On this page: The Challenge | The Approach | The Outcomes | Looking Ahead
The 2025 field trial at Grand Farm focused on comparing the performance of New West Genetics’ AMPLIFY® hybrid hemp varieties with traditional open-pollinated hemp varieties.
The trial allowed researchers and company leaders to evaluate whether hybrid genetics could deliver improved grain yields under the soil and climate conditions of the Red River Valley. The trial compared grain yield performance between hybrid and open-pollinated hemp varieties while evaluating how hybrid genetics perform in Red River Valley soils. It also aimed to demonstrate hemp’s potential as a new oilseed option for farmers and introduce hybrid varieties to growers and stakeholders visiting Grand Farm.
The 2025 field trial at Grand Farm focused on comparing the performance of New West Genetics’ AMPLIFY® hybrid hemp varieties with traditional open-pollinated hemp varieties.
The trial allowed researchers and company leaders to evaluate whether hybrid genetics could deliver improved grain yields under the soil and climate conditions of the Red River Valley.
The 2025 field trial delivered strong validation for the performance potential of hybrid hemp genetics in North Dakota.
The AMPLIFY® hybrid hemp varieties significantly outperformed the open-pollinated varieties included in the trial.
These results confirmed that the substantial yield gains observed in third-party trials across the Midwest and Mountain West are also reproducible in North Dakota.
Beyond yield performance, the trial highlighted the potential of hemp grain as a valuable new oilseed crop.
Hemp grain produced by hybrid varieties can contain 30% or more oil, nearly 50% higher than soybeans. This combination of oil and protein content creates opportunities for applications in food products, livestock feed, and renewable fuels.
The strong yield performance demonstrated in the trial suggests hemp grain could become an economically viable crop option for farmers in regions like the Red River Valley that are already known for high productivity and crop diversity.
The collaboration with Grand Farm also created opportunities for new industry relationships and technical discussions.
During the project, New West Genetics connected with engineering teams at John Deere to discuss adjustments to harvesting equipment for continuous improvement of hemp grain harvest, much like what has been done for corn and soybeans during their production evolution.
The visibility of the trial at the Grand Farm campus also helped introduce hybrid hemp to regional agricultural stakeholders.
“The AMPLIFY® hybrid hemp trial we conducted with Grand Farm was a great success, demonstrating that the double grain yields we've seen in other geographies is also possible in North Dakota.”
New West Genetics plans to continue expanding its work in the region. The company is already pursuing additional trials and commercial activities aimed at further validating hybrid hemp performance and introducing the crop to more growers.
Future efforts will focus on expanding testing across additional environments, strengthening partnerships with research organizations and farmers, and exploring the commercial potential of hemp grain as a new oilseed crop.
As interest in sustainable crop rotations and alternative oilseed markets grows, hybrid hemp may offer farmers a new opportunity to diversify their operations while supporting emerging food, feed, and fuel markets.
