TRC-Sikeston, farmers look into growing industrial hemp

Three Rivers College-Sikeston started a partnership with local farmers after the recent increasing interest in CBD products and other material that can be produced from hemp, such as rope. The partnership means conducting research to look into growing methods for the plants.

Local farmer Trey Wilson approached the college with an idea to research farming industrial hemp as a way to help those interested in starting plots for the next planting season.

“This truly is a once in a life time (experience),” Wilson said. “My family’s been farming here since 1887 and something like this has never happened. We’ve never had a new product, a new crop that we can grow.”

Dr. Wesley Payne, TRC president, said agriculture is a huge part of the college’s educational role in the community. He said the college has been looking for ways to partner with locals to help improve the educational experience of the students and support the farmers to make things better in the area.

“We’ve moved into an experiment with industrial hemp,” he said. “We are so excited to see what the future holds for this agricultural product and this agricultural industry. Three Rivers is committed to finding new and innovated ways to improve the lives of the citizens we serve and ... (this is) a visible example of ways we can all work together to learn new things, make new products and make things better.”

A industrial hemp plant can be started in three different ways: from seeds, transferring a sprout and clippings from an original plant which is called cloning. That’s the method used for these plants.

About 1,500 clones were donated by Independent Agriculture and brought to the Sikeston campus. On July 25, about a dozen area farmers turned out to plant the clones.

Melissa Davis, who is in charge of the program, said about 13% to 15% of the clones died after being planted, which is below the expected rate of 20%.

All of the plants are female, Davis said, to avoid pollination. However, there’s two different strains being grown.

Through this, data will be taken about which strain survived better and yielded more usable material. Additionally, some of each strain are being grown in three different conditions: in bare soil; with white lining; and with black lining. Using these variables, Davis said, they can keep track of which growing condition works better in southeastern Missouri.

“We can call Tennessee and Kentucky ... but their soil is different.” Davis said.

Those involved with the project have been checking on the plants regularly, marking any that have died and need to be replaced with a fresh clone, making sure the plants are receiving enough water and pulling weeds from around the beds.

Davis said once students come back next week, they’ll be able contribute observations and help check in on the plants as well.

Wilson said the plants are being grown without any pesticides or insecticides.

“We’re all row crop farmers,” he said. “We’re used to 1,000 acres or more. This is going to be like 10 acres at a time. It’s so much more intense. A lot more hands on. It is a weed that will grow everywhere, but it is not a weed that will grow profitably everywhere. That’s why you kind of have to baby it.”

Davis said along with the plants in the field, the college has leased a greenhouse where some of the plants are also growing. There, tests can be run with different pesticides and insecticides to research which, if any, won’t damage the plant.

Davis said the plants will be harvested in late September or early October, depending on when it starts getting too cold for them.

The Greener Days CBD Health Store in Sikeston will be receiving the plants after they’re harvested and the research is done. The plants will most likely be sold as raw flower, Rex Burney with The Greener Days, said.

Missy Marshall, director of the Sikeston campus, said for her, this project is an opportunity to help the area’s economy.

“This is an opportunity for farmers and businesses, this community/region, to grow economically,” she said. “This is not a crop for the college to sell and make a big profit from. The community asked us for help and we’ve responded.”

Wilson said it’s the kind of crop that a couple little mistakes can cause it to be lost. However, if done right, it can drive profits.

“When it is profitable, it’s very profitable,” Wilson said. “But when it’s not, you lose everything. This is the future of agriculture.”