The National Hemp Association (NHA) has been awarded $19.6 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA ) to lead a project aimed at protecting the Chesapeake Bay Watershed through climate-smart hemp farming.
The initiative, which will see hemp cultivated on up to 5,000 acres annually, employs practices such as contour farming, crop rotation, cover cropping, nutrient management, and no-till farming – methods that can reduce nutrient runoff, pesticide contamination, and soil erosion while improving the overall health of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
The funding is from USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which connects public and private partners to implement innovative conservation practices. The RCPP is designed to address critical conservation challenges such as water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat protection, making it a perfect fit for the NHA’s goals in the Chesapeake Bay region.
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