Hemp in 2025: Cliff Hangers, Course Corrections and Community

Hemp in 2025: Cliff Hangers, Course Corrections and Community

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor December 30, 2025 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 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


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
Pennsylvania Hemp Farmer Steve Groff Goes to China [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:31
Holtwood, PENNSYLVANIA—On this episode of the Industrial Hemp Podcast, Lancaster Farming visits with Lancaster County hemp farmer Steve Groff to discuss his recent trip to China. Steve shares his observations from visiti…
One Plant Film Reaches Kickstarter Fundraising Goal. Now What? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:28
This week on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, host Eric Hurlock speaks with filmmaker Jordan Berger from Sunflower Films in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Berger and his team are creating the documentary One Plant…
In a World of Hemp with Cameron McIntosh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:18
In this special Thanksgiving episode, hemp podcast host Eric Hurlock sits down with hempcrete builder Cameron McIntosh of Americhanvre Cast Hemp. Fresh off his return from the World Hemp Forum in France, Cameron shares i…
Talking Hemp with Morris Beegle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:03
This week we talk hemp with industry leader Morris Beegle. Known for his work with the NoCo Hemp Expo, Let's Talk Hemp, and other ventures, Morris shares his insights on the year in hemp, global developments, and what li…
Hemp Goes to GreenBuild [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:54
In this episode of the Industrial Hemp Podcast, we take you to the GreenBuild Conference and Expo in Philadelphia, the world's largest event dedicated to green building and sustainable construction. This annual gathering…
Montana 2024, Part One: The Goodness of Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:33
This is part one of our coverage of the 2024 Montana Hemp Summit, also known as the "Goodness of Hemp" Summit, that took place in Great Falls, Montana, Oct. 15-17. First, please take action now. Help support the One Plan…
Exploring Hemp Opportunities in Japan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:18
This week on the Hemp Podcast, we travel to Japan. Not literally, but vicariously. Our three guests recently attended the inaugural Tokyo International Hemp Conference last month and toured an 8th generation hemp farm an…
Pennsylvania Ag Secretary Seeks Knowledge in Montana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:43
Secretary Russell Redding made an official Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture trip to Montana this week to meet with founders of IND HEMP, one of the largest hemp fiber and seed processors in the U.S. On this week's…
National Hemp Association Goes to Africa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:49
On this week's Hemp Podcast, we talk to Geoff Whaling from the National Hemp Association, who recently returned from a trip to Africa. The trip, funded by a USDA Emerging Markets Program grant, focused on developing hemp…