The Sky Has Not Fallen on Industrial Hemp

The Sky Has Not Fallen on Industrial Hemp

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor November 19, 2025 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 Bernstein of Laurelcrest and Morgan Tweet of IND HEMP.

Bernstein brings the perspective of a cannabinoid ingredient manufacturer working inside global supply chains, regulatory systems and the emerging non-alcoholic THC beverage and wellness markets.

Tweet represents the fiber and grain sector, where this new language marks the first time the federal government has formally recognized industrial hemp as its own regulated category.

Together, they break down what changed in the new law, what didn't and why the intoxicating-hemp loophole has finally closed. They explain how this marks the start of a 365-day window for Congress to build a permanent national framework that covers cultivation, processing, final-form products and impairment-based standards.

They discuss what the new definition of hemp means for farmers, processors, CBD manufacturers and retailers, and why the era of THCA flower, synthetics and converted cannabinoids is effectively over. They also talk about how grain and fiber stand to benefit from long-needed regulatory clarity, and why a patchwork of state rules has failed to provide stability or safety.

Tweet and Bernstein outline the three-phase federal policy model they're proposing and make the case for unity rather than panic or infighting. They also describe how HEMI — the Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative — will help coordinate industry messaging, gather feedback and drive momentum over the next year.

Their message is simple: the sky is not falling, but the easy part is now behind us. The next twelve months will define what hemp becomes in the United States, and everyone with a stake in the future of the plant should be participating in shaping that framework.

Learn More

Policy Framework Article by Danielle Bernstein & Morgan Tweet

HEMI – Hemp Education & Marketing Initiative

LaurelCrest

IND HEMP

News Nugget from HempToday

Full News Nugget: Federal Axe Falls on Intoxicating Hemp — Bringing an Uneasy Chapter to an End

Sponsors

King's AgriSeeds — kingsagriseeds.com

Forevergreen / KP4 Hemp Cutter — hempcutter.com

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: 50

Industrial Hemp Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Hemp Grain for Fuel: Wendy Mosher of New West Genetics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:35
New West Genetics has been focused on crop improvement in the hemp industry since 2014. In July of 2021, the Lancaster Farming National Hemp Tour paid a visit to the New West headquarters in Fort Collins, Colorado, where…
Melissa Nelson of South Bend Industrial Hemp on Five Years of Growth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:48
This week on the Hemp Show, we're revisiting some of the folks we met during our National Hemp Tour of 2021. Five years ago this summer the Industrial Hemp Podcast hit the road to map the industry as it was then. Hemp fa…
Hemp on the Hill and the Silver Screen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:47
This week's Hemp Podcast is divided into two parts. First, we take a look at the recent changes in U.S. hemp policy in a conversation with Rachel Umansky-Castro, the agriculture reporter for Bloomberg Government, who has…
Seed to Style: Inside the NIHC Summit with Patrick Atagi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:32
This week on the Industrial Hemp Podcast, we talk to Patrick Atagi, president and CEO of the National Industrial Hemp Council, the organization that's hosting the Seed to Style hemp fiber summit in conjunction with the F…
Counting the Blessings of HempWood with Greg Wilson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:16
This week on The Hemp Show, we check in with Greg Wilson from Hempwood in Murray, Kentucky where, five years ago, Lancaster Farming's National Hemp Tour made its first stop. A lot has happened with Hempwood since then, a…
The National Hemp Tour 5 Years On [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:39
This week on the hemp podcast we take a ride in the RV Time Machine. We're going back five years, back to the National Hemp Tour in the summer of 2021, when we took the podcast on the road — and took my family too. We tr…
The Fiber King In-Field Decorticator [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:34
On this week's show, we catch up with Lancaster County farmer, hemp innovator and cover-crop coach Steve Groff to hear about the progress on two machines that have been years in the making and, he thinks, are finally abo…
Hemp Week in the Hempire State [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:43
This week on the Hemp Show we're digging into a few of the calendar items we mentioned on last week's show, specifically the run of events in New York state next month. On September 15, Cornell's 10th Annual Grain and Fi…
News Nuggets and Upcoming Hemp Events [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:11
On this week's Hemp Show we are focusing on recent news stories and upcoming hemp events, including the Farm-to-Fabric Hemp Textile Symposium in New York City, September 18-20. See the full list of events below. Plus a h…
From Field to Foot: Making Hemp Socks in Poland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:24
This week's Hemp Show takes us once more back to Poland, where Maciej Kowalski gives us a tour of his vertically integrated hemp textile company in Elbląg, a small town in Northern Poland, not too far from the Baltic Sea…