il-june-18

Tyler Young: Could you describe Reclamation’s official
stance on the growth of hemp?
Steve Davies: We have policy that prohibits the use of
federal water for the growth of hemp, as defined under the
Controlled Substance Act. That said, we recognize the fairly
narrow provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill Act for growing
industrial hemp under an authorized pilot program and
how federal water can be used in cases that fit these specific
provisions. We are currently getting other inquiries about
raising hemp, because farmers are finding a market for
the product. Going forward, and until Congress provides
additional language on the 2014 Farm Bill Act provisions,
we will review such requests on a case-by-case basis to
make sure these provisions are met.
Tyler Young: What is the step-by-step process for those
who want to pursue growing hemp in Montana?
Steve Davies: I think first and foremost, they need to
be registered and licensed under the state of Montana’s
established pilot program. For growers in Montana, they
really need to be affiliated with the state Department
of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp under that pilot
program. It fits exactly the provisions of the 2014 Farm
Bill Act. Second, they should identify their water source,
especially if they expect to need federal water.
Tyler Young: What does Montana's hemp industry look like?
Steve Davies: I think there is a stronger interest today. The
United States imports millions of dollars of hemp from
countries such as Canada and China. We are in very close
proximity to Canada; this crop is being grown right across
the border. A lot of products can be derived from hemp, and
certainly that is driving the interest for farmers today.
Different types of crops are constantly being explored
and grown, and when you cross the border into Canada,
it is even more so. The state of Montana’s pilot program
has at least a few dozen growers, and the particular grower
that I talked about earlier who is now getting Reclamation
water is the smallest of all those growers, so there is a strong
interest. We are trying to understand the market more, but
we have to be mindful of some of the other things that
are going on in the United States in terms of legalizing
marijuana, for which the Controlled Substance Act and
Reclamation policy strictly prohibit the use of federal water.
We rely on Congress to pass laws and provide clarification
on how they apply to the use of federal water in this
industry.
Tyler Young: How is this situation changing your day-today
role?
Steve Davies: Reclamation is a traditional organization
that provides water to users for a wide variety of agricultural
crops in Montana. The list is growing, constrained only by
what farmers can successfully grow and find a market for.
We are a large marketer of water in the United States and, to
some extent, in Montana. Irrigation districts and water users
are becoming more creative in how they apply water and
their growing patterns, so everything is constantly evolving,
and we try to keep up with that. I think the number of
applications for water to grow hemp will only increase in the
future. Interest is growing, not just on the part of growers,
but also on the part of Congress, which wants flexibility for
users to grow what they need to grow to be able to survive
and compete in the agricultural industry. IL
Steve Davies is the Area Manager for the Bureau of
Reclamation's Montana Area Office. He can be reached at
sdavies@usbr.gov.
IRRIGATION LEADER 15