A new year is almost upon us. And while 2021 didn’t deliver a curveball nearly as powerful as 2020, it was a year of transition as we settled into a new COVID reality. How long this new reality will last remains to be seen, but COVID-19’s presence didn’t squander advancements in the hemp industry.
In fact, I predict 2022 will be “the year of more” for the industry as it continues to press on into maturity.
Next year is poised to bring a more equal distribution of those growing for fiber, grain and other minor cannabinoids beyond CBD. As of press time, the FDA didn’t administer CBD regulations this year as some had predicted the agency would—in fact, the FDA said this year that doing so would require a change of law. And while several laws moving through Congress have the potential to reverse the illegality of CBD in food and dietary supplements, I don’t have much confidence any of those will pass before the 2022 growing season begins.
With FDA’s primary focus on CBD (due to its status as an active pharmaceutical ingredient) and a glut of CBD still floating around the supply chain, it’s likely some growers, especially those growing on a smaller scale, will turn their focus toward cultivating for other minor cannabinoids. FDA has expressed some concern about delta-8 THC, but the DEA this year underscored that the cannabinoid, along with others that are synthetically produced from hemp, are not illegal. While many states have already taken steps to regulate or outright ban delta-8, with the DEA’s affirmation, I don’t see it going away any time soon. It’s likely more hemp-derived cannabinoids will be discovered and enter the public sphere in 2022, too.
Overall, though, I anticipate a larger movement toward growing for grain and fiber—especially for those with the acres to justify it. As hemp effectively enters its fourth year of full-scale commercial cultivation, more growers are sure to be honing their processes and creating greater efficiencies to produce hemp at a larger scale. It’s possible big ag corporations may even start to take an interest in the crop as more mainstream brands begin to experiment with hemp-based products.
Speaking of products, I expect even more to fill up shelves in mainstream retailers in 2022. Hemp-based products are already everywhere: Target and Walmart sell a variety of hemp-based food, beauty and other products; Patagonia is venturing into hemp-based clothing; Crate and Barrel sells hemp-based sheets; and a quick search on Amazon turns up a variety of hemp products, from sponges to rope. But as Jolene Hansen, the author of this month’s cover story, points out, hemp grain products on the market “just scratch the surface of what may be ahead.” The same goes for hemp fiber products.
So, will this equate to more acres? With hemp acreage down in 2021 by nearly 50% from 2020, according to a USDA Farm Service Agency report, as some growers exited the industry and others worked to sell off their oversupply, I anticipate a modest rebound in acres this coming year to accommodate more product innovations and overall interest in the industry.
It’s bound to be a good year ahead—but for now, have a wonderful holiday season … and happy New Year!
