U.S. Animal Feed Officials Recognize Hemp Seed Meal for Chicken Feed

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has embraced hemp seed meal as a feed option for chickens in the organization’s Official Publication, a significant step for the industrial hemp and poultry industries.

Although the Hemp Feed Coalition (HFC) heralded hemp seed’s appearance in the AAFCO Official Publication as an important “achievement,” the group noted in a press release that “the regulatory path to market for hemp feed remains riddled with bureaucratic obstacles.”

“Even after the approval vote in January 2024, many state regulators denied or stalled applications for hemp feed until it appeared in the Official Publication. Some states went even further — refusing approval until the publication is publicly available in print for a full year (2027), simply because the first year’s edition must be purchased. These delays have nothing to do with science or safety; they’re pure bureaucracy standing in the way of market access.” — Morgan Tweet, IND HEMP CEO, in a press release

The publication recognized hemp seed meal as a potential feed option for laying hens, specifically.

Andrew Bish, the President of HFC, said that while the lengthy approval processes are “frustrating,” the progress is nonetheless important as it “moves hemp closer to functioning as a real agricultural commodity.”

“Every new approval, like HSM for poultry, opens doors for farmers to access new markets and diversify their operations,” he said.

HFC said it would next pursue approval for the use of hemp seed meal for ruminants, including cattle, goats, and sheep.