News

Pandemic puts a dent in Illinois hemp harvest numbers

Total harvested hemp in Illinois for 2020 fell by 2,800 acres as the industry faced challenges related to COVID-19.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture issued just over 800 hemp grower licenses for the 2021 season. Farmers reported planting more than 2,700 acres and harvesting nearly 2,400, down from around 5,200 in the inaugural 2019 season.  

Workforce safety challenges, pandemic related impacts on the market and initial issues with processing all contributed to the decline.

Farmers reported harvesting 1.2 million pounds of flowers, 39,000 pounds of seed, 8,500 pounds of grain and 48,000 pounds of fiber in 2020. Hemp grower and processor applications through IDOA are now available for the 2021 season.