Planting CBD Seed In Indiana: Tips On Managing Hemp Farming Labor

With more and more farmers entering the hemp industry, it’s important to be well educated about the potentially lucrative crop. While many smaller farms are usually family-run operations, transitioning to hemp will require a lot more labor than you’re used to. To make sure you succeed, it’s important to be well equipped in terms of labor for your hemp farm. For farmers that are planting CBD seed in Indiana, you’ll want to have a well-thought-out labor management plan. There are many questions that first-time hemp farmers have about labor– we’re here to help you answer them.

Is Labor Essential for Your Indiana CBD Hemp Farm?

When it comes to most crops, equipment does most of the work and you’ll only need a few good farmhands. However, harvesting CBD hemp is very different. The flowers and buds in hemp are the components where CBD is derived from. Since hemp flower and buds are very delicate and can become contaminated when handled improperly, you’ll need to harvest them by hand. Hand harvests aren’t easy and ill require lots of laborers to cut the flowers with a sharp instrument.

Indiana farmers can also be pushed for time since you may need to harvest the mature hemp flower before early frosts hit. Another thing to consider is that THC levels will rise quickly as the hemp matures and any delay in harvest can turn your crops hot, resulting in a completely ruined crop. You’ll need to be smart when it comes to harvesting your flower efficiently and quickly, meaning you’ll need the laborforce to do so. Making a plan to find enough workers, keeping them through harvest, and complying with local and federal employment laws is crucial before you even begin planting your CBD seed.

Tips for Labor-Management When Planting CBD Seed In Indiana

1. Start off small: It’s common for first-time hemp farmers to underestimate the amount of labor needed for managing and harvesting crops. This mistake can create significant financial concerns if you have harvesting delays. The best way to prevent this is to start small and take this first year to really learn the requirements of your plants.
2. Estimate your hemp labor needs: No one wants to be in a situation where they discover they don’t have enough labor after already planting their CBD seed. Having a smaller farm can help you more accurately estimate the labor needed. Some farmers have reported requiring about one laborer for every five acres.
3. Potentially stagger your harvest: If you are shorthanded for labor and you happen to live in a climate with a long grow window, staggering your hemp pants can alleviate some of the harvest time stress. A staggered harvest can utilize fewer laborers over a longer time period.
4. Plan out your workforce: Now that you’ve established how many workers you need for your upcoming season, you’ll want to plan out what your workforce exactly looks like. If you are starting with just a few acres of hemp, you should be able to manage and hire your own workers. With larger farms, you may want to consider having another level of management between you and your workers. Having supervisors can be really beneficial for bigger operations– you may even want to hire other management and office roles the larger your farm is.
5. Find your workers: While smaller farms may be able to find family members for harvest help, larger operations will need a more formalized search for workers. If you have a large Indiana hemp farm, you may want to think about using the H2 visa program to bring in foreign workers for your farm. This program is available for those that aren’t able to find the adequate laborforce domestically and is quite common in the agriculture industry. However, working with this program will require a lot of financial investment and time. Many farmers that opt for this route will hire a specialist to help manage this process.
6. Create your labor budget: Since there are generally two jobs available in agriculture for every new job seeker, you’ll need to be competitive with your labor wages in order to attract enough laborers for your farm. If you don’t have the capital for this, think about other ways you can attract workers– there are benefits you could offer, you could create a really positive workspace, and more.
7. Follow all labor laws: Make sure to research your local labor laws to ensure that you’re being compliant. Implementing the right labor procedures now is best practice for the future. If you need better guidance, don’t be afraid to ask for legal advice.
8. Become the leader and manager of your CBD hemp farm: You may be a farmer at heart, but once you start hiring laborers you become a manager. You’ll need to accept your new-found role of being a leader and create job duties, training programs, and other important business structures.

Work with Indiana’s Trusted CBD Seed Supplier

CBD Seed Co. is honored to be the trusted CBD seed supplier serving the state of Indiana. We’re always happy to help you discuss labor needs and how to properly manage your team. For more information regarding how to manage your farm’s labor needs, please contact us!