Oregon State University has received another government grant to delve into hemp – this one to fund research into new food, beverage and biobased industrial product uses.
OSU is home to the Global Hemp Innovation Center, which was launched in 2019. But it wasn’t the first hemp research department at the University. When the uni was previously known as Oregon Agricultural College, it worked with U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists to host a research center from the 1880s until 1932.
The latest funding involves $5.5 million during the next five years to support the development of customized hemp genetics adapted to growing conditions in the western United States. Oregon State will be working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service on the project. According to Center director Jeffrey Steiner:
“Working together this way, we will be able to build a sound scientific and business foundation for producing industrial hemp varieties that are not only adapted to Pacific Northwest growing conditions but can be used by manufacturers to produce new food, beverage and biobased industrial products.”
The research team will also use hemp biomass to develop biodegradable and compostable packing products, building materials, and plant-based food and beverage products made from hemp seed (also known as grain).
“The goal of this research is to develop multiple product streams from hemp with no remaining waste, just as has been successfully done by the cotton, corn, and timber industries,” Mr. Steiner said.
In recent years, the USDA has awarded more than $26 million for hemp research at the University. Among other recent grants, in March this year the Center received $10 million to work with Native American Tribes and other stakeholders to develop manufacturing capabilities for hemp materials and products. In 2021, $10 million was awarded to commence defining economic opportunities for hemp grown in the western United States
As in many other states, hemp farming has been challenging in Oregon in recent years. The state’s hemp production acreage declined sharply from 8.2 to 2.4 thousand acres from 2021-2023. But hemp was listed in the top 20 Oregon crop commodities in 2024 for the first time.
