Study Assesses Hemp Fiber in New Industries

A new study at the University of Tennessee is looking at the feasibility of hemp fiber production for the Tennessee automobile industry. The Hemp Alliance of Tennessee (HAT) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture are funding the research, which will also provide an overall assessment of hemp fiber for the development of the Tennessee economy.

The research is taking place now through year’s end.

“Our organization and its members are invested in realizing the potential of this plant, and our hope is that this study will prompt significant industry investment in Tennessee hemp and its diverse applications,” said Frederick Cawthon, president of HAT.

The feasibility analysis will include developing a hemp fiber crop production budget for Tennessee farmers and an analysis regarding the costs, revenue and profits of processing hemp fiber in Tennessee, including transportation and supply chain logistics. The broad outlook portion of the study will assess the likelihood for successful Tennessee-based production and processing for the various major uses of hemp fiber.

“We are an agricultural state, and we are proud to be a hemp-producing state,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “This plant has numerous applications, and we believe fiber has potential to grow Tennessee’s industrial economy. We support this work led by the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee and look forward to reviewing the research conducted by the University of Tennessee to assess the potential scale of that growth.”

For more information on this research, visit the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee website.