This week on the Industrial Hemp Podcast, host Eric Hurlock is joined by Lancaster Farming staff reporter Dan Sullivan to talk about one Pennsylvania farmer's decision that's captured national attention.

Farmer Mervin Raudabaugh Jr. turned down millions of dollars in development money to preserve his Cumberland County farm for future generations.

Sullivan explains how he found the story, why it resonated with people in and out of agriculture and what it says about the challenges farmers face regarding preserving their land.

From there the show turns to upcoming events for the hemp community in the next few months, with a focus on education and connection.

Listeners hear from Maylin Murdoch about Cornell's 2026 hemp webinar series that will be focused on how hemp is measured and evaluated in the field and in the lab.

Andrew Bish, president of the Hemp Feed Coalition, joins us to talk about a monthly webinar series that highlights research into hemp as an animal feed ingredient.

Fiber artist, hemp farmer and extension educator Laura Sullivan gives us a preview of a four-week online short course at the University of Vermont that will be focused on growing fiber hemp for textiles and building materials.

The webinar series are free. See registration links below.

And finally, we talk hemp with Morris Beegle, who introduces Industrial Hemp International, a new Denver-based conference that has evolved from the former NoCo Hemp Expo. The new show has an emphasis on fiber, grain and international supply chains.

Learn More

Dan Sullivan's story — Data center developers offered farmer $60k per acre; He preserved the land instead

lancasterfarming.com/farming-news/conservation/data-center-developers-offered-farmer-60k-per-acre-he-preserved-the-land-instead/article_a4c0fc64-53ca-45cf-9f3e-d323515b2555.html

Cornell Hemp Webinar Series

January 28 – May 6, 2026 | Every other Wednesday (1–2 p.m. ET). A free, biweekly webinar series from Cornell AgriTech focused on how hemp is measured — from field data and lab standards to fiber testing, post-harvest practices, and life-cycle assessment.

hemp.cals.cornell.edu/2025/12/24/2026-cornell-hemp-webinar-series-register-now/

Hemp Feed Coalition Webinar Series

Ongoing throughout 2026 | Monthly, third Thursday. A free, monthly research-focused webinar series examining hemp as animal feed, featuring researchers working on poultry, dairy, companion animals, and cannabinoid measurement.

hempfeedcoalition.org/webinar-series/

University of Vermont Fiber Hemp Short Course

February 24 – March 17, 2026 | Tuesdays (4 weeks). A free, four-week online short course from UVM Extension focused on growing fiber hemp for textiles and building materials, with sessions on agronomy, harvesting, and regional manufacturing.

events.uvm.edu/event/fiber-hemp-production-short-course

Industrial Hemp International (IHI)

March 25–27, 2026 | Denver, Colorado. A two-day conference (plus opening night) focused on industrial hemp fiber, grain, and international supply chains, evolving out of the former NoCo Hemp Expo.

industrialhempinternational.com/

Sponsored By

IND HEMP

indhemp.com

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

King's Agriseeds

kingsagriseeds.com

Hemp Cutter

hempcutter.com

We're back. Season 9 of the Hemp Show is here.

In this season opener of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, we'll take you inside a hearing organized by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania that was meant to explain the hemp industry to state lawmakers — and ended up revealing something else entirely.

The original intent of hemp in the Farm Bill was about agriculture and manufacturing, but the conversation has been dominated by intoxicating cannabinoids, chemical definitions and law enforcement concerns.

This episode weaves together testimony from regulators, business owners and legislators and ultimately asks a simple but important question: When "hemp" is used to describe everything, what does the word actually mean anymore?

Will farmers who want to grow fiber and grain get the short end of the stick again?

Listen to what the hearing revealed and why clear definitions may be the key to Pennsylvania's hemp future. SUBSCRIBE to Lancaster Farming Newspaper https://www.lancasterfarming.com/subscribe/

Learn More:

Pennsylvania Hemp Program (PA Dept. of Agriculture)

https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/industrial_hemp

Video of the Hemp Industry Hearing (Pennsylvania Farm Show)

https://vimeo.com/1154816396/314acd404f

Center for Rural Pennsylvania (Hearing Organizer)

https://www.rural.pa.gov

2018 Farm Bill – Hemp Definition (USDA)

https://www.usda.gov/farmbill

Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast Archive

https://www.lancasterfarming.com/podcasts/hemp

Thanks to our Sponsors:

IND HEMP

https://indhemp.com

Americhanvre

https://americhanvre.com

King's AgriSeeds

https://kingsagriseeds.com

Hempcutter.com

https://hempcutter.com

HEMI

hempinitiatives.org/

2025 was a year of uncertainty, contradiction and recalibration for the hemp industry.

In this year-end episode of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, host Eric Hurlock looks back on a season defined by policy whiplash, shifting definitions and hard conversations about what hemp is — and what it is not.

From rumors of executive action and the collapse of intoxicating hemp loopholes to the rescheduling of marijuana and its ripple effects across agriculture, the year ended with more questions than answers.

The episode revisits key voices from across the hemp landscape — policy advocates, farmers, processors, builders and researchers — and reflects on what the USDA data, federal decisions and on-the-ground realities revealed about the fiber, grain and building sectors.

It's also a personal moment of reflection: Nearly 50 episodes, roughly 160 guests and a year spent listening closely to the people doing the slow work of building real hemp infrastructure. As the show heads into 2026, this episode pauses long enough to take stock — and to set the stage for what comes next. Get the Benton Shirt: https://smithandrogue.com/blog/the-benton-shirt-grown-and-sewn-in-usa

Voices You Will Hear in This Episode

Morris Beegle

NoCo Hemp Expo

Joy Beckerman

Hemp Industries Association

Chris Fontes

High Spirits

Cameron McIntosh

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

Morgan Tweet

IND HEMP

Jeremy Klettke

Davis Hemp Farms

Lynda Mugglestone

University of Oxford

Guy Carpenter

Bear Fiber

Andre West

NC State Wilson College of Textiles

Larry Smart

Cornell University

Trey Riddle

IND HEMP

Sandra Marquardt

On the Mark Consulting

Coleman Beale

BastCore

Satish Hodage

YUJ Labs

Ding Hongliang

Hemp Fortex

Maciej Kowalski

Kombinat Konopny

Dave Cook

Tuscarora Mills

Mark D'Sa

Panda Biotech

Joseph Carringer

Canna Markets Group

Micaela Machado

Old Pueblo Hemp Co.

Danny Desjarlais

Lower Sioux Indian Community

Matt Marino

Homeland Hempcrete

Steve Allin

International Hemp Building Association

Jacob Waddell

Hemp Building Institute

Thanks to our Sponsors

IND HEMP

indhemp.com

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

King's AgriSeeds

kingsagriseeds.com

Forever Green

hempcutter.com

Sunray Hemp

Palmer, Alaska

National Hemp Association

nationalhempassociation.org

Hemp Education & Marketing Initiative (HEMI)

hempinitiatives.org

We have a special in-studio guest this week on the Industrial Hemp Show.

Steve Groff, third-generation Lancaster County farmer and hemp innovator from Holtwood, Pennsylvania, stopped by the Hemp Studio at the Lancaster Farming Office in Ephrata.

We talked about machinery, long fiber, seed spacing, planter design and why farmer economics need to make sense if this industry is ever going to scale.

"Farmers are gonna have to get 10 or 20% more profit per acre for this hemp out the gate," he said.

We also talked about the green decorticator he's been working on.

And when we got back from lunch at Tacos El Gordo in Ephrata, we talked about the recent changes to the federal definition of hemp and what it will mean for the industry.

Steve Groff

https://stevegroff.com

Tacos El Gordo

A special thank-you to Tacos El Gordo for fueling our in-studio conversation during this episode.

https://lancastertacos.com/

News Nuggets

Intoxicating hemp ban deepens uncertainty at some publicly traded cannabis firms

HempToday reports that the federal crackdown on intoxicating hemp-derived THC is reshaping financial forecasts for Curaleaf, Tilray and CBD-only companies, exposing fragile balance sheets across the sector.

Chinese study shows novel pre-treatment could cut energy use in hemp-fiber processing

A research team at Qingdao University has developed a low-temperature, chemical-free fiber pre-treatment that may reduce energy use by up to 60% while improving fiber quality — an encouraging development for textile-grade hemp.

Austria's plan to put hemp flowers under tobacco monopoly is called unconstitutional

Austria is facing a constitutional battle after approving a measure that would place smokable hemp under the national tobacco monopoly, threatening hundreds of hemp shops despite EU rules allowing hemp flower trade below 0.3% THC.

Learn More

Curaleaf Holdings

https://curaleaf.com

Tilray Brands

https://www.tilray.com

Charlotte's Web

https://charlottesweb.com

cbdMD

https://www.cbdmd.com

Qingdao University

https://www.qdu.edu.cn

Austrian Cannabis Association (ÖCB)

https://oecb.at

HempToday

https://hemptoday.net

Thanks to our Sponsors

IND HEMP

https://indhemp.com

Forever Green / KP4 Hemp Cutter

https://hempcutter.com

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

https://americhanvre.com

As we move into the Thanksgiving holiday here at Lancaster Farming, I am reminded again how fortunate I am for the people in my life. Yes, of course I mean my family, friends and coworkers, but I also mean the people who are in my life because of this hemp podcast.

Over the past nearly 8 years of making this show, I have met truly inspiring people whose wisdom, insight and perspective have shaped my own view.

One of these people is Jeremy Klettke from Davis Hemp Farms. I will periodically call Jeremy for guidance and to help me make sense of the world of hemp and cannabis.

After the recent changes to federal hemp policy, I wanted to hear what Jeremy thought. Is the new definition good for hemp? Is it good for business?

"I think it is an important correction that's happening … I don't think anybody needs to panic," Klettke said.

Learn More

Davis Hemp Farms

https://davishempfarms.com

News Nugget

Special Report from HempToday: Hemp in Australia & New Zealand

hemptoday.net/product/special-report-hemp-in-australia-new-zealand/

Thanks to our Sponsor

IND HEMP

indhemp.com

Eric's Thanksgiving song: https://youtu.be/m5Gy-4-fQ7c?si=5mqNY0gRty5xFcmC

This week on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, we take a close look at the biggest federal hemp policy shift since the 2018 Farm Bill and what it means for the industry.

Our guests on the show are Danielle Bernstein of Laurelcrest and Morgan Tweet of IND HEMP.

Bernstein brings the perspective of a cannabinoid ingredient manufacturer working inside global supply chains, regulatory systems and the emerging non-alcoholic THC beverage and wellness markets.

Tweet represents the fiber and grain sector, where this new language marks the first time the federal government has formally recognized industrial hemp as its own regulated category.

Together, they break down what changed in the new law, what didn't and why the intoxicating-hemp loophole has finally closed. They explain how this marks the start of a 365-day window for Congress to build a permanent national framework that covers cultivation, processing, final-form products and impairment-based standards.

They discuss what the new definition of hemp means for farmers, processors, CBD manufacturers and retailers, and why the era of THCA flower, synthetics and converted cannabinoids is effectively over. They also talk about how grain and fiber stand to benefit from long-needed regulatory clarity, and why a patchwork of state rules has failed to provide stability or safety.

Tweet and Bernstein outline the three-phase federal policy model they're proposing and make the case for unity rather than panic or infighting. They also describe how HEMI — the Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative — will help coordinate industry messaging, gather feedback and drive momentum over the next year.

Their message is simple: the sky is not falling, but the easy part is now behind us. The next twelve months will define what hemp becomes in the United States, and everyone with a stake in the future of the plant should be participating in shaping that framework.

Learn More

Policy Framework Article by Danielle Bernstein & Morgan Tweet

HEMI – Hemp Education & Marketing Initiative

LaurelCrest

IND HEMP

News Nugget from HempToday

Full News Nugget: Federal Axe Falls on Intoxicating Hemp — Bringing an Uneasy Chapter to an End

Sponsors

King's AgriSeeds — kingsagriseeds.com

Forevergreen / KP4 Hemp Cutter — hempcutter.com

HEMI — hempinitiatives.org

Congress changed the definition of hemp this week, clarifying the original intent of the 2018 Farm Bill and closing the intoxicating-hemp loophole that enabled a nationwide market of unregulated semi-synthetic THC products.

The change caps finished hemp products at 0.4 mg total THC per package, bans synthetic cannabinoids, protects legal CBD and fiber/grain hemp, and gives farmers a one-year implementation window.

What does this mean for the hemp industry? How will it affect farmers? How will affect the hemp industry?

On this special episode of The Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, CBD farmer Ben Davies of Wild Fox Provisions and hemp builder Cameron McIntosh of Americhanvre Cast Hemp break down the biggest hemp policy shift since the 2018 Farm Bill.

Recorded the day the new legislation was signed into law, this episode captures reactions in real time from two people living the consequences from opposite sides of the plant.

Learn More

Wildfox Provisions

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

Press Release from Senator McConnell

News Nugget from HempToday

Federal axe falls on intoxicating hemp, bringing an uneasy chapter to an end

Thanks to our Sponsor

IND HEMP in Fort Benton, Montana

This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to Jake Waddell from the Hemp Building Institute about the future of hemp construction, building codes and embodied carbon.

Hemp-lime construction has come a long way — from early experiments in a garage to an officially recognized building material in the International Residential Code.

Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs, are changing how sustainability is measured in construction and what that means for hemp-based materials.

And even when government funding for climate-forward projects gets cut, the people driving this industry keep finding ways to move forward.

"Now we have codes. We've had a lot of progress and movement into making hemp-lime construction more of a realistic prospect rather than just a really good idea," Waddell said.

We also discussed why EPDs are critical if hemp is going to be recognized for what it does best. Waddell explains that when hemp-based materials lock carbon into a building, that carbon stays out of the atmosphere for decades — a measurable climate benefit that current systems often overlook.

"Trapping carbon in a building keeps it out of the atmosphere — and that's a real benefit," he said.

All that and more.

Learn More

Hemp Building Institute

hempbuildinginstitute.org

International Code Council – Appendix BL

codes.iccsafe.org

NYSERDA – Energy Research & Development Authority

nyserda.ny.gov

HempToday.net

hemptoday.net

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative (HEMI)

hempinitiatives.org

News Nugget from HempToday

New Zealand fiber-materials venture shifts processing line to streamline production logistics

hemptoday.net/new-zealand-fiber-materials-venture-shifts-processing-line-to-streamline-production-logistics/

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

HEMI – Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative

hempinitiatives.org

This special edition of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast celebrates the 70th anniversary of Lancaster Farming Newspaper, which has been reporting on agriculture since 1955.

Recorded at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, this episode is a love letter to farming and to the people who make it possible. Farmers and ag leaders reflect on why they farm, what's changed, and what remains timeless — love of land, faith, family, and devotion.

Here's a quote from Wendell Berry that frames the conversation:

"Why do farmers farm, given their economic adversities on top of the many frustrations and difficulties normal to farming? And always the answer is: "Love. They must do it for love." Farmers farm for the love of farming. They love to watch and nurture the growth of plants. They love to live in the presence of animals. They love to work outdoors. They love the weather, maybe even when it is making them miserable. They love to live where they work and to work where they live. If the scale of their farming is small enough, they like to work in the company of their children and with the help of their children. They love the measure of independence that farm life can still provide. I have an idea that a lot of farmers have gone to a lot of trouble merely to be self-employed to live at least a part of their lives without a boss."

― Wendell Berry, "Bringing it to the Table: On Farming and Food"

Learn More

Ag Progress Days

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Wendell Berry – The Berry Center

Sponsors

IND HEMP — Believing in the goodness of hemp.

King's AgriSeeds — High-quality seed for over three decades.

Forever Green — Distributor of the KP4 Hemp Cutter.

Welcome to part three of our Cansayapi Trilogy in which we explore the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, held Oct. 3-5, 2025, at the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Southwestern Minnesota.

Part Three opens where part two left off, with the sounds of a waterfall that melts into the rhythms of the Red Tree Singers as they chant and pray and lead the way into Day Three of the Hemp Building Symposium.

After a news nugget from HempToday, this episodes opens with a tale of three Minnesota architects — Janneke Schaap, Simona Fischer and Anna Koosmann — who provide a roadmap for getting biobased building materials like hemp-lime and straw bale construction adopted into state building codes.

Then we hear a collection of one-on-one interviews with farmers, builders and advocates.

In order of appearance, you will hear:

Marcus Grignon — Hempstead Project Heart, Menominee Nation

hempsteadprojectheart.org

Ira Vandever — Indigenous Hemp and Cannabis Farmers Cooperative, Navajo Nation

ihcfc.org

Tom Knouss — RootDown Building Collective, Charleston

rootdownbuildingcollective.org

Alex Sparrow — UK Hempcrete, England

ukhempcrete.com/the-hempcrete-book

Gabriel Gauthier — ArtCan Hemp Construction, Quebec

artcan.ca

Guillaume Delannoy — FRD-CODEM, France

frd.fr

Micaela Machado — Old Pueblo Hemp Co., Tucson

oldpueblohemp.com

Steve Allin — International Hemp Building Association (IHBA), Ireland

internationalhempbuilding.org

News nugget from HempToday

Bipartisan U.S. group calls for 'Frankenstein' intoxicating hemp market to be curbed

hemptoday.net/bipartisan-u-s-group-calls-for-frankenstein-intoxicating-hemp-market-to-be-curbed/

Be More Pirate

bepirate.com — Sam Conniff's Be More Pirate, recommended by Alex Sparrow as a blueprint for creative rebellion and collaboration.

Sponsors

indhemp.com — IND HEMP, building a sustainable hemp supply chain in Montana and beyond.

hempinitiatives.org — HEMI, the Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative, connecting businesses with the potential of industrial hemp.

americhanvre.com — Americhanvre Cast Hemp, Pennsylvania-based hemp building specialists advancing circular design and education.

sunrayhemp.com — SunRay Hemp, Alaska-grown innovation and community-driven hemp projects led by Ray DePriest.