In a milestone development, hemp seed meal has been approved for use as feed for laying hens by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). This makes Minnesota the first state in the US to approve hemp seed meal for commercialization.
Last year, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) tentatively approved hemp seed meal for animal feed. Minnesota’s move has created a big potential for future market expansion and commercialization of hemp.
The hemp meal is made from hemp seed cake, which was the tentatively approved animal feed by AAFCO in 2024. The meal is made by grinding the hemp cakes after most of the oil has been extracted from the seeds. The leftover meal is packed with protein, healthy fats, and fiber. This makes it a nutrient-rich food for animals. Currently, MDA has limited the use of hemp meal in the feed for the birds to 20%.
Daniel King, an MDA feed specialist and board member of AAFCO, remarked that the use of hemp meal can help in marketing the produce as having a ‘specialty ingredient’. Studies have suggested an improvement in egg quality when using hemp meal for hens. They also concluded that using hemp in animal feed provides overall health improvement in farm animals. This is directly linked to the fact that hemp seeds are rich in nutrients like essential fats, dietary fiber, proteins, omega 3, and omega 6. King also remarked that this provides an opportunity for market expansion of hemp.
Amidst the positive development of hemp meal in the feed industry, research is still going on for the full adoption of hemp in animal feed. Presently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is allowing the use of hemp with a cap of 2 parts per million (ppm) for THC and 20 ppm for cannabidiol (CBD). Regulating the permissible limits of both is important before hemp meal gets full approval.
The AAFCO will conduct more research and tests to finalize the safe limits for THC and CBD. The MDA looks forward to adopting the correct limits. These research and tests are scheduled for the next year. King expects that it will take a year or more to mainstream hemp meal in animal feed.
AAFCO’s last year’s tentative approval for hemp seed cake as animal feed was a green signal for the states in the commercial adoption of the same. It is expected that more states will follow suit after Minnesota. Hemp meal is now listed in AAFCO’s official publication. This is a significant development for the hemp industry, as this document serves as an official guide and rule book for everything related to the feed industry.
The MDA has announced that applications for a legal license to grow hemp are open till 30th April, 2025.