Essential Hemp Statistics You'll Want to Know

Hemp has been used industrially for thousands of years in the manufacturing of rope, clothing, furniture, and so many other things. It is a unique material because it’s naturally antibacterial, durable, water resistant, and you don’t need to use pesticides for it to grow well. There are so many things about hemp that make it an amazing industrial resource, but there is a lot of stigma surrounding it because of its relation to marijuana. Fortunately, many companies and nations around the world are overcoming their biases, and the hemp industry is gathering momentum. It is so important to understand the real facts about hemp and where it will be in future years, so we can monitor it. To help you with that, here are some important hemp stats and figures.

General Hemp Stats

Hemp is a plant related to marijuana, with a few different varieties that grow differently and are used for different purposes. Here are some statistics to help us understand the basics:

• To be legally considered industrial hemp, the plant must be grown and harvested with less than .3% THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is the “drug” part of marijuana.
• The four main varieties of hemp, according to the USDA, are floral, grain, fiber, and seed.

Floral Hemp

Floral hemp describes plants that are cultivated specifically for the flower, which is used in a lot of skincare and personal hygiene products. Here's the rundown: 

• 19.7 million pounds of floral hemp are harvested in the US every year, as of 2021. 
• 16,000 acres of American land is dedicated to the growth and research of floral hemp.
• About 1,235 pounds of floral hemp is harvested per acre of land planted. 
• The floral hemp economy is valued at $623 million.

Grain Hemp

Grain hemp is one of the smaller varieties of the hemp plant. It is often used in food, for humans and other animals. Want the details?

• Grain hemp can grow to be anywhere from 4-6 feet tall when it’s harvested.
• 4.37 million pounds of grain hemp was harvested in the United States in 2021.
• The United States has 8,255 acres dedicated to growing grain hemp.
• 530 pounds of grain hemp can be harvested per acre of land.
• The grain hemp economy is worth 599 million dollars in the United States.

Fiber Hemp

Fiber hemp is very useful for a variety of different industries. It’s used to make clothes (including hemp shoes!), paper, and rope among other things. Let’s take a closer look:

• Fiber hemp is the tallest of the hemp varieties, sometimes growing to be over 14 feet tall!
• 33.2 million pounds of fiber hemp was produced in 2021 throughout the USA.
• 12,700 acres of land is used for growing fiber hemp and researching it’s uses.
• Because it grows so close together, 2,620 pounds of fiber hemp comes out of every acre of land harvested.
• The fiber hemp market is worth $41.4 million.

Seed Hemp

Seed hemp is used as an ingredient in many natural products, especially dairy. It can also be used in essential oils. What do you need to know?

• The open production of hemp in the United States equals 1.86 million pounds.
• 3,515 acres of land across the US are used for growing and cultivating seed hemp.
• 530 pounds of seed hemp is harvested from an acre of land.
• The seed hemp market was valued at $41.5 million during the 2021 season.

Hemp Product Stats

Hemp is gaining popularity in many industries because it’s a more sustainable version of old-fashioned materials. For example, hemp is slowly replacing trees in the production of paper because it grows faster, so it’s a more replenishable resource. Hemp also competes with cotton in the clothing industry as experts argue which material is best. Here are the stats:

• There are 20 main commercial hemp product applications in the United States, including but not limited to textiles, animal feed, and paper.
• The hemp seeds product segment has a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20%, the fastest of all the segments. Hemp seeds are used as healthier substitutes in food for human and animal consumption.
• Hemp grows faster and closer together than regular trees do, so it can produce 2-4 times the amount of paper annually.
• Industrial hemp needs less than 10% of the amount of water than industrial cotton does to grow. 
• Hemp is four times stronger than industrial cotton.
• Hemp produces 3x the amount of fiber per acre than cotton does (generally 1500lbs to 500lbs) and grows quicker by 1-2 months.

Hemp Stats for the U.S.A.

The United States has passed several bills in recent years allowing for the growing of hemp and research about its properties. The US is unique because every state has the chance to make its own laws and regulations regarding hemp. What’s going on with hemp nationally right now?