Geoff Whaling and the Future of Hemp Under the Trump Administration

Geoff Whaling and the Future of Hemp Under the Trump Administration

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor February 14, 2025 Duration: 38:56

On this episode of the Hemp Podcast, we welcome back Geoff Whaling, chair of the National Hemp Association, for an in-depth discussion on the evolving landscape of the hemp industry under the new administration.

We cover the uncertainty surrounding the NHA's $19.8 million climate-smart grant, the impact of leadership changes in Washington, and the ongoing push for hemp as an approved food and animal feed ingredient.

Whaling shares his insights on the Farm Bill negotiations, the role of key officials in the USDA, and why he remains optimistic about hemp's future despite political shifts.

Topics Covered:


  • The latest on the USDA Climate-Smart grant and its uncertain status

  • Why Geoff sees opportunities under the new administration

  • Key takeaways from his recent meetings in Washington, D.C.

  • The push for federal recognition of hemp as animal feed

  • How industry members can engage and advocate for hemp policy

Learn more:

Take the NHA Industry Survey

https://nationalhempassociation.org/hemp-industry-survey/

National Hemp Association

https://nationalhempassociation.org/

Congressional Research Service Hemp Update

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12278/7

Thanks to our sponsors:

IND HEMP

Forever Green

Music by Tin Bird Shadow


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
Inside the Trojan Horse of Intoxicating Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:55
This week on the Hemp Podcast, we have a long conversation about hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids with Chris Fontes, president of the U.S. Hemp Authority and founder of Trojan Horse Cannabis and High Spirits Bevera…
Spring Hemp Preview: Webinars, Short Courses, and Conferences [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:49
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 Ra…
Hemp in Pennsylvania: Commodity Crop or Shadow Cannabis Market? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:32
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 expl…
Hemp in 2025: Cliff Hangers, Course Corrections and Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:57
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…
In the Hemp Studio with Farmer Steve Groff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
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 F…
The Sky Has Not Fallen on Industrial Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:31
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 B…
CBD Farmer & Hemp Builder React to New Federal Hemp Definition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:02
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 produc…
Code, Carbon and Hemp-Lime Construction with Jake Waddell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:49
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 earl…