“This is good for fiber product, with the thick stalk,” Ortmeier-Clarke said as she examined those varieties. “If you want fiber, you want that tall plant.”

In comparison, the hemp plants that produce more oils are shorter and fatter, looking more like a poinsettia or a marijuana plant.

The state acquired its industrial hemp seeds from a producer in Kentucky. However, it has been more than 70 years since the crop could be legally grown in Wisconsin, so there isn’t a lot of data on which varieties will thrive in the state’s climate. Ortmeier-Clarke said that is exactly what drew her to joining this study.

“This is a unique opportunity to look at a crop that is new to Wisconsin again,” she said.

Ortmeier-Clarke said it is too early to tell if industrial hemp will be a hearty crop.

“It was a really rainy year; it’s been an odd year for any crop,” she said.

Bryan Jensen, another UW-Madison researcher, told the crowd about some insect problems they have seen with industrial hemp, particularly a bore that digs into the hemp stalk. However, there wasn’t significant damage.

“You can withstand some insect pressure in these fields,” Jensen said.