Hemp seed meal may now be fed to Minnesota’s laying hens, state agriculture officials recently announced.
Also referred to as hempseed “cake,” the feed material was tentatively approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) last year, meaning individual states could move forward with commercial adoption. The meal is obtained by grinding or milling the cake after most of the oil has been extracted from hemp seeds. It is now listed in AAFCO’s official publication, the foundational document for the feed industry that provides definitions, regulations, and procedures related to ingredients, labeling, and manufacturing.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) said the state is among the first in the nation to approve commercialization of the feed material. Minnesota allows tentatively approved ingredients to be used in animal feed and pet food. Hemp meal is restricted to laying hens for now, and can make up no more than 20% of the birds’ diet as a source of protein and fat, the MDA said.
Expanding the market
“It’s an opportunity to expand the availability of hemp in the market,” said Daniel King, an MDA feed specialist and board member of AAFCO. “Producers can market it as a specialty ingredient.”
Rich in protein, essential fatty acids, and fiber, hemp seed meal offers nutritional benefits for laying hens, cattle, and other farm animals. Studies suggest that including hemp seed meal in diets can improve egg quality in hens, enhance growth performance in cattle, and support overall animal health due to its omega-3 and omega-6 content.
More research coming
The Food and Drug Administration set the final standards with a limit of 2 parts per million (ppm) for THC and 20 ppm for cannabidiol CBD. More research and testing will take place over the next year to make sure the THC and CBD levels in the hemp seed are “correct,” according to MDA.
The AAFCO process may take a year or more before moving from tentative approval to full approval for an ingredient, King said. Once full approval is granted, it could be expanded to meal uses for other animals, he said.
MDA said the application period for a license to grow hemp in Minnesota this year is open now through April 30.
Hemp meal is restricted to laying hens for now, and can make up no more than 20% of the birds’ diet. Read More
