The hemp industry is emerging not only in Oregon, but also across the United States and many parts of the world. However, there is a lack of information on hemp production methods, pest management, federal rules and regulations and more topics. There is a need for developing and publishing science-based hemp educational content that is both meaningful and accessible to hemp growers and stakeholder groups.
In response, the OSU Hemp Extension Program, based at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center in Central Point and led by Govinda Shrestha, Extension statewide hemp specialist, initiated the development of hemp extension education content using a variety of techniques. The OSU Hemp Newsletter was created with the purpose of providing agronomy, pathology, entomology and economic-related hemp topics with insight from Oregon State University faculty. Newsletter content is accessible to the public and is shared using various social platforms.
As of January 2024, 12 hemp newsletter issues have been published since 2021. Thirty educational training items have been added to the OSU Hemp Extension webpages. The most highly viewed topics have been hemp arthropod and disease management, post-harvest management and agronomic practice modules. The educational resources have drawn viewers from 27 states and countries including Canada, the United Kingdom and India. The most frequent viewers are 35 to 44 years old, and currently have over six thousand users.