Economic potential of industrial hemp in Oregon: An ex ante minimum-data assessment

Abstract

This paper provides an ex ante evaluation of the economic potential of the emergent industrial hemp industry in Oregon, a state with conditions favorable to hemp cultivation. The analysis exploits available data to simulate the performance of hemp for fiber and oil in existing cropping systems. The study finds that profitability and adoption of hemp into existing crop production systems in Oregon could range widely, depending on key factors including hemp prices, costs of production, investments in production technology and supply chains, and policies affecting hemp production and utilization.