Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5276 into law, in April, by involving the state in hemp production. The law was set to eradicate the previous 4-mile buffer between marijuana and hemp outdoor farms. This was done in acknowledgement for the 2018 farm bill. The fault with this law now is that there is a possibility of the hemp plant cross pollinating with the marijuana plant due to the now close proximity. What cross pollination does is result in one plant pollinating another plant of a different specie. This in turn results in the fusion of both plants’ genetic material, then seeds with the characteristics of both plants. In layman’s terms the fruition of cross pollination is a completely new plant! Not what producers and consumers signed up for, hence costing the growers tens of thousands of dollars.
Being that there are more than 1000 Marijuana farmers in Washington State and there are only 12 hemp farms, hemp farmers are ecstatic about the bill. They now expect hemp will thrive in the state as they now have more space to cultivate.
What are the concerns?
Firstly, considering that this is the first time hemp production will be on a large scale, will the farmers have sufficient ‘ways and means’ to remove all male plants?
NB. The removal of the males is to prevent pollination, if one is growing for biomass CBD flower. Also will laborers be able to distinguish between male and female hemp plants?
Secondly, as was mentioned above, hemp farms with both male and female plants could cause cross pollination with marijuana plants through wind. This would make the Marijuana plant unalluring to the market and less valuable for extraction.
Lastly, we have mentioned the repercussions of hemp cross pollinating with marijuana, but what about vice-versa. Marijuana cross pollinating with hemp could result in hemp THC levels amplifying to over 0.3%. This is a minor risk however and will only be identifiable in the next growing season.
Cannabis Production - A hard road to travel
It’s no surprise that Cannabis operations is intricate and ambitious especially in Washington state, where marijuana wholesale prices have plummeted perceptively since recreational use was legalized in 2014. No wonder marijuana farmers are in a sour mood over possible cross pollination by hemp plants. Can’t they catch a break? Now under the new law the farmer who had jurisdiction first would win a dispute over cross pollination.
Additionally, consequent to the new law a review of the possibility of cross pollination is anticipated from Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Okanogan County is ahead of the curb
Perceiving what was coming, Okanogan County zones hemp farms to tribal lands to prevent cross pollination from hindering Cannabis farmers. Farmers in the county worked with county commissioners in order to not be affected by the removal of the 4-mile buffer.
While marijuana farmers in this county have less to worry about, farmers in the other counties are hoping that the hemp farmers do the right things and cull the male plants to prevent cross pollination.
I’m curious to see what the outcome of this harvesting season will be, because one thing’s for sure there will be a lot of conflict.
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