Hemp seed is just as nutritious as sunflower seed and is much more resistant to insect pests. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison grew it for fiber. In 1942, the United States government promoted it as a necessary crop to win the war. And it’s listed among the best seeds for birds in older bird books. But it's not mentioned in any of newer bird books. Why? Hemp has been illegal to grow in the U.S. without a special permit since 1970.
Now, in 2018, with a number of states legalizing marijuana use for certain medical conditions and even for recreational use, farmers are becoming increasingly interested in growing hemp, both the cultivars used to serve the marijuana market and the “industrial hemp” varieties that have too low a psychotropic content for use as a drug.
So far, most growers are focused on hemp fiber and hemp oil for human consumption, but some grower are marketing hemp seed for bird feeding.
In the chapter “Hemp, the Devil’s Birdseed” from the book, Feeding Wild Birds in America: Culture, Commerce, and Conservation (Texas A&M University Press, 2015), Paul J. Baicich, Margaret A. Barker, and Carrol L. Henderson write about the history of industrial hemp farming.
https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/s-d-industrial-hemp-rules-get-green-light/
https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/news/126122/industrial-hemp-growers/
https://hempindustrydaily.com/dutch-furniture-maker-launches-carbon-negative-hemp-chair/
https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/hemp-farming-texas-cbd/
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