By Ashley McLeod, Andrew Rothschild and Alex Tomassian
With the popularity of marijuana in Colorado, the hemp industry is making strides in the implementation of farming practices, specifically in livestock and animal feed.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture recently published a review on the feasibility of using industrial hemp products in feed for livestock. The study was implemented following the passage of Senate Bill 17-109, which created a group of stakeholders to look into the possibility of hemp in livestock feed.
The report, sent out in December of 2017, outlined the research and gave legislative recommendations by the stakeholders in the group.
“In response to Senate Bill 17-109, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) conducted a stakeholder review and prepared this report to summarize expert opinion on the potential of approving hemp and its by-products as animal feed ingredients, as well as limitations and concerns in doing so,” read the report.
The Department of Agriculture and stakeholders in the group held several discussions on the regulatory status of hemp and hemp by-products as animal feed ingredients and explored safety concerns and possible obstacles that face this industry.
The group finalized six legislative recommendations for using hemp in animal feed: Prioritize federal approval, focus on whole hemp and hemp-seed by-products, conduct research on economic viability, target submission of a Food Additive Petition, include an experienced consultant in the collaborative effort, execute a S.A.F.E petition practice (Start early discussions with the FDA-CVM, Assemble and assess existing research, Fill in any gaps with additional research, Execute a targeted petition that identifies specific species and intended uses).
The study was led by the Inspection and Consumer Services Division of the Colorado Department of Agriculture. This department oversees the regulation of animal feed, ensuring that what is put in commercial feed is approved by the Federal Department of Agriculture.
“With help, it’s relatively new charted waters so to speak,” said Hollis Glenn, the CDA’s Inspection and Consumer Services Division Technical Section Chief.
“The research is not fully comprehensive yet, but a number of universities, private laboratories, and industries in this country and others are doing the research into hemp as an animal feed,” says Glenn. “The research studies that I have seen in general it has been agreed that hemp is a potentially good source of protein for livestock and other species.”
Glenn explains that using hemp in animal feed in Colorado is still a federal issue because livestock and livestock feed transfers across borders. At this point, hemp in animal feed is unapproved by the FDA and not approved federally.
“Hemp under federal regulations is still considered, from a federal level, a schedule one drug,” said Glenn.
Current federal legislation is looking to change this. House Resolution 3530 is currently in the United States Congress. This legislation would strike industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana. If passed, hemp would no longer be classified as a schedule I drug.
The Hemp Farming Act of 2018, introduced by Republican Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, would for the first time treat hemp as an agricultural commodity. While many states currently grow hemp, Colorado by far grows more than any other state, with more than one-third of the total grown industrial hemp coming from Colorado.
If passed, the federal laws will allow for more research to be done and will also make research into this subject easier. But there are still obstacles according to Glenn.
“There are a number of other cannabinoids in hemp outside of the THC, which is relatively low, but you have CBD and other cannabinoids that are naturally occurring that even though they aren’t THC and they don’t necessarily get the animal high or consuming that animal high, it still has to be determined if it’s safe,” said Glenn.
While the research on the nutritional value of hemp is proving to be promising, the CDA’s biggest concern is the overall safety of the animals consuming hemp and the people consuming those animals.
“The research into the safety component of hemp still needs to get done. The research into the nutritional benefit shows promise, but more research needs to be done,” said Glenn.
While the United States is still hesitant about the use of hemp in livestock feed, our global neighbors have not been. Last year, changes were made to the Food Standards Code — the standards in Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code — allowing the sale of low-psychoactive hemp seed as food in Australia.
The consumption of hemp, in particular, hemp seed, has been touted as an excellent source of Essential Fatty Acids, according to Hemp Food Australia — the largest Australian Certified Organic Hemp Food Wholesaler, Retailer, Manufacturer and exporter in the Southern Hemisphere. Hemp seed is also high in proteins containing all of the amino acids.
The primary value of hemp oil comes from its high content of the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. These acids cannot be produced by the body naturally, making it important to ingest foods containing them in your diet. The EFA’s, Essential Fatty Acids, are essential to tissue growth and metabolism.
“Intake of both EFA’s in sufficient amounts and proper balance is essential for prevention or treatment of a wide range of conditions,” wrote Hemp Food Australia in a document discussing the use of hemp in livestock food.
Hemp seed oil has an EFA content of roughly 75%, one of the highest concentrations of EFA’s among all plant oils. Since most animals’ diets are deficient in Omega-3 acid, hemp seed oil has become a beneficial addition to Australian cattle diets.
Hemp seed itself has been consumed by humans for centuries, but now, Australia has become one of the first countries to implement hemp seed into commercial foods such as bread and cereals.
“Hemp is the only food source with all the essential fatty acids, all the essential amino acids, and all the protein needed to sustain human life as well as animals,” wrote Hemp Food Australia.
Also noted in this document was a list of benefits reported to be seen from farmers using hemp in livestock food in Australia. They’ve seen both a longer life expectancy among cows consuming hemp as well as a higher average production of milk.
“Animals such as horses and cows respond well to hemp meal as a dietary supplement as it is high in protein as well as the residual EFA’s,” wrote Hemp Food Australia.
Given the relatively easy process of planting and cultivating hemp, it’s become a popular alternative to both straw and grass, which cattle graze on. This affords farmers options if nothing else.
“The cultivation of hemp fiber is cheap, simple and durable,” wrote Hemp Food Australia.
Although hemp’s potential has yet to be discovered, it’s important to note the gaps in research in this area. With marijuana being a close relative of hemp, there is always confusion between the two. Many people confuse the two as being the same and are then skeptical of feeding livestock something containing THC–the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana–when we humans may consume those animals later on.
It is still yet to be seen whether or not livestock consuming hemp has any negative or adverse effects on both the livestock consuming it or the end product produced by the animal.
If the current federal regulations looking to change the scheduling for hemp are passed, doors will open to finding answers to fill in the gaps in research that has already been done. The future usage of hemp as an additive to animal feed is up in the air until then.
