The landscape for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is rapidly changing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and new proposals on the horizon at the national level from the Biden administration. It will be incumbent on institutions to adapt their programming to meet the changing needs of the economic environment. They will need to be economic engines as well as learning institutions.
The future progress for HBCUs will hinge on them being at the cutting edge of creating opportunities to help students make money, earn credentials, and build an economic base for their communities. One emerging opportunity is industrial hemp and the derivatives and products associated with it like hempcrete, biodegradable hemp-based plastic, rope, clothing, building materials, and fiber. There is major enterprising potential for institutions that have the foresight to position themselves to be able to take advantage of what is in large part an industry that is still taking shape in the United States.
The chance to participate in an emerging market like this is rare. Those who play major roles in shaping and giving definition to this industry will have first dibs on the spoils from both an economic and environmental point of view. HBCUs can be involved in every step of the process from cultivation to research to product development to distribution to sales.
It is important to make a clear delineation between industrial hemp and marijuana. It is a new and confusing area for many people and making clear distinctions will be vital for advancements to take place. There is a clear difference, and this writing is strictly referring to industrial hemp and its potential possibilities for HBCUs. Industrial hemp is differentiated from marijuana because of its low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis plant, but the biggest differentiator is the amount of THC that is present. THC is the component that propels people to “get high” and is illegal in most states. Plants that exceed the 0.3 percent threshold are illegal in the United States according to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) except for some states that have outlined specific measures pertaining to marijuana.
Hemp is a version of the plant that contains less than 0.3 percent of THC and marijuana is a version of the plant that contains more than 0.3 percent of THC. Cannabis is a term that encompasses the broader genus of flowering plants that is inclusive of both marijuana and hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill opened the door for a historic expansion of the cultivation of the cannabis plant. The legislation altered the Controlled Substances Act by removing hemp from its previous status of being deemed as a dangerous controlled substance. This ushered in a new area of agricultural, economic, and educational opportunity.
The bill set forth regulations related to who was licensed to grow hemp and punishments for growing the cannabis plant at levels that were beyond the 0.3 percent THC threshold and thus no longer considered hemp. The bill ultimately gave the power to individual states to decide their own hemp approval processes and plans for cultivation and sale.
The ability to cut through all the cultural and media narratives that are attached to hemp will be imperative for institutions that have an interest in engaging in the hemp space. Breaking through the taboo and educating people on the clear differences between hemp and marijuana will be key to garnering the collective buy in needed to take advantage of this unique window of opportunity on a large scale.
