Spatial Analysis of Agricultural Suitability and Simulated Mapping System for WSDA IHRP
Research Mentor(s)
Flower, Aquila
Description
The WSDA’s Industrial Hemp Research Pilot (IHRP) is a program for studying the viability of a hemp industry in Washington State, legally allowed under the Federal Farm Bill Section 7606. Hemp are non-psychoactive varieties of Cannabis sativa and can be used to make a variety of products, including animal feed that can abate antibiotics use, and are a sustainable alternative to wood and plastics. The intention of this project is to use GIS for informing growers and economists in their evaluations of cost-effective, high crop yield locations across Washington’s spatially variable ecologic conditions. These analyses must be based on the needs of hemp cultivars that are developed and imported from abroad. The WSDA will also need a mapping system for analyzing the legality of a licensed hemp farm in regards to the 4 mile proximity restriction to I-502 marijuana production locations. Two separate databases were created for spatial analysis of permissible field locations, and for agronomic analysis of climatic and edaphic conditions. There are 444 Washington I-502 marijuana farms that limit hemp production locations in all but six counties, and no further production licenses are currently available. Both western and eastern Washington have habitat potential for hemp production, but will have different needs that impact production cost: more irrigation in south eastern Washington and more liming west of the Cascades. Besides climatic, edaphic, and proximity limitations on hemp, there are many other roadblocks to hemp industry such as the stigma surrounding this species. But overall, the development of a productive and sustainable hemp industry in Washington State should be feasible, as well as beneficial to society.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
17-5-2017 12:00 PM
End Date
17-5-2017 3:00 PM
Department
Environmental Studies
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Hemp industry--Washington (State); Hemp --Control--Washington (State); Sustainable agriculture--Washington (State)
Geographic Coverage
Washington (State)
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Spatial Analysis of Agricultural Suitability and Simulated Mapping System for WSDA IHRP
The WSDA’s Industrial Hemp Research Pilot (IHRP) is a program for studying the viability of a hemp industry in Washington State, legally allowed under the Federal Farm Bill Section 7606. Hemp are non-psychoactive varieties of Cannabis sativa and can be used to make a variety of products, including animal feed that can abate antibiotics use, and are a sustainable alternative to wood and plastics. The intention of this project is to use GIS for informing growers and economists in their evaluations of cost-effective, high crop yield locations across Washington’s spatially variable ecologic conditions. These analyses must be based on the needs of hemp cultivars that are developed and imported from abroad. The WSDA will also need a mapping system for analyzing the legality of a licensed hemp farm in regards to the 4 mile proximity restriction to I-502 marijuana production locations. Two separate databases were created for spatial analysis of permissible field locations, and for agronomic analysis of climatic and edaphic conditions. There are 444 Washington I-502 marijuana farms that limit hemp production locations in all but six counties, and no further production licenses are currently available. Both western and eastern Washington have habitat potential for hemp production, but will have different needs that impact production cost: more irrigation in south eastern Washington and more liming west of the Cascades. Besides climatic, edaphic, and proximity limitations on hemp, there are many other roadblocks to hemp industry such as the stigma surrounding this species. But overall, the development of a productive and sustainable hemp industry in Washington State should be feasible, as well as beneficial to society.