Industrial hemp is a cultivar of the Cannabis sativa L. plant species, legally defined by its exceptionally low concentration of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This botanical distinction, typically set at no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis, separates industrial hemp from cannabis grown for recreational or medicinal use. The plant’s versatility makes it a valuable source material for thousands of commercial products, including textiles, building materials, food products, and extracts like cannabidiol (CBD). This broad utility, combined with recent shifts in global and national regulatory frameworks, has made the geography of hemp cultivation a topic of intense interest.
Global Cultivation Hotspots
The global landscape of industrial hemp production is dominated by countries with established agricultural infrastructure and a history of continuous cultivation, primarily for fiber and seed. China stands as the world’s largest producer, having maintained continuous cultivation for centuries and never fully banning the crop. China accounts for a significant portion of the world’s hemp fiber supply, utilizing the material for textiles and paper.
In Europe, production is long-standing, with France acting as a primary hub for cultivation, largely focused on fiber and seed for industrial applications. France is the continent’s largest producer and a major exporter of industrial hemp fiber. Canada also emerged as an early leader in modern Western production, having permitted cultivation in 1998, with the majority of its acreage concentrated across the Prairie provinces like Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. These nations represent the core of the traditional industrial hemp market, driven by large-scale commodity uses.
Hemp Production in the United States
Cultivation in the United States shifted from a patchwork of state-level research programs to a federally recognized agricultural commodity following a major policy change. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, removed industrial hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act, allowing states and tribal governments to submit plans for regulating the crop. This landmark legislation paved the way for farmers across the country to enter the market.
The regulatory change spurred a rapid initial expansion in acreage, particularly for high-value floral hemp used to extract CBD, but the market has since diversified and contracted in some areas. In terms of harvested open acreage, several states have emerged as leaders in recent years, including South Dakota, Oregon, Montana, and Kentucky. South Dakota, for example, has distinguished itself as the nation’s top supplier and processor of hemp grown specifically for its fiber. The decentralized nature of U.S. regulation means that the type of hemp grown—fiber, grain, or floral—often depends on local state program rules and the processing infrastructure available in that region.
Environmental Requirements for Growth
The physical location where hemp thrives is dictated by specific agronomic needs. Hemp is best suited to regions characterized by a temperate climate that offers a long, frost-free growing season. The plant performs optimally when mean daily temperatures are consistently between 60°F and 77°F (15°C to 25°C), as extreme heat above 86°F can negatively impact growth.
The soil must be well-drained and aerated, ideally possessing a silt or loam texture, as hemp is intolerant of waterlogged conditions that can cause root diseases. While it can tolerate a range, a slightly acidic to neutral pH, specifically between 6.0 and 6.5, is observed to encourage the most robust growth. Hemp is a photoperiod-sensitive, or short-day, plant, meaning the transition to flowering is triggered by the shortening of daylight hours. This necessity influences the latitude where the crop is most successfully grown, ensuring a long vegetative phase followed by timely maturation. These environmental factors also influence the variety grown, as tall fiber varieties require a longer period of vegetative growth promoted by extended daylight in the early season.