Spring Hemp Preview: Webinars, Short Courses, and Conferences

Spring Hemp Preview: Webinars, Short Courses, and Conferences

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor February 5, 2026 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 Raudabaugh Jr. turned down millions of dollars in development money to preserve his Cumberland County farm for future generations.

Sullivan explains how he found the story, why it resonated with people in and out of agriculture and what it says about the challenges farmers face regarding preserving their land.

From there the show turns to upcoming events for the hemp community in the next few months, with a focus on education and connection.

Listeners hear from Maylin Murdoch about Cornell's 2026 hemp webinar series that will be focused on how hemp is measured and evaluated in the field and in the lab.

Andrew Bish, president of the Hemp Feed Coalition, joins us to talk about a monthly webinar series that highlights research into hemp as an animal feed ingredient.

Fiber artist, hemp farmer and extension educator Laura Sullivan gives us a preview of a four-week online short course at the University of Vermont that will be focused on growing fiber hemp for textiles and building materials.

The webinar series are free. See registration links below.

And finally, we talk hemp with Morris Beegle, who introduces Industrial Hemp International, a new Denver-based conference that has evolved from the former NoCo Hemp Expo. The new show has an emphasis on fiber, grain and international supply chains.

Learn More

Dan Sullivan's story — Data center developers offered farmer $60k per acre; He preserved the land instead

lancasterfarming.com/farming-news/conservation/data-center-developers-offered-farmer-60k-per-acre-he-preserved-the-land-instead/article_a4c0fc64-53ca-45cf-9f3e-d323515b2555.html

Cornell Hemp Webinar Series

January 28 – May 6, 2026 | Every other Wednesday (1–2 p.m. ET). A free, biweekly webinar series from Cornell AgriTech focused on how hemp is measured — from field data and lab standards to fiber testing, post-harvest practices, and life-cycle assessment.

hemp.cals.cornell.edu/2025/12/24/2026-cornell-hemp-webinar-series-register-now/

Hemp Feed Coalition Webinar Series

Ongoing throughout 2026 | Monthly, third Thursday. A free, monthly research-focused webinar series examining hemp as animal feed, featuring researchers working on poultry, dairy, companion animals, and cannabinoid measurement.

hempfeedcoalition.org/webinar-series/

University of Vermont Fiber Hemp Short Course

February 24 – March 17, 2026 | Tuesdays (4 weeks). A free, four-week online short course from UVM Extension focused on growing fiber hemp for textiles and building materials, with sessions on agronomy, harvesting, and regional manufacturing.

events.uvm.edu/event/fiber-hemp-production-short-course

Industrial Hemp International (IHI)

March 25–27, 2026 | Denver, Colorado. A two-day conference (plus opening night) focused on industrial hemp fiber, grain, and international supply chains, evolving out of the former NoCo Hemp Expo.

industrialhempinternational.com/

Sponsored By

IND HEMP

indhemp.com

Americhanvre Cast Hemp

americhanvre.com

King's Agriseeds

kingsagriseeds.com

Hemp Cutter

hempcutter.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
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,…
Dakota Hemp: Building an Industry in South Dakota [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:02
This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to the guys from Dakota Hemp in Wakonda, South Dakota. John Peterson and Karll Lecher are running a HempTrain decortication system, taking in bales from local farmers and turning…
Pushing Progress in the DC Swamp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
On this week's hemp show, we talk to a couple of hemp policy advocates who recently traveled to the swamps of D.C. in hopes of affecting change. This week we're joined by Geoff Whaling, chair of the National Hemp Associa…
Can Argentina Solve Hemp's Seed Problem? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:57
We've been covering industrial hemp on the podcast for eight years now, and the story of farmers getting bad seed is so common it barely feels like news anymore. It's just accepted — low germination rates, inconsistent g…
1937 International: Hemp Textiles, Pakistan to Product [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:34
This week on the Hemp Show, we talk with Ryan Zaczynski, co-founder of 1937 International, a company working to build global supply chains for industrial hemp. In this episode, Zaczynski talks about what it takes to move…
Hemp in New Zealand: Policy, Markets and the Long Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:58
Industrial hemp has been developing quietly in New Zealand for more than two decades. In this episode, we're talking with Richard Barge, treasurer of the New Zealand Hemp Industries Association, about how the sector has…
The Mythic Possibilities of Hemp Fiber [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:23
Long before we talked about hemp as a commodity crop with profound industrial potential, hemp was something simpler: a plant grown in soil, worked by human hands and shaped into useful things. This week on the Hemp Show…
Field to Fabric: Building a Hemp Denim Supply Chain in Pennsylvania [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:04
On this week's Hemp Podcast, we talk to August Cook, Joseph Carringer and Dave Cook of Commonwealth Denim and Tuscarora Mills about their effort to weave, cut and sew 100% hemp selvedge jeans in Pennsylvania — and what i…