The USDA has released their figures on hemp acreage and production in 2021. According to their study, 54,152 acres of hemp were planted last year, with an estimated production value of $824 million.
The USDA’s first Hemp Acreage and Production Survey was completed at the start of 2022. This survey includes production data on hemp cultivation as well as value figures for the industry all over the country. There is also a state-by-state production map with weighted averages (link below).
“The release of this landmark report provides a needed benchmark about hemp production to assist producers, regulatory agencies, state governments, processors, and other key industry entities,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer in a news release. “Not only will these data guide USDA agencies in their support of domestic hemp production, the results can also help inform producers’ decisions about growing, harvesting, and selling hemp as well as the type of hemp they decide to produce. The survey results may also impact policy decisions about the hemp industry.”
This survey does not include the full number of hemp acres planted in the US though, only 65% of individuals who were sent the survey responded. From the ~20,000 individuals who did not respond, they are “not intended to represent the total number of producers within the US”.
“The way we established that sample was a combination of people who we had some pretty good indications were maybe growing hemp,” he says. “But we also had to sample a large number of folks who we really didn’t know if they grew hemp to ensure that we had good coverage. … We are not producing any information on the number of producers yet. We will get that information from the 2020 Census of Agriculture.”
Here are key takeaways from the report:
- 2021 overall industrial hemp value in the U.S.: $824 million
- Value of outdoor hemp in the U.S.: $712 million
- Value of indoor/greenhouse hemp in the U.S.: $112 million
- Total acres planted outdoor: 54,152 acres
- Total area of hemp grown indoors/in a greenhouse: 15.6 million square feet
- Total acres harvested: 33,480 acres
- Hemp grown for fiber yielded the most total hemp produced at 33.2 million pounds.
- Hemp grown for flower made up the most acreage, taking up 15,980 acres of production.
U.S. yield totals for hemp grown outdoors in 2021, in order of greatest to least based on product, were:
- Fiber hemp—33.2 million pounds (with 27.6 million pounds utilized).
- Floral hemp—19.7 million pounds (with 15.7 million pounds utilized).
- Grain hemp—4.37 million pounds (with 3.96 million pounds utilized).
- Hemp grown for seed—1.86 million pounds (with 1.68 million pounds utilized).
U.S. acreage dedicated to hemp production in 2021, in order of greatest to least based on product, was:
- Floral hemp—15,980 acres
- Hemp grown for fiber—12,960 acres
- Hemp grown for grain—8,255 acres
U.S. values of each hemp segment in 2021, in order from greatest to least, were:
- Floral hemp—$623 million
- Hemp grown for seed—$41.5 million
- Fiber hemp—$41.4 million
- Grain hemp—$5.99 million
Statistics Via: Hempgrower.com
Read the unedited article here.
