Hemp seed for chicken feed under consideration

Hemp seed may soon find its way into chicken feed.

Rachel Berry, president of the Illinois Hemp Growers Association, says an upcoming vote by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) could be huge for the hemp industry.

“It’s only 20% hemp in with the feed, but this has been an ongoing investment I guess you could say.”  She says, “There’s a lot that goes into getting a food approved for animals and that will open up markets for farmers to start growing grain for animal food production.”

Berry says hemp production saw an initial boon after inclusion in the 2018 Farm Bill, but she tells Brownfield the industry could use a boost.

“Overall, though, the total acreage of hemp across the United States, not just in Illinois, the total acreage has gone down,” she says.

Berry says hemp grain is high in protein, fat and fiber.  The AAFCO is expected to vote on the issue at its annual meeting next week.

Source: Brownfield