Jan Slaski — Hemp Breeding on the Canadian Prairies

Jan Slaski — Hemp Breeding on the Canadian Prairies

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor June 26, 2026 Duration: 24:15

This is part four of a ten-part podcast series documenting the European Industrial Hemp Association's 23rd Annual Conference in Poznan, Poland, at the Institute of Fiber Plants and Medicinal Medicine, June 10-12.


Jan Slaski, hemp researcher and plant breeder at InnoTech Alberta, has spent nearly a quarter-century developing industrial hemp on the Canadian prairies. He came to Canada from Poland in 1993 and started hemp research in 2001, testing nearly 90 varieties from around the world to find what worked on the Canadian prairies. His team at InnoTech Alberta addresses the entire value chain — from seed to final product — across genetics, agronomy, processing and engineering.

But Slaski's real battle has been cultural, not agronomic. People conflate industrial hemp (low-THC fiber crops) with cannabis (high-THC intoxicating plants). Even at trade shows, visitors holding hemp seeds ask if they'll get high.

"This thing between hemp and cannabis, because you know, just like a word matters, how people perceive reality, you know they perceive through words, right?" he said.

For 25 years, Slaski has been destigmatizing industrial hemp — fighting regulatory confusion and consumer misunderstanding.

His current focus is artificial intelligence applied to hemp breeding. Using drone technology and computer vision, his team is developing tools to automatically identify male plants in seed production — work currently done by hand.

Beyond genetics, Slaski emphasizes that reliable feedstock matters most. In Canada, hemp breaks disease cycles that devastate canola. Farmers generate income while improving soil health. The conference message: industrial hemp has moved from abstract "world-saving" rhetoric to practical business.

Learn More

InnoTech Alberta

https://www.inotechalberta.ca

International Seed Standards Global Congress

https://www.worldseed.org

Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants (IWNIRZ)

https://iwnirz.pl

Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants (IWNIRZ)

iwnirz.pl

European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA)

eiha.org/

EIHA Conference

eiha-conference.org/


Thanks to Our Sponsors

Condor Seed

condorseed.com

HEMI — The Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative

thegoodnessofhemp.org

Bish Enterprises — FiberCut Hemp Harvesting

bishenterprise.com/fibercut

1937 International

1937international.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: 50

Industrial Hemp Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ken Elliott & Rusty Peterson — What US Hemp Can Learn From Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:24
This is part one of a ten-part podcast series documenting the European Industrial Hemp Association's 23rd Annual Conference in Poznan, Poland, at the Institute of Fiber Plants and Medicinal Medicine, June 10-12. The seri…
Meet Ursa Alta, The New Low-THC Fiber Cultivar from Cornell AgriTech [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
This week on the Hemp Show, Larry Smart returns to talk about Ursa Alta, the new low-THC hemp variety that Cornell AgriTech has released for commercial production. The variety has been seven years in the making. "We had…
Can the Goodness of Hemp Act Fix What's Broken in Hemp? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:20
This week Morgan Tweet returns to the Hemp Show to talk about the Goodness of Hemp Act, a draft legislation she's confident will set the broader hemp industry on the path toward sensible regulation. She was on the show l…
Meet NHA's New Director Sully Sullivan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:05
This week on the Hemp Show we meet Sully Sullivan. He's the new executive director at the National Hemp Association — and what a time to be taking the helm of a hemp association. So much is up in the air right now. What…
Farm to Flow: Trace Femcare and the Future of Hemp Fiber Tampons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:18
This week on the Hemp Show, Claire Crunk returns. She is the founder of Trace Femcare, the worlds first hemp fiber tampon. Her first appearance on the podcast was in 2023. Her company was just a few weeks away from their…
Stacking Up with Renewabuild Great Plains [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:45
This week on the show we talk with Ken Meyer of Complete Hemp Processing in Winfred, South Dakota. As of last week, Meyer is also a co-founder of Renewabuild Great Plains — the first U.S.-licensed manufacturer of structu…
Steve Groff and the Great Wall of Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:36
HOLTWOOD, Pa. — This week on the Hemp Podcast we take a short road trip to southern Lancaster County to catch up with farmer Steve Groff. "What we're looking at here, Eric, is a metaphor for the hemp industry. We're look…
Getting From HempToday to Hemp Tomorrow with Kehrt Reyher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:01
This week on the Hemp Show, we talk to Kehrt Reyher, CEO and publisher of HempToday, a leading source of global hemp news. An American expat from Indiana who has lived in Poland for more than 30 years, Reyher cut his tee…
Maciej Kowalski: Be Your Own Supply Chain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:40
This week on the Hemp Show we talk to Maciej Kowalski, founder and CEO of Kombinat Konopni, a hemp company in Northern Poland. We hear how he built a vertically integrated company — from planting, harvesting, processing,…