** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INDUSTRIAL HEMP (CANNABIS SATIVA L.) PRODUCTION HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY SINCE THE PASSING OF THE AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 2014, PUBLIC LAW 113-79 (THE 2014 FARM BILL). IN MISSOURI, THE SIGNING OF THE FARM BILL ON DECEMBER 20, 2018, REMOVED INDUSTRIAL HEMP FROM THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT, AND ALLOWED FARMERS TO GROW THE CROP. THE MISSOURI INDUSTRIAL HEMP PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF MISSOURI SENATE BILL 133 WHICH WAS SIGNED IN 2019. IN MISSOURI, INDUSTRIAL HEMP PRODUCTION PRACTICES ARE ADOPTED FROM RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN KENTUCKY WHICH IS NOT VALIDATED IN MISSOURI. INDUSTRIAL HEMP PRODUCTION IN MISSOURI IS IN DIRE NEED OF STATE-SPECIFIC AGRONOMIC RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING SITE AND VARIETY SELECTION, SOIL NUTRIENT CONSIDERATIONS, PLANTING TIMINGS, SEEDING RATES AND DEPTHS, PEST MANAGEMENT AND HARVESTING MANAGEMENT. THEREFORE, OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CARRY OUT EXTENSIVE TESTING OF PRODUCTION PRACTICES OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP THROUGH MULTI-LOCATION TESTING IN DIFFERENT AGRO-CLIMATIC REGIONS OF MISSOURI. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH ARE TO: (1) DEVELOP AGRONOMIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GREATER BIOMASS AND SEED PRODUCTION THROUGH MULTILOCATION VARIETY TESTING; (2) EVALUATE NITROGEN FERTILIZER RATE RESPONSE OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP VARIETIES THAT MEET COMPLIANCE OF THC (TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL) LEVELS; (3) DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USING HARVEST-AIDS TO FACILITATE THE TIMELY HARVEST OF SEED AND FIBER AND; AND (4) DELIVER EDUCATION MATERIALS GENERATED THROUGH THIS PROJECT ON AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC RETURNS OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP TO INDUSTRY AGRONOMISTS, GROWERS, CROP CONSULTANTS, RESEARCHERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE PRINT/WRITTEN MEDIA, VIDEOS, PRESENTATION AT FARMER'S AND INDUSTRY EVENTS, HEMP PRODUCTION MANUAL. RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL HELP HEMP FARMERS IN SELECTION AND PLANTING OF SUITABLE HEMP CULTIVAR AND APPLICATION OF OPTIMUM NITROGEN FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATE, THAT WILL INCREASE THE HEMP FIBER AND YIELD QUALITY AS WELL AS ECONOMIC RETURNS.