ONEIDA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – After sitting out the first year of Wisconsin’s industrial hemp program, the Oneida Nation is ready to put seeds in the ground.
“We’re just like any other farmer, co-op, or whatever that is going through that process,” said Ernie Stevens III, a member of Oneida Nation’s Business Committee on the tribe applying for the state’s industrial hemp program.
The tribe thought about applying for a permit last year, but like many others, wanted to see if the 2018 federal farm bill would legalize hemp production.
“Obviously we want to do it completely legal,” said Stevens.
“I know there has always been concerns and issues behind that as far as how hemp is regulated, how it’s looked at as far as being a stage one controlled substance.”
With that label removed, the state reports it received six times the amount of applications to grow or process hemp this year compared to the number of licenses issued last year. 2,097 entities applied for an application, compared to 347 licenses issued last year.
Oneida has set aside two acres for hemp.
“We’re not in it, at least on the front end, to produce a lot of volume,” said Michael Troge, project manager for Oneida.
“It’s essentially just a pilot product just to see what we are capable of doing.”
Stevens tells FOX the tribe says the business aspect of hemp is currently on the back burner.
“We’re having those conversations. We’d like to explore that, but right now we just want to make sure it’s a viable crop we can grow as part of our agricultural system.”
“Certainly, we want to experiment with the CBD side, as well as with the grain side and even maybe explore the fiber side a little bit,” said Troge.
If all goes well, the tribe has up to 30 acres already earmarked for future hemp production.
Oneida Nation has more than 6,000 acres of land it farms to support its beef farms. Corn and soybeans are the primary crops being grown.
