seeds and hemp milk in addition to industrial products such as auto parts and building and construction materials, had been in existence even prior to the legislation. For instance, in the 2013 fiscal year, the sales of these products surpassed the $581 million mark. Subsequently, after numerous years of proscription, a provision in the 2014 farm bill endorsed growing hemp under a stringent set of circumstances, permitting farmers to benefit from the demand for hemp products. Since then, farmers in America have been trialing with the crop in an endeavor to set the basis for a vibrant localized industry. In fact, the success level of integrating hemp is seen in the growth of the industry to $688 million by 2016 (Cooke, 2018).

The recent growth in the U.S hemp industry is an….....

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