Unlocking the USDA Hemp Report - A Tale of Two Industries

Unlocking the USDA Hemp Report - A Tale of Two Industries

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor May 2, 2025 Duration: 16:13

This week on the Hemp Podcast we're looking at the 2025 Hemp Report from the USDA. The annual report attempts to provide a snapshot of the hemp industry, which, according to the report, is valued at $445 million — up 40% from last year.

That sounds amazing, but what the numbers actually show is two completely different stories about two completely different industries: industrial hemp, i.e., fiber and grain, and floral hemp, i.e., cannabinoids, medicinal and recreational products and smokable hemp flower.

As usual, the floral side of things takes up a lot of the conversation. After all, 85% of the $445 million industry was on the floral side, and people like to see that kind of growth. But numbers on the fiber and grain side tell a much more interesting and complicated tale.

So we're digging into the numbers, while also contemplating the existential question: Are you really a hemp farmer?

Host Eric Hurlock offers the hot take that maybe if you're in this for cannabinoid extraction — regardless of the THC content — you are not a hemp farmer. You are a cannabis grower.

Historically, the word "hemp" has meant the crop you grow for industrial purposes. However, the 2018 Farm Bill opened up a legal loophole that has had major consequences for the meaning of the word "hemp," which has led to confusion in the industry — especially among lawmakers and regulators who continue to think hemp is essentially just low-key weed.

It's time to reclaim the word hemp for the real hemp industry: fiber and grain. Let's call floral hemp what is is: low-THC cannabis.

Questions or comments? Leave Eric Hurlock a message: 717-721-4462

Read the report yourself: https://data.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Idaho/Publications/Census_Press_Releases/2025/HEMP.pdf

Thanks to our sponsors

IND HEMP

Forever Green, distributors of the KP4 Hemp Cutter

Americhanvre

National Hemp Association

 


There’s a quiet revolution happening in fields and factories, and it’s centered on a single, versatile plant. Industrial Hemp Podcast, guided by Eric Hurlock, the Digital Editor at Lancaster Farming, moves beyond the headlines to explore what’s actually happening on the ground. This isn’t just theoretical discussion; it’s a direct line to the people driving the industry forward. Each episode features conversations with the farmers who are planting and harvesting these crops, facing very real agronomic challenges and opportunities. You’ll also hear from researchers, processors, and policy experts who are shaping the future of hemp for fiber, grain, and other industrial applications. The dialogue digs into the practicalities-from planting techniques and harvesting equipment to market trends, regulatory hurdles, and technological innovations that are changing the game. It’s a clear-eyed look at an agricultural sector finding its footing, reported by journalists with deep roots in farming communities. For anyone curious about the business, science, and sheer hard work behind industrial hemp, this podcast serves as an essential, grounded resource. Tune in for honest talk that cuts through the hype and gets to the root of this growing field.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Industrial Hemp Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Winds of Cansayapi (Part Three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:31
Welcome to part three of our Cansayapi Trilogy in which we explore the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, held Oct. 3-5, 2025, at the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Southwestern Minnesota. Part Three opens wher…
Voices from Cansayapi (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:32
On this episode we continue on our journey with host Eric Hurlock to Cansayapi, the place where they paint the trees red, the Lower Sioux Indian community, the home of the Medewakantan Band of Dakota people in Southweste…
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This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to Brad Truman, a data analyst with CannaMarkets Group, about his recent deep dive into USDA's hemp import data. His report, published in HempToday under the title When the Numbe…
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On this week's podcast, we continue our trip to Geneva, New York, for part two of the Cornell story. I spend some time with Christine Smart, director of Cornell AgriTech, and her husband Larry Smart, professor of plant b…
Grain & Fiber Hemp Field Day at Cornell 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:32
On this week's podcast, host Eric Hurlock travels to Geneva, New York, on the top of Seneca Lake to take part in Cornell's Hemp Field day, held Thursday, Sept. 11. This episode covers both the morning and afternoon sessi…
In Search Of: A Pennsylvania Hemp Textile Supply Chain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:41
This week on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, we're chasing down the beginnings of a Pennsylvania hemp fiber supply chain. We start the day in southern Lancaster County at Steve Groff's farm, standing in th…