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
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…
Regenerative Hemp Field Day at Pocono Organics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:47
This week on the hemp show we're going to a field day at Pocono Organics. Not just any field day, but a hemp field day, which in my opinion, is the best kind of field. The Hemp Field Day at Pocono Organics was hosted in…
Sustainability Report: Does Hemp Live Up to the Hype? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:07
This week on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast we're looking at hemp's environmental promise. We've all heard the claim the hemp can save the planet—but what does the science really say? I talk with environme…
The Hemp Waltz, Sides 5 and 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:38
This is the final installment of our special Global Hemp Fiber Summit Box Set. Sides 5 and 6 wrap up our coverage from Raleigh 2025, featuring voices from across the fiber hemp industry—from seasoned pioneers to fresh pe…
Raleigh '25, Sides 3 and 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:55
Thanks for tuning in to the Hemp Show. This week we're spinning sides 3 and 4 of our special box set recorded at the 2025 Global Industrial Hemp Fiber Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina, July 15 – 17, 2025. Side Three: Gl…
Greg Wilson and the Golden Ratio of HempWood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:28
We're celebrating big news from western Kentucky — HempWood is opening their new factory on the HempWood Campus in Murray. It's a big deal and it's a big day. On this special HempWood episode, we catch up with Greg Wilso…
All Things Must Hemp, Sides 1 and 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:32
Dear listeners, This week on the Hemp Show, we're dropping the needle on a very special commemorative box set from the 2025 Global Industrial Hemp Fiber Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina. In this first installment — Side…
How to Nip Intoxicating Canabinoids in the Bud [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:34
This week on the Hemp Show, we're continuing the conversation around the need to split the industry into two. There is much confusion in the minds of law makers and consumers when it comes to what hemp is. For years hemp…
The PA Flax Project & The Return of American Linen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:10
This week on the Hemp Show we're talking about flax, a fiber plant with remarkable similarities to industrial hemp when grown for textiles. There's a fair amount of flax growing this year in southeastern Pennsylvania. Th…