Building a Hemp Hub in Northern Illinois with Kifcure

Building a Hemp Hub in Northern Illinois with Kifcure

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor June 26, 2024 Duration: 1:54:03

This week on the Hemp Podcast, Lancaster Farming talks with Kelly Burke from Kifcure, an Illinois-based hemp company that is focused on developing the hemp industry in the Land of Lincoln.

Burke, along with her husband Jarett, have launched the Northern Illinois Hemp Hub, which recently hosted a hempcrete workshop in Maple Park, sixty miles west of Chicago.

They are also growing about 1000 aces of industrial hemp and are developing plans for a processing facility, industrial park, and education center.

On this episode, we will hear all about their endeavors, including Silver Acres, a hemp wedding venue and event space, and Silver Lining animal bedding.

Plus, we check in with Lancaster County Hemp farmer Steve Groff to hear how his hemp crop is holding up after two weeks of scorching heat and no rain.

All that, plus news nuggets and a few surprises.

Learn More:

Kifcure

https://kifcure.com/

Northern Illinois Hemp Hub

https://nihh.org/

News Nuggets

Think tank says 'Miller Amendment' would not ban CBD and other hemp cannabinoids

https://hemptoday.net/think-tank-says-miller-amendment-would-not-ban-cbd-and-other-hemp-cannabinoids/

'Hemp Killing' Amendment Would Not Ban All Hemp Cannabinoids, Says Leading Think Tank

https://businessofcannabis.com/hemp-killing-amendment-would-not-ban-all-hemp-cannabinoids-says-leading-think-tank/

New Congressional report finds hemp amendment consistent with Ag policy

https://www.greenmarketreport.com/new-congressional-report-finds-hemp-amendment-consistent-with-ag-policy/

Industrial Hemp Market Set to Surge to $25.7 Billion by 2034

https://mgmagazine.com/cannabis-news/industrial-hemp-market-set-to-surge-to-25-7-billion-by-2034/

Canadian hemp fields shrink for fourth straight year, reaching modern-day low

https://hemptoday.net/canadian-hemp-fields-shrink-for-fourth-straight-year-reaching-modern-day-low/

South Dakota No. 1 state in nation for hemp production

https://www.sdnewswatch.org/south-dakota-hemp-production-sdiha-farm-bill/

Midwest flooding devastation comes into focus as flood warnings are extended in other areas

https://apnews.com/article/midwest-flooding-south-dakota-4b9fbfe8918e7a7e3c18178cb92b11a8

Thanks to our Sponsors!

IND HEMP

https://indhemp.com/

Forever Green

https://www.forevergreen.com/

Mpactful Ventures

https://www.mpactfulventures.org/

music by TIN BIRD SHADOW

www.tinbirdshadow.com


There’s a quiet revolution happening in fields and factories, and it’s centered on a single, versatile plant. Industrial Hemp Podcast, guided by Eric Hurlock, the Digital Editor at Lancaster Farming, moves beyond the headlines to explore what’s actually happening on the ground. This isn’t just theoretical discussion; it’s a direct line to the people driving the industry forward. Each episode features conversations with the farmers who are planting and harvesting these crops, facing very real agronomic challenges and opportunities. You’ll also hear from researchers, processors, and policy experts who are shaping the future of hemp for fiber, grain, and other industrial applications. The dialogue digs into the practicalities-from planting techniques and harvesting equipment to market trends, regulatory hurdles, and technological innovations that are changing the game. It’s a clear-eyed look at an agricultural sector finding its footing, reported by journalists with deep roots in farming communities. For anyone curious about the business, science, and sheer hard work behind industrial hemp, this podcast serves as an essential, grounded resource. Tune in for honest talk that cuts through the hype and gets to the root of this growing field.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Industrial Hemp Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Winds of Cansayapi (Part Three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:31
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 wher…
Voices from Cansayapi (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:32
On this episode we continue on our journey with host Eric Hurlock to Cansayapi, the place where they paint the trees red, the Lower Sioux Indian community, the home of the Medewakantan Band of Dakota people in Southweste…
The Road to Cansayapi (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:43
This week on the Hemp Show, you are stowing away with me as I retell the tale of my trip to the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, which was held for the first time ever in the United States — and specifically o…
USDA Hemp Report: Garbage In, Garbage Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:10
This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to Brad Truman, a data analyst with CannaMarkets Group, about his recent deep dive into USDA's hemp import data. His report, published in HempToday under the title When the Numbe…
Inside Cornell AgriTech: Germplasm, Robots and Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:36
On this week's podcast, we continue our trip to Geneva, New York, for part two of the Cornell story. I spend some time with Christine Smart, director of Cornell AgriTech, and her husband Larry Smart, professor of plant b…
Grain & Fiber Hemp Field Day at Cornell 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:32
On this week's podcast, host Eric Hurlock travels to Geneva, New York, on the top of Seneca Lake to take part in Cornell's Hemp Field day, held Thursday, Sept. 11. This episode covers both the morning and afternoon sessi…
In Search Of: A Pennsylvania Hemp Textile Supply Chain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:41
This week on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, we're chasing down the beginnings of a Pennsylvania hemp fiber supply chain. We start the day in southern Lancaster County at Steve Groff's farm, standing in th…