The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) released the state’s final hemp harvest numbers for the 2020 growing season on Feb. 24.
The IDOA reported 802 licensed hemp growers for the 2020 growing season, up 23% from 2019.
The final harvest numbers reported 2,734 acres planted, down significantly compared to 7,141 acres for 2019. The report also showed there were 2,392 acres harvested, also down compared to 5,233 acres for 2019.
“The 2020 numbers are down from 2019 at just over 2,800 acres for the total harvested crop,” the organization stated in the release.
IDOA Division of Cannabis Manager David Lakeman says the reported numbers are down due to the COVID-19 pandemic making it a challenging year for the hemp industry.
RELATED: Hemp Growers Farmed Far Fewer Acres Than They Licensed in 2020
“Workforce safety challenges, pandemic-related impacts on the market and some initial issues with processing all contributed to a more difficult year for the hemp industry,” Lakeman said. “Despite these challenges, the Illinois hemp industry continued to demonstrate resilience and strength. IDOA remains committed to being a good partner to the industry, and we look forward to the 2021 growing season.”
The IDOA broke up the harvest numbers into four categories: flower, seed, grain and fiber. Farmers reported harvesting 39,000 pounds of seed, 1,278,000 pounds of flower, 8,500 pounds of grain and 48,000 pounds of fiber.
For more information on other state’s hemp cultivation data for 2020, click here.
