A new line of hemp varieties specifically bred for row crop farmers has been launched by New West Genetics, the company announced on 14 September.
The Abound varieties of hemp seed were backed by seven years of research and development by breeders and geneticists with experience in traditional crops such as corn, rice and canola.
“Raw crop production principles are the answer to a sustainable hemp industry and row crop farmers are vital to move the hemp industry to the next level by cultivating and producing high-quality hemp at scale,” said New West Genetics president Wendy Mosher.
Containing both male and female plants, the Abound lines produce high-CBD flower and nutritious grain. Farmers could also use existing farm machinery to direct seed and harvest the crop.
“The costly manual labour required for feminised-only hemp seed production is not a scalable option. We saw this in the 2019 season when many farmers ended up upside down financially. Using existing farm machinery to grow and harvest hemp is a game changer for the industry and for farmers,” added Mosher.
Hemp seed genetic developer New West Genetics combines traditional breeding, modern genomics, and agronomic expertise to create non-GMO, proprietary hemp seed bred for high yield, sustainable, large-scale production.