Virginia Hemp Month, Responsible Hemp Standard & Banking Barriers on Brush Mountain

Virginia Hemp Month, Responsible Hemp Standard & Banking Barriers on Brush Mountain

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor June 12, 2025 Duration: 43:20

On this episode of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, we take a look at the fight for industrial hemp's future — from grassroots advocacy to global certification and the ongoing struggles farmers face in the banking system.

Act 1: Virginia Hemp Month – Reclaiming the Word "Hemp"

Joe Domino and Scott McStacy of the Virginia Hemp Coalition join the show to talk about their efforts to officially recognize June as Virginia Hemp Month. With events ranging from hempcrete building workshops and beekeeping demonstrations to film screenings and brewery gatherings, Virginia is building momentum to reclaim the word hemp for fiber, grain, and industrial uses — and to separate it from cannabinoids and cannabis.

Learn more:

Virginia Hemp Month

virginiahempmonth.com

Virginia Hemp Coalition

https://www.vahemp.org/

Act 2: Responsible Hemp Standard – Certification for Fiber Hemp

Eric Singular returns to introduce the Responsible Hemp Standard (RHS) — the first global certification system for the industrial hemp fiber supply chain. RHS brings traceability, transparency, and verified responsible practices to every stage of hemp fiber production, from cultivation to cottonization. This certification gives brands and textile mills the confidence to source truly sustainable hemp fiber for apparel, textiles, and home goods.

Learn more:

Responsible Hemp Standard

responsiblehempstandard.com

Act 3: Banking Headaches on Brush Mountain

In our final segment, we head back to Brush Mountain in Centre County, PA, where bison farmer and hemp grower Herb Grove tells how his local bank abruptly canceled his accounts — simply because he held a legal hemp farming permit. His story is a stark reminder of the outdated financial roadblocks still facing hemp farmers nationwide.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

• IND Hemp — indhemp.com

• King's AgriSeeds — kingsagriseeds.com

• Forever Green / KP4 Hemp Cutter — hempcutter.com

Don't forget the Global Industrial Hemp Fiber Summit in Raleigh, NC — hosted by NC State and NIHC this July


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
Making Progress With Hemp at Horse Progress Days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:09
This week on the hemp podcast we saddle up and gallop out to Gordonville, Lancaster County, for Horse Progress Days, a two-day celebration of all things horsepower. Nearly 40,000 people were in attendance July 5-6, mostl…
Building a Hemp Hub in Northern Illinois with Kifcure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54:03
This week on the Hemp Podcast, Lancaster Farming talks with Kelly Burke from Kifcure, an Illinois-based hemp company that is focused on developing the hemp industry in the Land of Lincoln. Burke, along with her husband J…
Hemp in Europe: Voices from the EHIA Conference and Expo in Prague [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:24
On this week's Hemp Podcast, I recap my recent visit to the Heart of Europe, the Golden City, the City of a Hundred Spires, the capital city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia — Pr…
Will the Hemp Industry Survive the Miller Amendment? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:19
On this week's hemp podcast we discuss a recent amendment to the House draft of the 2024 Farm Bill known as the Miller Amendment, which was introduced by Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill. The amendment effectively bans all hemp p…
Czech Your Hemp with Hana Gabrielová [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:48
On this week's hemp podcast, Lancaster Farming talks to Czech hemp farmer, consultant and advocate Hana Gabrielová, who started her first hemp company, Hempoint, in 2010 and has been instrumental in developing the hemp i…
Bear Fiber Weaves American Textiles with Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:39
On this week's Hemp Podcast, we talk to Guy Carpenter, founder of Bear Fiber in North Carolina, where he is spinning a blend of hemp and cotton into yarn and making garments like hats, shirts, and socks. "The vision was…
Industrial Hemp on the National Mall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:09
Apologies to Jimmy Stewart. I only went to Washington for one day. I took the train from Philadelphia May 6 to record a podcast episode at the Ag on the Mall event on the National Mall in D.C. The National Hemp Associati…
Hempcrete Workshop Lays Foundation to Build Industry and Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:41
This week's podcast takes us to a hempcrete workshop in Barto, Pennsylvania. That's where Cameron McIntosh of Americhanvre Cast-Hemp hosted a four-day hands-on training session to teach the basics of the spray-applied me…
Exploring Hemp Fiber Agronomy and Genetics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:04
On this week's hemp podcast, we listen to a panel discussion from the NoCo Hemp Expo that took place in Colorado earlier this month. The panelists were Rachel Berry, a farmer and founder of the Illinois Hemp Growers Asso…